Pascal

Andy & Me: Crisis And Transformation On The Lean Journey

Average customer rating:

A quick read but not worth it.
Andy & Me
A Good Read about Lean - if a little light on detail
A Golden Nugget
Excellent

Andy & Me: Crisis And Transformation On The Lean Journey
Pascal Dennis
Manufacturer: Productivity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563272989

Book Description

Based on the author's personal experience with Toyota senseis and with companies in the midst of great change, Andy & Me is a business novel set in a failing New Jersey auto plant focusing on the tribulations of Tom Pappas, the plant manager. The situations, characters and plant "politics" will ring true with many readers.

In a cool, readable style, Andy & Me follows Tom's relationship with Andy Saito, a reclusive, retired Toyota guru whom Tom persuades to help save his plant through the "teaching" of legendary Toyota Production System (TPS).

On this journey, the reader learns that TPS is more than just a collection of tools; it entails a new way of thinking and behaving. Though Tom finds success — both in his plant and in his personal life — he learns from Andy that successful improvement is "endless and eternal."

Customer Reviews:

A quick read but not worth it. .......2007-06-23

I had hoped this book would provide more detail on TPS, but it is very light on any detail and glosses over many points. After you have read The Goal and are use to its style of teaching manufacturing principles in the context of a novel, this book leaves you feeling really disappointed.

Andy & Me.......2007-01-20

YES read "Andy & Me" for a quick overview and high-level understanding of the LEAN process. The book will not tell you how to create the LEAN process but will give you a basic understanding to build on and insight into the questions you may need to ask for your particular situation.

A Good Read about Lean - if a little light on detail.......2006-12-03

As soon as I had finished this book, I reread it - to get the most out of the material presented. It is the best written lean business novel I have seen (though I also like "Who's Counting" by Jerry Solomon - available on Amazon.com). The book launches straight into the lean journey and presents the issues and challenges well. It is a good introductory read to help you get to grips with the ideas. My problem with it is that it doesn't go into any detail. There is no explanation of how the culture is changed to support involvement on problem solving; or how to do 5S, or kaizen; or how to map the value stream. But it provides a great overview and it is upbeat in tone - great for getting your energy up on the start of the lean journey, or to refresh your spirits when problems arise. Easy to read on the train or plane too. Recommended.

The author, Pascal Dennis, also wrote "Lean Production Simplified" a very clear plain English guide to lean principles and processes.

A Golden Nugget.......2006-07-24

I have read a few business improvement novels in the past few years, but this one blew me away. I picked it up and was halfway through the book before I was forced to put it down by some prior engagements. It had a wealth of information that someone eager to learn could consume and digest without trouble, as well as a story line that kept me interested and willing to keep flipping through pages. I highly recommend this literature to anyone interested in manufacturing, lean initiatives, or reading.

I wouldn't recommend this book to Amazon, because rather than buying the next book I'm probably just going to re-read this one.

Excellent.......2006-07-03

This is another "Business novel." The author does an effective job of communicating the philosophy of the Toyota Production System, and discussing organizational transition.

Lean Production Simplified: A Plain-Language Guide to the World's Most Powerful Production System

Average customer rating:

Lean for Dummies
Excellent Introduction & Overview to TPS/Lean
lean production simplified
Don't know what all the fuss is about this book
No Better Inroduction to the Tools of Lean

Lean Production Simplified: A Plain-Language Guide to the World's Most Powerful Production System
Pascal Dennis
Manufacturer: Productivity Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563272628

Book Description

LEAN PRODUCTION SIMPLIFIED

A Plain-Language Guide to the World's Most Powerful Production System Pascal Dennis

The author is a professional engineer, and educator with 20 years experience in manufacturing, public service, and consulting engineering. He developed his lean thinking skills on the shop floor of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, and working with lean masters in Japan and North America.

LEAN PRODUCTION SIMPLIFIED is a plain language guide to the lean production system. The book is organized around a central image: the "house of lean production", which will help the reader grasp the system and the factors that animate it. Additionally, the book provides an insider's view of Toyota, and how this company continues to succeed.

Features and Benefits: · connects directly to Toyota · first book on lean production written for the operator level · emphasizes the lean process as a common-sense approach · perfect book to keep on the floor as a quick reference guide

Customer Reviews:

Lean for Dummies.......2007-05-07

A short book which presents the basic principles of Lean Enterprise from the Toyota creation.

