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A novel contribution to the age-old debate about free will versus determinism. Do we consciously cause our actions, or do they happen to us? Philosophers, psychologists, neuroscientists, theologians, and lawyers have long debated the existence of free will versus determinism. In this book Daniel Wegner offers a novel understanding of the issue. Like actions, he argues, the feeling of conscious will is created by the mind and brain. Yet if psychological and neural mechanisms are responsible for all human behavior, how could we have conscious will? The feeling of conscious will, Wegner shows, helps us to appreciate and remember our authorship of the things our minds and bodies do. Yes, we feel that we consciously will our actions, Wegner says, but at the same time, our actions happen to us. Although conscious will is an illusion, it serves as a guide to understanding ourselves and to developing a sense of responsibility and morality. Approaching conscious will as a topic of psychological study, Wegner examines the issue from a variety of angles. He looks at illusions of the will—those cases where people feel that they are willing an act that they are not doing or, conversely, are not willing an act that they in fact are doing. He explores conscious will in hypnosis, Ouija board spelling, automatic writing, and facilitated communication, as well as in such phenomena as spirit possession, dissociative identity disorder, and trance channeling. The result is a book that sidesteps endless debates to focus, more fruitfully, on the impact on our lives of the illusion of conscious will.
This biography of famed magician and illusionist Harry Houdini explores how he carried out his amazing feats and exposes the secrets behind many of Houdini's tricks. The author cites Houdini's brilliance, physical dexterity, and wild imagination as factors that made him a true master of illusion. Photos.
Pull back the curtain on the real history of magic – and discover why magic really matters If you read a standard history of magic, you learn that it begins in ancient Egypt, with the resurrection of a goose in front of the Pharaoh. You discover how magicians were tortured and killed during the age of witchcraft. You are told how conjuring tricks were used to quell rebellious colonial natives. The history of magic is full of such stories, which turn out not to be true. Behind the smoke and mirrors, however, lies the real story of magic. It is a history of people from humble roots, who made and lost fortunes, and who deceived kings and queens. In order to survive, they concealed many secrets, yet they revealed some and they stole others. They engaged in deception, exposure, and betrayal, in a quest to make the impossible happen. They managed to survive in a world in which a series of technological wonders appeared, which previous generations would have considered magical. Even today, when we now take the most sophisticated technology for granted, we can still be astonished by tricks that were performed hundreds of years ago. The Secret History of Magic reveals how this was done. It is about why magic matters in a world that no longer seems to have a place for it, but which desperately needs a sense of wonder.
An incredible 365 optical illusions.
Don't be fooled by what your brain thinks you see! Fooled Ya! is a kid's guide to the mind bending world of illusions, perception, and why we can be tricked. Don't be fooled again, learn the tricks! Discover the variety of ways our brains can trick us, from the visual trickery of optical illusions, to magicians' masterful use of misdirection, to strategies used by con artists. You can't always trust your brain, learn why with Fooled Ya! and you'll be less likely to be swindled, hoodwinked, or bamboozled. Brian Z. Brain is your illustrated guide, he will explain the inner workings of your mind and what makes it tick. This mind bending guide to what you see and only think you see covers just about anything you could dream up. Sections include "Can You Trust Your Brain," "Fool the Five Senses," "How Magicians Mess with Your Mind," and "Learn to Be Less Gullible." Woven throughout are tons of articles that show off interesting stories and facts on subject ranging rang history, psychology, and even neuroscience! Named one of Bank Street College of Education's Best Children's Books of the Year, 2018!
The world of magic is fascinating and mysterious. 'Learning magic: for beginners and magic pros' serves as your gateway to this wonderful art. Whether you are just learning your first magic tricks or have already mastered advanced techniques, this book will provide you with deep insights and valuable guidance. Learn how to enchant audiences, master illusions and unlock the secrets of great magicians. With 'The Essential Guide to the World of Magic', you will not only receive practical tips and tricks, but also the necessary background knowledge to understand magic in all its facets and become a true master of the art of magic yourself.
In a provocative book about American hegemony, Christopher Layne outlines his belief that U.S. foreign policy has been consistent in its aims for more than sixty years and that the current Bush administration clings to mid-twentieth-century tactics--to no good effect. What should the nation's grand strategy look like for the next several decades? The end of the cold war profoundly and permanently altered the international landscape, yet we have seen no parallel change in the aims and shape of U.S. foreign policy. The Peace of Illusions intervenes in the ongoing debate about American grand strategy and the costs and benefits of "American empire." Layne urges the desirability of a strategy he calls "offshore balancing": rather than wield power to dominate other states, the U.S. government should engage in diplomacy to balance large states against one another. The United States should intervene, Layne asserts, only when another state threatens, regionally or locally, to destroy the established balance. Drawing on extensive archival research, Layne traces the form and aims of U.S. foreign policy since 1940, examining alternatives foregone and identifying the strategic aims of different administrations. His offshore-balancing notion, if put into practice with the goal of extending the "American Century," would be a sea change in current strategy. Layne has much to say about present-day governmental decision making, which he examines from the perspectives of both international relations theory and American diplomatic history.
In the distant future, a team of skilled time travelers embarks on a mission to explore the mysteries of time. However, during an experiment gone awry, their time machine malfunctions, and they find themselves not in the era they intended but in a subterranean city called Teloz. Teloz is a multiverse nexus, a hub connecting various parallel worlds and timelines. Teloz, with its bioluminescent glow and diverse population of humans, aliens, and mythical creatures, resembles the enchanted landscapes of Middle Earth. The city is a harmonious blend of advanced technology and magical elements, hidden deep within the Earth.
This book explores stage conjuring during its “golden age,” from about 1860 to 1910. This study provides close readings highlighting four paradigmatic illusions of the time that stand in for different kinds of illusions typical of stage magic in the “golden age” and analyses them within their cultural and media-historical context: “Pepper’s Ghost,” the archetypical mirror illusion; “The Vanishing Lady,” staging a teleportation in a time of a dizzying acceleration of transport; “the levitation,” simulating weightlessness with the help of an extended steel machinery; and “The Second Sight,” a mind-reading illusion using up-to-date communication technologies. These close readings are completed by writings focusing on visual media and expanding the scope backwards and forwards in time, roughly to 1800 and to 2000. This exploration will be of great interest to students and scholars in theatre and performance studies.