An Anthropology of Puzzles

An Anthropology of Puzzles

Author: Marcel Danesi

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2020-05-15

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 1000185508

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An Anthropology of Puzzles argues that the human brain is a "puzzling organ" which allows humans to literally solve their own problems of existence through puzzle format. Noting the presence of puzzles everywhere in everyday life, Marcel Danesi looks at puzzles in society since the dawn of history, showing how their presence has guided large sections of human history, from discoveries in mathematics to disquisitions in philosophy. Danesi examines the cognitive processes that are involved in puzzle making and solving, and connects them to the actual physical manifestations of classic puzzles. Building on a concept of puzzles as based on Jungian archetypes, such as the river crossing image, the path metaphor, and the journey, Danesi suggests this could be one way to understand the public fascination with puzzles. As well as drawing on underlying mental archetypes, the act of solving puzzles also provides an outlet to move beyond biological evolution, and Danesi shows that puzzles could be the product of the same basic neural mechanism that produces language and culture. Finally, Danesi explores how understanding puzzles can be a new way of understanding our human culture.


Book Synopsis An Anthropology of Puzzles by : Marcel Danesi

Download or read book An Anthropology of Puzzles written by Marcel Danesi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-05-15 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An Anthropology of Puzzles argues that the human brain is a "puzzling organ" which allows humans to literally solve their own problems of existence through puzzle format. Noting the presence of puzzles everywhere in everyday life, Marcel Danesi looks at puzzles in society since the dawn of history, showing how their presence has guided large sections of human history, from discoveries in mathematics to disquisitions in philosophy. Danesi examines the cognitive processes that are involved in puzzle making and solving, and connects them to the actual physical manifestations of classic puzzles. Building on a concept of puzzles as based on Jungian archetypes, such as the river crossing image, the path metaphor, and the journey, Danesi suggests this could be one way to understand the public fascination with puzzles. As well as drawing on underlying mental archetypes, the act of solving puzzles also provides an outlet to move beyond biological evolution, and Danesi shows that puzzles could be the product of the same basic neural mechanism that produces language and culture. Finally, Danesi explores how understanding puzzles can be a new way of understanding our human culture.

The Puzzle Instinct

The Puzzle Instinct

Author: Marcel Danesi

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2004-02-20

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 9780253217080

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"Humans are the only animals who create and solve puzzles--for the sheer pleasure of it--and there is no obvious genetic reason why we would do this. Marcel Danesi explores the psychology of puzzles and puzzling, with scores of classic examples. His pioneering book is both entertaining and enlightening." --Will Shortz, Crossword Editor, The New York Times "... Puzzle fanatics will enjoy the many riddles, illusions, cryptograms and other mind-benders offered for analysis." --Psychology Today "... a bristlingly clear... always intriguing survey of the history and rationale of puzzles.... A] splendid study...." --Knight Ridder Newspapers


Book Synopsis The Puzzle Instinct by : Marcel Danesi

Download or read book The Puzzle Instinct written by Marcel Danesi and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2004-02-20 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Humans are the only animals who create and solve puzzles--for the sheer pleasure of it--and there is no obvious genetic reason why we would do this. Marcel Danesi explores the psychology of puzzles and puzzling, with scores of classic examples. His pioneering book is both entertaining and enlightening." --Will Shortz, Crossword Editor, The New York Times "... Puzzle fanatics will enjoy the many riddles, illusions, cryptograms and other mind-benders offered for analysis." --Psychology Today "... a bristlingly clear... always intriguing survey of the history and rationale of puzzles.... A] splendid study...." --Knight Ridder Newspapers

27304 Plexers Social Studies

27304 Plexers Social Studies

Author: David Hammond

Publisher:

Published: 1999-06

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9780769001272

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From the authors of the bestselling Plexers and More Plexers come three new books to entertain and educate! Each puzzle is a pictorial code for an idea related to social studies, science, or arithmetic. To crack the code look for clues in the size, position, and direction of the letters and symbols in the box. Each book includes 245 reproducible puzzles (with answers). The puzzles encourage the development of a variety of problem-solving and critical thinking skills. For teachers, the puzzles fit into any curriculum -- as a basis for class discussion, cooperative learning activities or as bonus or challenge questions on tests and quizzes.


Book Synopsis 27304 Plexers Social Studies by : David Hammond

Download or read book 27304 Plexers Social Studies written by David Hammond and published by . This book was released on 1999-06 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the authors of the bestselling Plexers and More Plexers come three new books to entertain and educate! Each puzzle is a pictorial code for an idea related to social studies, science, or arithmetic. To crack the code look for clues in the size, position, and direction of the letters and symbols in the box. Each book includes 245 reproducible puzzles (with answers). The puzzles encourage the development of a variety of problem-solving and critical thinking skills. For teachers, the puzzles fit into any curriculum -- as a basis for class discussion, cooperative learning activities or as bonus or challenge questions on tests and quizzes.