Excellent Introduction & Overview to TPS/Lean.......2007-03-26

This is an execellent overview and introduction to TPS. It is clear and concise without all of the case studies but it covers all of the basics of TPS. It is an easy read for the novice and will give a good grounding an overview of the key elements of TPS as a system that it is and should be understood as.

In addition to the basic elements of TPS/Lean the author also adds the Toyota elements of the strategic planning process and roles played by the various levels of management. This is an added bonus and is an area of TPS that is not very well addressed in other literature I have read...at least not in any real detail.

If you really want a good solid quick overview of TPS/Lean without all of the case studies, then I highly recommend this book.

lean production simplified.......2007-02-10

This is a very interesting book because show us of the simplified way how is possible to learn about lean manufacturing . It's important to highlighting that language of this book is very simple and your reading bring us a lot of pleasure .

Don't know what all the fuss is about this book.......2005-05-28

What has been stated in this book has already been stated in many others. It appears to me that as much as John Shook - and the Womack - group may know, they still lack the practical applications of Lean. I have been in Lean for 20 years and cannot gain much new info from this book.

No Better Inroduction to the Tools of Lean.......2005-04-28

I have been a Lean Practitioner for over twenty years and have had the privilege of learning from some of the original teachers of Lean in the United States. I have reviewed other publications on implementing LEAN Systems and this book is one of the very few that I truly appreciate. (Incidentally, please note that the author is PASCAL DENNIS, not John Shook). "Lean Production Simplified" is simply the BEST introduction to the Toyota Production System and to LEAN Tools that exists today. If you have any responsibility for leading or implementing LEAN in your organization, this would be required reading. Lean Production Simplified is an excellent investment of your time and money. If you are a company owner or President, I would recommend you start with "The Toyota Way" (the most enjoyable to read), "Lean Transformation" by Bruce A. Henderson or "Leading the Lean Initiative" by John W. Davis. If you are the "Lean Champion" in your company, another good introduction to LEAN is "Running Today's Factory". The series of shopfloor guides by Productivity Press is also helpful for your first "baby steps". Beyond that, find a real lean "sensei". A great place to find one is at your state's "MEP" (Manufacturing Extension Partnership) Center.

The Grand Surprise: The Journals of Leo Lerman

Average customer rating:

Agony and Esctasy of Leo Lerman
great gossip
a bit overwrought
Dishy Dish
A wider world

The Grand Surprise: The Journals of Leo Lerman
Leo Lerman
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1400044391
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

A remarkable life and a remarkable voice emerge from the journals, letters, and memoirs of Leo Lerman: writer, critic, editor at Condé Nast, and man about town at the center of New York’s artistic and social circles from the 1940s until his death in 1994.

Lerman’s contributions to the world of the arts were large and varied: he wrote on theater, dance, music, art, books, and movies for publications as diverse as Mademoiselle and The New York Times. He was features editor at Vogue and editor in chief of Vanity Fair. He launched careers and trends, exposing the American public to new talents, fashions, and ideas.

He was a legendary party host as well, counting Marlene Dietrich, Maria Callas, and Truman Capote among his intimates, and celebrities like Cary Grant, Jackie Onassis, Isak Dinesen, and Margot Fonteyn as part of his larger circle. But his personal accounts and correspondence reveal him also as having an unusually rich and complex private life, mourning the cultivated émigré world of 1930s and 1940s New York City, reflecting on being Jewish and an openly homosexual man, and intimately evoking his two most important lifelong relationships.

From a man whose literary icon was Marcel Proust comes an unparalleled social and emotional history. With eloquence, insight, and wit, he filled his journals and letters with acute assessments, gossip, and priceless anecdotes while inimitably recording both our larger cultural history and his own moving private story.

Customer Reviews:

Agony and Esctasy of Leo Lerman.......2007-06-11

A monumental undetaking both rewarding for Lerman's thoughts and fine editorial notes sorting out the wide variety of Lerman's friends and acquaintances.

great gossip.......2007-06-10

Fascinating gossip about EVERYBODY famous in the 50'60's and 70' in the New York creative arts scene.

