The Logic of Information: A Theory of Philosophy as Conceptual Design

Luciano Floridi
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Luciano Floridi presents an innovative approach to philosophy, conceived as conceptual design. He explores how we make, transform, refine, and improve the objects of our knowledge. His starting point is that reality provides the data, to be understood as constraining affordances, and we transform them into information, like semantic engines. Such transformation or repurposing is not equivalent to portraying, or picturing, or photographing, or photocopying anything. It is more like cooking: the dish does not represent the ingredients, it uses them to make something else out of them, yet the reality of the dish and its properties hugely depend on the reality and the properties of the ingredients. Models are not representations understood as pictures, but interpretations understood as data elaborations, of systems. Thus, he articulates and defends the thesis that knowledge is design and philosophy is the ultimate form of conceptual design.

Although entirely independent of Floridi's previous books, The Philosophy of Information (OUP 2011) and The Ethics of Information (OUP 2013), The Logic of Information complements the existing volumes and presents new work on the foundations of the philosophy of information.

(Excerpt from amazon.com)

我們為何吃太多？全新的食慾科學與現代節食迷思 (Why We Eat (Too Much):)

安德魯‧詹金森 (Andrew Jenkinson)
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給有志控制體重，但厭倦各種節食法的人。
已經吃很少了，為何身體卻覺得你吃很多，讓你越來越重？
不瞭解食慾和新陳代謝的科學，將無法擺脫反覆節食的輪迴！

蔡依橙醫師：「即使怎樣都瘦不下來，
也要搞清楚自己為什麼失敗！」（蔡依橙的閱讀筆記 板主）

「我可以減肥，但無法繼續減下去！」
為什麼飢餓感永遠是贏家？

我們都聽過這樣的黃金法則：少吃多運動就可以減肥。然而事情沒那麼簡單。減肥外科手術專家詹金森醫師在超過二十年的職涯中，治療過上千名陷入無止境減肥循環的肥胖症患者。本書結合他行醫時面對的實例，以及全新的新陳代謝科學研究，告訴你人體的食慾和代謝到底如何運作，你的身體如何決定你的體重。 這本書系統化地解釋為何「節食」如何適得其反。從脂肪被汙名化、植物油和加工食品的崛起，談到現代人攝取飲食中omega-3的不足、糖分的增加，都讓我們更加容易飢餓，並最終讓我們的體重設定點提高。作者探索了農業、製藥、人類學和醫學等各種領域，揭示我們不良的飲食習慣和日益嚴重的肥胖危機，背後隱藏的真相。

你可能也這樣想過……

•節食對我無效，我嘗試過所有節食方法，但最後體重比開始節食時更重。
•我只要看一眼奶油蛋糕就會變胖。
•我無法控制飢餓感，如果不吃飯我就會變得虛弱。

在這本書中，作者會為我們解釋以下幾件事：

•為何某些飲食建議會適得其反，讓減肥變得更加困難？
•為什麼體重越減越重？感覺被肥胖給困住了？
‧體重設定點是什麼？減肥的目的是下調體重設定點，該如何做？

作者帶領我們瞭解身體在能量代謝上的調節能力，這完全不像能量輸入和輸出那麼簡單。我們的環境、歷史和家庭背景中的各種因素，也會決定每個人最初的體重設定點，亦即設定為苗條、肥胖或其他。既然體重設定點是體重的主要控制因素，若能「識別」控制體重設定點的信號（從我們所吃食物類型及生活方式），我們的體重設定點及體重，便能真正處在自己的掌控之下。

幸好有這本深入探討最新的「食慾和人體能量代謝」科學的書，我們可以徹底改變自己與食物之間的關係，並開始停止透過激烈的節食減肥，而是從生活習慣和飲食習慣著手，真正達到降低體重設定點的目的。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)

Positive Thinking Pocketbook: Little Exercises for a Happy and Successful Life

Gill Hasson
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Think your way to a more positive life

Positive thinking is an approach and a set of skills that we can all learn. But it’s not just about how and what you think; you've got to do something! In a range of situations, positive thinking needs to be followed by positive action. The good news is that whatever life has thrown at you in the past and whatever is you want to achieve in the future, the Positive Thinking Pocketbook will help you think and behave more positively.

Inside, you’ll find out how to use tips, techniques and advice on creating a positive mindset and developing your positive thinking. Next, you'll find out how to apply that positive thinking to a range of potentially difficult situations.

• Little approachable exercises make it easy to get started
• Full of scenarios, ideas, advice, tips and techniques
• Learn how to overcome negative thinking, get motivated and stay motivated
• Discover how to make positive thinking a habit

Whenever you want a shot of positivity, simply pick out a few ideas, tips and techniques that appeal to you and give them a try!