Modelling Puzzles in First Order Logic

Modelling Puzzles in First Order Logic

Author: Adrian Groza

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-10-26

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 3030625478

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Keeping students involved and actively learning is challenging. Instructors in computer science are aware of the cognitive value of modelling puzzles and often use logical puzzles as an efficient pedagogical instrument to engage students and develop problem-solving skills. This unique book is a comprehensive resource that offers teachers and students fun activities to teach and learn logic. It provides new, complete, and running formalisation in Propositional and First Order Logic for over 130 logical puzzles, including Sudoku-like puzzles, zebra-like puzzles, island of truth, lady and tigers, grid puzzles, strange numbers, or self-reference puzzles. Solving puzzles with theorem provers can be an effective cognitive incentive to motivate students to learn logic. They will find a ready-to-use format which illustrates how to model each puzzle, provides running implementations, and explains each solution. This concise and easy-to-follow textbook is a much-needed support tool for students willing to explore beyond the introductory level of learning logic and lecturers looking for examples to heighten student engagement in their computer science courses.


Book Synopsis Modelling Puzzles in First Order Logic by : Adrian Groza

Download or read book Modelling Puzzles in First Order Logic written by Adrian Groza and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-10-26 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Keeping students involved and actively learning is challenging. Instructors in computer science are aware of the cognitive value of modelling puzzles and often use logical puzzles as an efficient pedagogical instrument to engage students and develop problem-solving skills. This unique book is a comprehensive resource that offers teachers and students fun activities to teach and learn logic. It provides new, complete, and running formalisation in Propositional and First Order Logic for over 130 logical puzzles, including Sudoku-like puzzles, zebra-like puzzles, island of truth, lady and tigers, grid puzzles, strange numbers, or self-reference puzzles. Solving puzzles with theorem provers can be an effective cognitive incentive to motivate students to learn logic. They will find a ready-to-use format which illustrates how to model each puzzle, provides running implementations, and explains each solution. This concise and easy-to-follow textbook is a much-needed support tool for students willing to explore beyond the introductory level of learning logic and lecturers looking for examples to heighten student engagement in their computer science courses.

Questions of Anthropology

Questions of Anthropology

Author: Rita Astuti

Publisher: Berg

Published: 2007-07-01

Total Pages: 384

ISBN-13: 1847883729

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Anthropology today seems to shy away from the big, comparative questions that ordinary people in many societies find compelling. Questions of Anthropology brings these issues back to the centre of anthropological concerns.Individual essays explore birth, death and sexuality, puzzles about the relationship between science and religion, questions about the nature of ritual, work, political leadership and genocide, and our personal fears and desires, from the quest to control the future and to find one's 'true' identity to the fear of being alone. Each essay starts with a question posed by individual ethnographic experience and then goes on to frame this question in a broader, comparative context. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Questions of Anthropology presents an exciting introduction to the purpose and value of Anthropology today.


Book Synopsis Questions of Anthropology by : Rita Astuti

Download or read book Questions of Anthropology written by Rita Astuti and published by Berg. This book was released on 2007-07-01 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Anthropology today seems to shy away from the big, comparative questions that ordinary people in many societies find compelling. Questions of Anthropology brings these issues back to the centre of anthropological concerns.Individual essays explore birth, death and sexuality, puzzles about the relationship between science and religion, questions about the nature of ritual, work, political leadership and genocide, and our personal fears and desires, from the quest to control the future and to find one's 'true' identity to the fear of being alone. Each essay starts with a question posed by individual ethnographic experience and then goes on to frame this question in a broader, comparative context. Written in an engaging and accessible style, Questions of Anthropology presents an exciting introduction to the purpose and value of Anthropology today.

Matrilineal Puzzle

Matrilineal Puzzle

Author: Johannes Lenhard

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2012-11-28

Total Pages: 9

ISBN-13: 3656323836

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Essay from the year 2012 in the subject Pedagogy - Theory of Science, Anthropology, grade: 65, University of Cambridge, language: English, abstract: The term ‘matrilineal puzzle’ was coined by Richards (Richards, 1950) and treated in a variety of both theoretical and ethnographic studies (e.g. Fuller, 1976; Gough & Schneider, 1961; Needham, 1971; Weiner, 1988). Essentially, the ‘puzzle’ is better described as a conflict arising from the general design of matrilineages: being based on both a principle of female descent and masculine control, a matrilineage generates a direct competition between in-marrying husbands/fathers and maternal brothers. Where is the family to live? Who has authority over the children? As Gough and Schneider (1961:29) claim, the matrilineal group is very unlikely to persist if the husband gains to much authority over wife and children. Several solutions to this dilemma can be found in the literature as well as in ethnographic studies four of which I focus upon in the following. Let me, however, introduce the underlying concepts in the introductory paragraph.