Like watching insects crawling around

a bit overwrought.......2007-05-19

Fascinating recounting of recent times past and a personality desperate to stay at the top of them, along with the glittery, famous people. But the book is more than a bit like a high school diary: a bit overwrought and totally self-absorbed. Emotional commentary is the rule; serious analysis of anybody or anything, including his beloved Proust's works, is the exception.

Dishy Dish.......2007-04-28

Lerman, Leo (Stephen Pascal, ed.). The Grand Surprise: The Journals of Leo Leman", Knopf. 2007.

Dishy Dish

Amos Lassen and Literary Pride

Americans love gossip and Leo Lerman serves it up as a feast in his posthumous journals. He tells us about passion and love, art and theater, dance and parties, parties, parties. Lerman relates with elegance little secrets about people we have read about--the Kennedys, the Rockefellers, Truman Capote, Marlene Dietrich, Maria Callas, Arturo Toscaninni. But "The Grand Surprise" is more than gossip--it is about life, understanding and philosophy. What a way to become aware of the world that you live in. Lerman is funny, and wise and h holds nothing back. He provides candor, wit and sarcasm. I learned that Lerman dreamed of writing a great novel but he died before he got the chance. His assistant for twelve years of his life, Stephen Pascal, has edited his journals and his letters from 1941 until 1994, the year before Lerman's death.
Lerman's life spanned eighty years and forty of those years were spent in a publishing career. He was editor of that magazine of the "beautiful" people, "Vanity Fair" and also worked with "Harper's Bazaar", "Vogue" and "Mademoiselle" and he gave and was invited to fabulous parties. He knew all the who's who in society and the arts but he grew disillusioned with the glamorous life and kept wonderful notes. He knew, early on, that he was gay and he accepted that with no problem. He wrote with style and he adored being in love with his longtime partner, Gray Foy.
His snippets about the people he knew contain all kinds of charm--whether he wrote about how Ruth Gordon ate or the sex life of an imprisoned architect. He kept wonderful diaries with precise detail. Like so many of us, he was fascinated by celebrities and spent his adult life as a devotee of the New York social scene. People envied him as he seemed to be everywhere. He helped Caroline Kennedy do homework, he took Helen Hayes to concerts, he seemed to know everyone and he accepted by them.
Lerman led a dazzling life but he felt that he had wasted years going to luncheons and had sold his soul in order to be accepted. His missed his secret ambition--to be a novelist and worshipped the writing of Proust.
The book is a warehouse of information--of anecdote and revelation. He had come far having been the son of working class Jewish parents. He had once turned down the invitation of the king and queen of Spain so he could have dinner with a publishing magnate. He rejected sexual advances of Yul Brynner who begged him to sleep with him. He saw Marlene Dietrich naked when she asked him to join her in her bath so she could show him the female body. He carried Truman Capote piggy-back down a staircase.
What a magnificent gift this book is. It took Pascal more than ten years to decipher and edit his former boss's diaries and letters but he successfully resurrects a life with beautiful language. Lerman was a self-educated man who grew up poor in Brooklyn but he says he lives "high and rich interiorly". He was sensual and sexy and n his own words lived a life of "divine debauchery".
His parties were legendary attracting guests such as Anais Nin, Margot Fonteyn, Cecil Beaton, the Trillings, Aaron Copeland, Gloria Steinem and Leonard Bernstein and there were hundreds more. He knew everyone who was anyone ands says "I have always existed in the theater of the imagination-so each person in my life has been a character." His life seems like fiction but it was very, very real. He was glamour personified and now that I have read this book, I rue the fact that I never knew him--not that I would ever have had the chance.

A wider world.......2007-04-23

I started reading for the gossip - Toscanini, Callas, Dietrich, Capote; Kennedys, Rockefellers, Astors; sex (of every combination) , passion, true love; art, theatre, dance. And oh the parties.
But I continued reading for the sense of life over time, the philosophy, the understanding: "It is not years that age one, but recurrence--the same coming into `fashion' over and over again.". Jammed packed, seemingly "easy reading", with worlds to broaden my world.

Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought

Average customer rating:

Overuse of the word intuition
A serious effort to get to the real roots of religious thinking
A joy to read for a behavioral scientist
Religion not explained
Worth the effort

Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought
Pascal Boyer
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0465006965
Release Date: 2002-04-30

Amazon.com

What's it all about? Though we might never answer the really big questions--with good reason--maybe we can understand why we ask them. Cognitive anthropologist Pascal Boyer tackles this topic in the unapologetically titled Religion Explained, and it is sure to polarize his readers. Some will think it's an impermissible invasion of mental territory beyond the reach of reason; others will see it as the first step toward a more complete understanding of human nature--and Boyer is acutely aware of the emotionally charged nature of his work. This knowledge informs his decision to proceed without caution, as he warns readers early on that most will risk being offended by some of his considerations. Readers who can lay aside their biases will find great rewards here; Boyer's wide scholarship and knack for elegant writing are reasons enough for reading his book.

<blockquote> That gods and spirits are construed very much like persons is probably one of the best-known traits of religion. Indeed, the Greeks had already noticed that people create gods in their own image.... All this is familiar, indeed so familiar that for a long time anthropologists forgot that this propensity requires an explanation. Why then are gods and spirits so much like humans? </blockquote>

Peppering his study with examples from all over the world, particularly the Fang people of Africa, Boyer offers plenty of evidence for his theory that religious institutions exist to maintain particular threads of social integrity. Though he uses the tools of evolutionary psychology, he is more careful than most EP proponents to avoid ad hoc and circular arguments. Best of all, at least to those unmortified at the idea of examining religion critically, his theories are potentially testable. Even if he turns out to be dead wrong, at least Religion Explained offers a new and powerful framework for thinking about our spiritual lives. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

Many of our questions about religion, says renowned anthropologist Pascal Boyer, are no longer mysteries. We are beginning to know how to answer questions such as "Why do people have religion?" Using findings from anthropology, cognitive science, linguistics, and evolutionary biology, Religion Explained shows how this aspect of human consciousness is increasingly admissible to coherent, naturalistic explanation. This brilliant and controversial book gives readers the first scientific explanation for what religious feeling is really about, what it consists of, and where it comes from.

Customer Reviews:

Overuse of the word intuition.......2007-02-27

I was disappointed in the author's overuse of the word intuition. Especially since he did not define it in the book, and then he attached it to many other words and really overused it, ending up in the last chapter with 66 uses. I enjoyed the substantive content, but feel he deconstructed too much. His use of counterintuitive was also bothersome. I could not get beyond my own conception that intuition is something that feels an inspiratation from outside oneself, and therefore his use grated on me from the get go. Many folks today are using the term intuition in a contemporary sexy way, colloquially, and what they really mean to say deals more with guessing and rational thought processed, than the frequently surprising and unexpected aspects of true, often irrational, intuition.

A serious effort to get to the real roots of religious thinking.......2007-01-20

Pascal Boyer goes deep in his effort to explain belief in the supernatural. As a result, some of the reading is a bit dull, but it is ultimately rewarding. He goes well beyond the "people are a afraid of death" and "social approval" sorts of explanations in his wide-ranging survey of current and historical supernatural beliefs. Most people today take monotheism as the norm, and Boyer shows how and why we got to this point, as religion came to mesh with an increasingly complex web of human intuitions and emotional needs, showing the edifice of religion to be nothing but a cultural artifact.

A joy to read for a behavioral scientist.......2007-01-09

This book helps us to see current formalized (text based) religions and ethics as almost necessary products of the evolutionary history of our hyper-social species.

Religion not explained.......2006-09-04

I was very disappointed in this book, and not just because it is difficult. I was mainly disappointed because rather than explaining religion, Boyer explained the "transmission" of religious beliefs. He explains the influence of "memes" (cultural archetypes)on people's beliefs, but he doesn't explain why some people reject them and believe something else.

Worth the effort.......2006-09-04

I would give this book 5 stars for its content, but only 3 for its style. The information contained here is enlightening, thought-provoking, and very rewarding, but it does take an effort to read.

It took me 2 hours to read the last 50 pages, and then I immediately started another book ("The Third Chimpanzee, by Jared Diamond) and I read 100 pages in 2 hours. This gives you an idea about Boyer's writing style which can be slow to read.

However, if you are interested in this topic, you will want to read this book. The basic thesis expounds how the social human mind is predisposed to believe in religious concepts despite their implausibility. Boyer explicates with precision these deep-seated psychological roots of religion.

If you find Boyer's style just too grating to read the entire book, but still want to get the meat of his argument, I would recommend chapters 1-3 and 9. Although if this subject is as fascinating to you as it is to me, you will want to eventually finish it in its entirety.

