Why Should We Care

Why should Christians care about the United Nation's Goals on poverty and hunger? Does not God want us to prosper? Will not the poor, the sick, the homeless just drag us down? Are we our brother's keeper? The author gives us compelling reasons why we must care, not because we are a Christian, Buddhist, or Moslem, but because we are human beings and we are inter-connected to the plight of every other human being.

When we look at our planet’s species distribution, we observe a very interesting pattern: as we move from the Poles to the Equator, the number of species drastically increases. This is what has been called ‘latitudinal gradient of species diversity’. In short, it means that tropical areas, which are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, harbor a greater number of species than temperate areas. We still don’t know exactly what causes (or have caused) this phenomenon, but we know that it resulted in high endism, that is, a large number of animals and plants unique to these areas. The tropical areas of the globe are an intricate patchwork of various ecosystems. Tropical ecosystems can vary from rainforests to deserts; from savannahs to mangroves, and we have a lot to learn from them. However, in recent years we have witnessed an increase in rates of habitat destruction, particularly in the tropics. Currently, many tropical ecosystems are under threat, as vast areas are devastated to give space to cities, agriculture, and cattle farms. As tropical areas vanish, so do species previously unknown to us, as well as ecological processed specific to these environments. Moreover, due to its global importance, devastation of tropical areas has potential impacts on other non-tropical ecosystems, and may exacerbate climate change, as well as influence the spread of tropical diseases. On the other side of this battle, there are many scientists that dedicated themselves to the study of the fascinating tropical biodiversity. This collection of articles aims at highlighting their contributions to our understanding of tropical patterns and processed leading to this incredible biodiversity. It focuses on the wonders of the tropical areas of the globe, by asking, amongst others, the following questions: Which species of plants and animals are found in tropical areas? What can we learn about tropical ecology and how can this knowledge help us conserve these ecosystems for future generations?

Romantic love presents some of life's most challenging questions. Can we choose who to love? Is romantic love rational? Can we love more than one person at a time? And can we make ourselves fall out of love? In On Romantic Love, Berit Brogaard attempts to get to the bottom of love's many contradictions. This short book, informed by both historical and cutting edge philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, combines a new theory of romantic love with entertaining anecdotes from real life and accessible explanations of the neuroscience underlying our wildest passions. Against the grain, Brogaard argues that love is an emotion; that it can be, at turns, both rational and irrational; and that it can be manifested in degrees. We can love one person more than another and we can love a person a little or a lot or not at all. And love isn't even always something we consciously feel. However, love -- like other emotions, both conscious and not -- is subject to rational control, and falling in or out of it can be a deliberate choice. This engaging and innovative look at a universal topic, featuring original line drawings by illustrator Gareth Southwell, illuminates the processes behind heartbreak, obsession, jealousy, attachment, and more.

A collection of thirteen seminal essays on ethics, free will, and the philosophy of mind, first published in 1988.

Peer pressure, codependency, shame, low self-esteem--these are just some of the words used to identify how people are controlled by others' opinions. Why is it so important to be liked? Why is rejection so traumatic? Edward T. Welch's insightful, biblical answers to these questions show that freedom from others' opinions and genuine, loving ...

Todd Noland and Joel Kasten, two high school seniors fed up with adult hypocrisy, launch a scheme to disrupt the political and social control of the recording, cigarette, and junk food industry.

To care can feel good, or it can feel bad. It can do good, it can oppress. But what is care? A moral obligation? A burden? A joy? Is it only human? In Matters of Care, María Puig de la Bellacasa presents a powerful challenge to conventional notions of care, exploring its significance as an ethical and political obligation for thinking in the more than human worlds of technoscience and naturecultures. Matters of Care contests the view that care is something only humans do, and argues for extending to non-humans the consideration of agencies and communities that make the living web of care by considering how care circulates in the natural world. The first of the book’s two parts, “Knowledge Politics,” defines the motivations for expanding the ethico-political meanings of care, focusing on discussions in science and technology that engage with sociotechnical assemblages and objects as lively, politically charged “things.” The second part, “Speculative Ethics in Antiecological Times,” considers everyday ecologies of sustaining and perpetuating life for their potential to transform our entrenched relations to natural worlds as “resources.” From the ethics and politics of care to experiential research on care to feminist science and technology studies, Matters of Care is a singular contribution to an emerging interdisciplinary debate that expands agency beyond the human to ask how our understandings of care must shift if we broaden the world.

The Mayo Clinic physician and founder of The Patient Revolution offers a “thoroughly convincing. . . call to action for medical industry reform” (Kirkus). Winner of the 2018 PenCraft Award for Literary Excellence, Why We Revolt exposes the corruption and negligence that are endemic in America’s healthcare system—and offers a blueprint for revolutionizing patient care across the country. Through a series of essays and first-hand accounts, Dr. Victor M. Montori demonstrates how the system has been increasingly exploited and industrialized, putting profit before patients. As costs soar, the United States continues to fall behind other countries on patient outcomes. Offering concrete, direct actions we can take to bring positive change to the healthcare system, Why We Revolt is an inspiring call-to-action for physicians, policymakers, and patients alike. Dr. Montori shows how we can work together to create a system that offers tailored healthcare in a kind and careful way. All proceeds from Why We Revolt go directly to Patient Revolution, a non-profit organization founded by Dr. Montori that empowers patients, caregivers, community advocates, and clinicians to rebuild our healthcare system.