Book Synopsis Matrilineal Puzzle by : Johannes Lenhard

Download or read book Matrilineal Puzzle written by Johannes Lenhard and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2012-11-28 with total page 9 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essay from the year 2012 in the subject Pedagogy - Theory of Science, Anthropology, grade: 65, University of Cambridge, language: English, abstract: The term ‘matrilineal puzzle’ was coined by Richards (Richards, 1950) and treated in a variety of both theoretical and ethnographic studies (e.g. Fuller, 1976; Gough & Schneider, 1961; Needham, 1971; Weiner, 1988). Essentially, the ‘puzzle’ is better described as a conflict arising from the general design of matrilineages: being based on both a principle of female descent and masculine control, a matrilineage generates a direct competition between in-marrying husbands/fathers and maternal brothers. Where is the family to live? Who has authority over the children? As Gough and Schneider (1961:29) claim, the matrilineal group is very unlikely to persist if the husband gains to much authority over wife and children. Several solutions to this dilemma can be found in the literature as well as in ethnographic studies four of which I focus upon in the following. Let me, however, introduce the underlying concepts in the introductory paragraph.

Divinity and Experience : The Religion of the Dinka

Divinity and Experience : The Religion of the Dinka

Author: Godfrey Lienhardt

Publisher: Oxford University Press, UK

Published: 1961-01-01

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 0191591858

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Book Synopsis Divinity and Experience : The Religion of the Dinka by : Godfrey Lienhardt

Download or read book Divinity and Experience : The Religion of the Dinka written by Godfrey Lienhardt and published by Oxford University Press, UK. This book was released on 1961-01-01 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Movies: 300 Word Search Puzzles

Movies: 300 Word Search Puzzles

Author: Marcel Danesi

Publisher: Chartwell

Published: 2021-12-07

Total Pages: 359

ISBN-13: 0785840133

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Movies: 300 Word Search Puzzles puts your movie trivia knowledge to the test with 300 fun-filled word searches that will keep you on your toes for hours a time!


Book Synopsis Movies: 300 Word Search Puzzles by : Marcel Danesi

Download or read book Movies: 300 Word Search Puzzles written by Marcel Danesi and published by Chartwell. This book was released on 2021-12-07 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Movies: 300 Word Search Puzzles puts your movie trivia knowledge to the test with 300 fun-filled word searches that will keep you on your toes for hours a time!

Ahmes’ Legacy

Ahmes’ Legacy

Author: Marcel Danesi

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2018-08-11

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 3319932543

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This book looks at classic puzzles from the perspective of their structures and what they tell us about the brain. It uses the work on the neuroscience of mathematics from Dehaene, Butterworth, Lakoff, Núñez, and many others as a lens to understand the ways in which puzzles reflect imaginative processes blended with rational ones. The book is not about recreational or puzzle-based mathematics in and of itself but rather about what the classic puzzles tell us about the mathematical imagination and its impact on the discipline. It delves into the history of classic math puzzles, deconstructing their raison d’être and describing their psychological features, so that their nature can be fleshed out in order to help understand the mathematical mind. This volume is the first monographic treatment of the psychological nature of puzzles in mathematics. With its user-friendly technical level of discussion, it is of interest to both general readers and those who engage in the disciplines of mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and/or anthropology. It is also ideal as a textbook source for courses in recreational mathematics, or as reference material in introductory college math courses.


Book Synopsis Ahmes’ Legacy by : Marcel Danesi

Download or read book Ahmes’ Legacy written by Marcel Danesi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-08-11 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book looks at classic puzzles from the perspective of their structures and what they tell us about the brain. It uses the work on the neuroscience of mathematics from Dehaene, Butterworth, Lakoff, Núñez, and many others as a lens to understand the ways in which puzzles reflect imaginative processes blended with rational ones. The book is not about recreational or puzzle-based mathematics in and of itself but rather about what the classic puzzles tell us about the mathematical imagination and its impact on the discipline. It delves into the history of classic math puzzles, deconstructing their raison d’être and describing their psychological features, so that their nature can be fleshed out in order to help understand the mathematical mind. This volume is the first monographic treatment of the psychological nature of puzzles in mathematics. With its user-friendly technical level of discussion, it is of interest to both general readers and those who engage in the disciplines of mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and/or anthropology. It is also ideal as a textbook source for courses in recreational mathematics, or as reference material in introductory college math courses.

Mirror for Humanity

Mirror for Humanity

Author: Conrad Phillip Kottak

Publisher:

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781260071429

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"This concise, student-friendly, current introduction to cultural anthropology carefully balances coverage of core topics and contemporary changes in the field. Mirror for Humanity is a perfect match for cultural anthropology courses that use readings or ethnographies along with a main text." --Amazon.


Book Synopsis Mirror for Humanity by : Conrad Phillip Kottak

Download or read book Mirror for Humanity written by Conrad Phillip Kottak and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This concise, student-friendly, current introduction to cultural anthropology carefully balances coverage of core topics and contemporary changes in the field. Mirror for Humanity is a perfect match for cultural anthropology courses that use readings or ethnographies along with a main text." --Amazon.