Bonded Porcelain Restorations in the Anterior Dentition: A Biomimetic Approach

Average customer rating:

What a Book - a must BUY
You must have this book

Bonded Porcelain Restorations in the Anterior Dentition: A Biomimetic Approach
Pascal Magne , and U. Belser
Manufacturer: Quintessence Publishing (IL)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0867154225

Customer Reviews:

What a Book - a must BUY.......2003-10-31

The author takes an revolutionary approach to restoring anterior teeth, a Biomimetic approach. The author goes back to basics and studies nature i.e. the form and function of natural teeth. He then studies how each tissue (dentine/enamel) behaves mechanically (when loaded) and where the forces and stresses concentrate. These findings then lay the foundation as to how teeth should be restored i.e. should they be restored so they are as strong as nature (mimic natures strength) or stronger. The author tends to favour the former approach, and goes about outlining materials and design principles that will achieve this result. He presents an extremely interesting method and commonsense approach to restoring teeth. By reading this book, it allows us to reflect upon the potential disasters (verticle root fractures, decorination) that may be caused by restoring teeth in the traditional way (crowns & posts) whereby making them stronger than nature.

You must have this book.......2002-06-23

This book is a must have if you enjoy doing bonded porcelain restorations and you want to see how a master does it. The lab work is unbelievable and the photography is excellent. Its like having an Ansel Adams book: you have to see how the best do it so that you have something to aspire to.

The cost is pretty high, but so what. You will want to take notes when you read this. If you are really flush with cash, buy one for your lab tech.

Average customer rating:

The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook

Great Resource!

NOT gluten-free

Amazing Recipes for an Allergic Family

Finally a true food allergy cookbook!

The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook: Two Hundred Gourmet & Homestyle Recipes for the Food Allergic Family
Cybele Pascal
Manufacturer: Vital Health Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook: Over 350 Natural Foods Recipes, Free of All Common Food Allergens: wheat-free, milk-free, egg-free, corn-free, sugar-free, yeast-free

The Kid-Friendly Food Allergy Cookbook: More Than 150 Recipes That Are Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free, and Low in Sugar

ASIN: 1890612456

Book Description

The First Cookbook to Eliminate ALL Eight Allergens Responsible for Ninety Percent of Food Allergies

- 200 gourmet and homestyle recipes your whole family will absolutely love! - All recipes are free of the top eight allergens: dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or shellfish and also refined sugar! - Baked goods are all vegan. - Guide to gluten-free recipes. - Shopping Guide for hard-to-find items. - Food Allergy Information Resource Guide.

Pineapple Banana Granola * Sweet Potato Cranberry Muffins * Curried Pumpkin Soup * Frisee with Figs, Pear, and Crispy Bacon * Quinoa Tabouli * Polenta Radiatore with Prosciutto, Shitake Mushrooms, and Spinach * Grilled Chicken Breast with Mango Salsa * Creamy Avocado Dressing

Customer Reviews:

The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook.......2007-06-13

This is the best cookbook I have found for our allergy problems. I highly recommend this book. I cook from it most every night.

Great Resource!.......2007-06-04

My son who is 20 months old is intollerant (severe allergies) to all dairy, eggs, nuts, treenuts, shellfish and fish. This book offers a lot of easy recipes, a recommended grocery list and ideas for substitutions. There a lot of kid friendly recipes too.

NOT gluten-free.......2007-05-16

I bought this book based on the glowing reviews here. I was deeply disappointed. My main objection is that most of the "wheat-free" recipies replace wheat flour with barley flour. If someone is reactive to wheat, most likely they are reactive to the gluten in wheat and barley flour contains gluten (as does rye and possibly oat). Only a couple of the recipies using flour use a gluten-free substitute. Bummer.

Amazing Recipes for an Allergic Family.......2007-05-10

This book is amazing! I have tried quite a few things from the cookbook and everyone in our family loves them. The instructions are easy to follow and very helpful. Additionally, the recipes really bring out the natural flavor of the food. This cookbook has been a lifesaver since we discovered my son's allergies.