(Excerpt from amazon.com)

香港公屋：方格子的吶喊

梁啟智
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＃《香港第一課》作者用雙腳寫給家鄉的情書
＃走過二百五十四條屋邨，看見另一面真實的香港

「這本書以公屋為題，但寫著寫著，我逐漸發現我要談的不只是公屋：印象被定形、生活被規範、需求被馴服、聲音被代言……這些事情，當然不只在屋邨發生。在屋邨中，政府在生活的位置相對明顯，規限和挑戰因而相對直接；但同樣的困難，可不限於屋邨，甚至不限於香港……走遍全港大小屋邨之後，我得到的最大感應，大概就是黃偉文筆下那位少年的躁動：說話很難，但還是要想辦法說話。

畢竟無論是在或不在屋邨，在或不在香港，如何讓自己繼續說下去，如何讓更多人能夠說下去，應是我們既生為人的功課。」——梁啟智

土地是香港最稀缺的資源，以此而生的住房問題一直是收入不高的人們與政府的沉重壓力。只要凝視著任一張香港公屋的照片，很難不感受到衝擊：這麼多家戶、這麼多種人生、這麼多的人，被框在一個又一個小小的方格子裡；數量龐大的方格子在窄仄的土地上堆疊成高聳的大樓，多棟大樓再組成屋邨……截至二〇二三年八月，香港有二百五十九條公共屋邨，是近三分之一香港人的生活空間；而等候住進公屋的申請案超過二十三萬件，平均要等五‧三年才有機會「上樓」——住進公屋。

許多人認為公屋的起源是由於一九五三年的石硤尾大火，其實在此前，港英政府已有思考公屋政策，背後的考量有指是為了維持殖民地社會穩定及對資本家做出變相的勞工宿舍補貼。由方格子組成的公共屋邨是由政府建造、框限出來的空間，代表的是一種管治術——這在港英或九七後的港府皆然——在屋邨中政府無所不在。當人住進公屋，他不只是單純的居民，而是從「人」變成可被管治的對象。然而，人畢竟是擁有自由意志的存在，既使發言的空間再緊縮，仍想要訴說自己的故事； 看似一模一樣的方格子，在生活其中的人的努力及歲月的浸潤下，也會長出不同的模樣；夜晚時亮起燈來的千門萬戶，也絕不只是下了工看劇、睡覺的地方，而是儲藏記憶與凝聚認同的所在。

作者梁啟智具深厚的地理學背景，他以公屋為觀察尺度，實地走遍整個香港。從不同時期建造、不同地區的公屋與人們的生活痕跡，描繪出香港政治與社會的演化，是最具生活感與帶入感的香港現代社會史，也是他寫給家鄉的情書。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)

The Book of Real-World Negotiations: Successful Strategies from Business, Government, and Daily Life

Joshua N. Weiss
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Real world negotiation examples and strategies from one of the most highly respected authorities in the field

This unique book can help you change your approach to negotiation by learning key strategies and techniques from actual cases. Through hard to find real world examples you will learn exactly how to effectively and productively negotiate. The Book of Real World Negotiations: Successful Strategies from Business, Government and Daily Life shines a light on real world negotiation examples and cases, rather than discussing hypothetical scenarios. It reveals what is possible through preparation, persistence, creativity, and taking a strategic approach to your negotiations. Many of us enter negotiations with skepticism and without understanding how to truly negotiate well. Because we lack knowledge and confidence, we may abandon the negotiating process prematurely or agree to deals that leave value on the table.

The Book of Real World Negotiations will change that once and for all by immersing you in these real world scenarios. As a result, you’ll be better able to grasp the true power of negotiation to deal with some of the most difficult problems you face or to put together the best deals possible. This book also shares critical insights and lessons for instructors and students of negotiation, especially since negotiation is now being taught in virtually all law schools, many business schools, and in the field of conflict resolution. Whether you’re a student, instructor, or anyone who wants to negotiate successfully, you’ll be able to carefully examine real world negotiation situations that will show you how to achieve your objectives in the most challenging of circumstances. The cases are organized by realms―domestic business cases, international business cases, governmental cases and cases that occur in daily life. From these cases you will learn more about:

• Exactly how to achieve Win-Win outcomes
• The critical role of underlying interests
• The kind of thinking that goes into generating creative options
• How to consider your and the other negotiator’s Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement (BATNA)
• Negotiating successfully in the face of power
• Achieving success when negotiating cross-culturally

Once you come to understand through these cases that negotiation is the art of the possible, you’ll stop saying "a solution is impossible." With the knowledge and self-assurance you gain from this book, you’ll roll up your sleeves and keep negotiating until you reach a mutually satisfactory outcome!

(Excerpt from amazon.com)

未來的錯覺：人類如何與AI共處 (In AI We Trust)

海爾格．諾沃特尼 (Helga Nowotny)
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「如果開始相信演算法能夠預測未來，那就可能會失去未來。」
在AI的世代裏，
如何保有身而為人的意義？

我們正處於一個迷人的時刻，
在一條人類和AI 共同互動演化的軌道上。
數碼科技的每一步發展，
都讓我們重新思考何以為人。

我們已經開始認為，AI比我們還更懂得自己了。預測演算法會針對我們將要消費的物品、未來的行為、情緒狀態提出建議，我們甚至自我馴化，去符合AI的預測結果。當我們以為利用AI 可完全掌控未來時，事實上正好相反。

奧地利社會學家諾沃特尼，在本書延續了她對科技與社會關係、社會時間的經驗與不確定感的研究，從哲學、歷史、社會學、科學角度，探究在數碼人類世，AI如何重塑我們的身分，我們又該如何跟AI共處。

演算法的能力太強了，我們輕易就忘記了「理解」和「預測」之間的重要關係。然而，我們不可屈服於效率的便利，不可放棄理解的渴望，不可拋下背後的好奇心與毅力。

(摘錄自博客來網路書店)