Finally a true food allergy cookbook!.......2007-03-27

As a mom of a child with severe multiple food allergies to wheat, egg, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, and fish, I am truly grateful for this book. I own almost every food allergy cookbook published. But Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook is by far my favorite!! Most cookbooks labeled allergen free are written for the gluten free diets with subsitutions at the bottom. All the recipes in this book are truly written allergen free! There are great recipes that our whole family enjoys. Most of the time I have to cook seperate recipes to appeal to everyone--not anymore! These recipes are appetizing to my 6 yr. old and my husband who doesn't even realize he is eating healthy with these recipes. These recipes make meal time truly a family experience again.

Average customer rating:

A Debate on Truth
What is the use of brief discussions about truth?

What's the Use of Truth?
Pascal Engel , and Richard Rorty
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epistemology | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0231140142

Book Description

What is truth? What value should we see in or attribute to it?

The war over the meaning and utility of truth is at the center of contemporary philosophical debate, and its arguments have rocked the foundations of philosophical practice. In this book, the American pragmatist Richard Rorty and the French analytic philosopher Pascal Engel present their radically different perspectives on truth and its correspondence to reality.

Rorty doubts that the notion of truth can be of any practical use and points to the preconceptions that lie behind truth in both the intellectual and social spheres. Engel prefers a realist conception, defending the relevance and value of truth as a norm of belief and inquiry in both science and the public domain. Rorty finds more danger in using the notion of truth than in getting rid of it. Engel thinks it is important to hold on to the idea that truth is an accurate representation of reality.

In Rorty's view, epistemology is an artificial construct meant to restore a function to philosophy usurped by the success of empirical science. Epistemology and ontology are false problems, and with their demise goes the Cartesian dualism of subject and object and the ancient problematic of appearance and reality. Conventional "philosophical problems," Rorty asserts, are just symptoms of the professionalism that has disfigured the discipline since the time of Kant. Engel, however, is by no means as complacent as Rorty in heralding the "end of truth," and he wages a fierce campaign against the "veriphobes" who deny its value.

What's the Use of Truth? is a rare opportunity to experience each side of this impassioned debate clearly and concisely. It is a subject that has profound implications not only for philosophical inquiry but for the future study of all aspects of our culture as well.

Customer Reviews:

A Debate on Truth.......2007-05-10

This recent short book, "What's the Use of Truth?" (2007) consists of the text of a debate held between two distinguished contemporary philosophers, Richard Rorty and Pascal Engel, at the Sorbonne in 2002. Rorty began his career as an analytic philosopher who edited a collection of texts in a book called "The Linguistic Turn." (1967) But, in his book "Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature" (1979) and many later writings, Rorty became disillusioned with analytic philosophy and, indeed, highly skeptical of the philosophical project as traditionally conceived. Rorty became a self-styled "pragmatist" in the tradition of John Dewey. Pascal Engel, in contrast to Rorty, began as a European philosopher steeped in Heidegger. He has since tried to bring European thought closer to the techniques and questions of analytic philosophy.

The subject of the Engel-Rorty debate is the nature of truth and whether the concept of truth is philosophically important. Rorty argues for a "deflationist" account of truth, and maintains that there is little benefit to be gained from studying the conundrums that philosophers have erected around the concept. Rorty claims to adopt the pragmatist maxim of William James that "if a debate has no practical significance, then it has no philosophical significance." To simplify greatly, Rorty rejects an approach in which true statements are thought to bear a relationship of correspondence to an independent reality. True statements are those accepted by a community under standards used by that community whether the statements be scientific, artistic, technical, political, religious, ethical what have you. There is no metaphysical entity called Truth for Rorty, and to say, for example, that ""The cat is on the mat" is true" is, in most circumstances, only to say "The cat is on the mat."

In the debate, Pascal Engel agrees with Rorty on some important points. Notably, he rejects any metaphysical notion of "the Truth" and he also rejects representationalism for the most part. But while Rorty claims to be a follower of James and Dewey, Engel is closer to the earlier American pragmatist, Charles Peirce. Engel argues that the concept of the truth as an important regulatory role to play in human thought by setting a goal and limiting condition of human inquiry. Engel discusses what he describes as the assertion-belief-truth triangle by which he endeavors to show that the question of the acceptability of a particular statement by a group cannot be reduced to the question of the truth of that statement.

Following the statement of their basic positions, Rorty and Engel engage in a brief discussion which grows increasingly heated.

As is often the case, Rorty states his position eloquently and rhetorically, with references to himself and those who think with him as "we pragmatists", "we quietists" and the like. It is difficult to take a good hard look at Rorty's views. Rorty does not seem to me entirely consistent in his pragmatism and anti-metaphysical orientation, as he slips, in places in his discussion, into a philosophical naturalism with no place for any form of theology. In other places, his approach seems to be of the breadth to allow theological discourse, just as any other discourse, as long as it serves a human need. Engel works hard in the debate to establish the importance of a limited concept of truth, but I was struck by how much the contours of philosophical debate have shifted towards a position much influenced by Rorty.

This book is short, lively, and provocative. I think it too brief and too concentrated to make a good introduction to the issues it addresses. This book will be of interest to serious students of philosophy and to those interested in the claimed death of or at least reformulation of this venerable discipline.

Robin Friedman

What is the use of brief discussions about truth?.......2007-04-12

I give this 3 stars because it is not a very good addition to the literature already on Rorty, but it is a decent discussion (considering its brevity) on some important philosophical themes.

At less than 80 pages, this discussion of truth is much more precise, fruitful, and inspiring than a similar short book on truth - Harry G. Frankfurt's On Truth.
This book is actually the text of a public debate held at the Sorbonne in November 2002. The topic is the role that truth plays both linguistically and socially. Rorty has written for over 20 years on his view that the notion of truth as Truth is an unnecessary addition (and epistemological quandary) to the notion of justification within a given community.
The book consists of a main statement by Pascal Engels who, though finding commonalities with Rorty, differs with Rorty importantly. Next, Rorty responds with his main statement. Then a discussion ensues with shorter critical responses. The appendix is actually a reprint of Rorty's book review of Pascal Engel's book Truth(this actually adds to the discussion, though not much). Part of my disappointment in this book is that Rorty has addressed every one of Engel's objects (except for the one I relay in the next 2 paragraphs) somewhere else in his writings - especially his Objectivity, Relativism, and Truth: Philosophical Papers (Philosophical Papers, Vol 1).
Where to begin when discussing Truth? The point of departure here is Rorty's previous writings on Truth. Engel spends time presenting Rorty's view then offering a fairly nuanced approach to truth which he proposes against Rorty. Engel is sympathetic to Rorty's critic of truth as correspondence or the "Mirror of Nature" which goes back to Rorty's 1979 book Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature but Engel will not follow Rorty all the way. Engel says, "I do not believe that, because the correspondence theory of truth encounters difficulties that are perhaps insurmountable, it follows that we must surrender any realist conception of truth, nor...that we can totally rid philosophy of oppositions between realism and antirealism in every field. I also think that truth is a norm of inquiry" (pg. 12). Engel proposes a belief-assertion-truth triangle which turns truth from its epistemological foundations (and its ethical consequences) to a normative concept. So Engel writes, "It is therefore necessary to make a sharp distinction between the conceptual thesis, according to which truth is a constitutive norm within the belief-assertion-truth triangle, and the ethical thesis, according to which it is an intrinsic value and must be respected and sought under all circumstances; and between these two and the epistemological thesis according to which it is the goal of inquiry, the supreme value" (pg. 26).
Rorty responds, "I am not sure I understand Engel's use of normative concept. If he simply means that we should try to have only true beliefs, then we do not disagree. If, on the other hand, he means that truth is an intrinsic good, that it possesses an intrinsic value, then the question seems to be undiscussable. I do not have the faintest idea how to go about determining which goods are the intrinsic ones and which are the instrumental ones. Nor do I see the point in raising the question. Intrinsic is a word that pragmatists find it easy to do without. If one thinks that sincerity and exactness are good things, I do not see why we should worry about whether they are means to something else or good in themselves. Which reply one gives to such questions will have no bearing on practice. Trying never to have anything but true beliefs will not lead us to do anything differently than if we simply try our best to justify our beliefs to ourselves and to others" (pg. 44).
Although the discussion section is riveting for its staccato style, it does not bring out anything in Rorty that has not already been published a dozen times.
This book is small in size, large in print, and less than 80 pages. It can be read in one sitting without a break. Both Engel and Rorty write accessibly and it is a decent introduction to some contemporary themes in philosophy. There are more arguments presented here than I have summarized which makes it a decent introduction to Rorty's thought. However, Rorty's best writing on Truth is his essays in Objectivity, Relativism, and Truth: Philosophical Papers (Philosophical Papers, Vol 1).

D'artiste: Character Modeling (D'artiste Digital Artists Master Class)

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High Quality Book. Great for inspiration.
A good book with great art, but beginners beware!

D'artiste: Character Modeling (D'artiste Digital Artists Master Class)
Francisco A. Cortina , Pascal Blanch , and Steven Stahlberg
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1921002115

Customer Reviews:

High Quality Book. Great for inspiration........2007-03-12

Review: D'artiste: Character Modeling
Full color and great quality book. It was nicely package. This is a collectors book containing some very talented artists. As someone who has watched the artist's work expand over the years, it was great to actually learn their thought process and how they 'cheated' to get the images just right. You will be inspired and challenged to keep at it to produce your own work. This is not a how to book for beginners/see Wilson's review. The artist does a great breakdown of creating the highlighted works. My only complaint is in the selection of other artists work where the main artist gives their short opinion. I felt there should have been some input from the actual artist. Other than that I would like to see more...Im looking forward to further character modeling books of this quality. Forest

A good book with great art, but beginners beware!.......2006-09-13

D'artiste is a very well put together book. However, if you are looking a comprehensive tutorial on character modeling, then you should look elswhere. The book is broken up into 3 sections. Each section uncludes an interview with a featured author, a few tutorials by that author, and and a gallery of artwork from many other artists that were invited to be in the book. All of the Art is great, and you can definitely find inspiration from the work of the main artists here as well as the invited artists work. As far as tutorials go, these tutorials are for the more advanced artist (hence the Digital Artiss Master Class), as they do not guide you through every function and button, but more so give an overview of the artists techniques and such. If you are already advanced and just want some some new tricks, definitely pick this up. For anyone else, this book would be better suited as eye candy for inspiration.

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Handbook of Enology

Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

A must for all serious students and practitioners of viticulture, the Handbook of Enology (volumes 1 and 2) serves as both a text and reference book for students and practitioners interested and working in the field of winemaking. Carefully revised and updated, this second edition features new scientific and technological results to reflect the most up-to-date knowledge in winemaking. Written by two esteemed authors, the handbook discusses the scientific basics and technological problems of winemaking and the resulting consequences for the practitioner, providing an authoritative and complete reference manual for the winemaker, and an in-depth textbook for the student.

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Reading teacher's message
Reading outweighs hunger.
A great read aloud supportive of literacy activities
See wolf read
Wolf

Wolf
Becky Bloom
Manufacturer: Scholastic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Reading teacher's message.......2007-01-04

As a teacher I love the ultimate message that this story sends: Reading is hard work, but with effort everyone can suceed.

The story is set in absurdity where educated cows, pigs, and ducks can teach the big bad wolf a few things. Enjoy!

Reading outweighs hunger........2006-11-15

A hungry wolf comes to eat the other animals, only to learn that reading is much more rewarding. My students loved seeing him go through the steps of learning to read, just as they had done.

A great read aloud supportive of literacy activities.......2006-06-17

The "big, bad wolf" wants to eat Pig, Duck and Cow, who are too busy reading to be bothered with him. He goes to school, to learn to read and his early attempts are brushed off by the animals. When he finally learns to read, he entertains Pig, Duck and Cow with his story telling skills and wins them over. This is a fabulous read aloud to launch reading and story telling activities early in the school year.

See wolf read.......2006-01-10

The illustrations in this book are detail-filled and fabulous. When reading to my preschoolers, I like to point out the different parts of the book, including the endpages. Just the endpages alone tell a story! Wolf is a fierce, angry, and hungry guy. He justs wants to scare someone, and maybe take a bite. Unfortuately, the farm animals he encounters are not scaredy cats. They just tell him to be quiet, "this is a farm for educated animals." So wolf, goes to school. He practices. He becomes more than a reader, he becomes a storyteller. As wolf learns and practices, visual clues illustrate his journey toward a more civillized wolf. He adds clothing and makes more refined entrances. My preschoolers adore this book, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Wolf.......2005-09-21

This story is a great way to set the stage for the new school year. My students listened eagerly and found the story amusing, especially because the wolf wanted to be educated. The story was a good stepping stone for literacy activities.

Programming Book:

Programming Book

Programming Book