Reviews for Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Science, Vol. 2

The average rating for Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Science, Vol. 2 based on 2 reviews is 3 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-11-16 00:00:00 Kathy Powers I didn't realize this follow up to Forbidden Science (60-69) existed until a few months ago, and I was thrilled to discover it. In much the same as the first volume, we're supplied with a dreamlike stream of globe-trotting thoughts from an acute mind. Whether your interests lie in the paranormal, the technological, or the political (though in this volume far more tangential to the social movements in California than any larger scale movements in Washington), Vallee seems to have his fingers on the pulse of the decade with unique perspective. As far as the paranormal goes, the unending conflict between investigators, scientists, government officials, spies, and the media remains mostly unchanged, and Vallee can at times come across a bit arrogant in his constant critique of the research aims and methods by his peers, but this sense is, I find, more due to the frustrating limitations the community either imposes on themselves or is imposed upon by either the government or the phenomena itself, and additionally in his stated purpose to avoid much documentation of his hard research in his journals, limiting himself to more general reflections. The decision essentially demands Vallee's journals be supplemented by his other work (which anyone who has gone along for the ride this far will likely have no qualms about). To consider each decade as almost a "season" of a television show, it's exciting to watch as Vallee's theories grow and change, and his focus unfolds into the flimsy world of New Age esotericism and the occult alongside the budding and mysterious surge of animal mutilations that swept the world in the latter half of the decade. The experience of reading, itself, much like the first volume, is once again surreal, with the fabric of the times shifting between a blend of compelling insight into a time that birthed our present technological age and an echo of our own: Vallee, being on the frontier of the internet, spends much of the book traveling the world, keeping in touch with family and colleagues over email and instant messenger. One part juxtaposed and one part overlaid with our own times, it feels very real despite being so locked into "the future" in 2018. Perhaps all that's missing is a cellphone. No less, the backdrop of the collapse of the hippie movement and the Vietnam war (again, while less emphasized than the tumultuous politics of France in Vol 1) continues to remind the reader that history is indeed a cycle. If we don't see ourselves in the faces of the background characters in this volume, it's only because we've just grown out of the same place or are about to find ourselves within it again, probably having learned little.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-09-13 00:00:00 Charles Matassa First off, I picked this book up at the library because I had made challenge to read a book from all the Dewey sections of the library, so this is my 500 section. It's science, written simple and with humor. Each chapter covers a topic and the author uses a lot of humor in his writing. My criticism would be that this book is outdated. It probably should be pulled off the shelf around 2003. Chapters: 1. Running in the Rain 2. Noah’s Flood 3. Can’t Get to the Stars in a Lifetime 4. Can Get to the Stars in a Lifetime 5. Coffee, Caffeine and Circles 6. Maggots Give LIve 7. Maggots Date Death 8. Is Mr Smith Heavier Than Mr Tailor? 9. Super Broccoli! 10. Life on Titan 11. Life on Europa 12. Flattened Fauna 13. Melatonin--Magic or Madness? 14. Name Your Own Element? 15. Planets Line Up 16. TV, Heart Attacks and CPR 17. Your Name Is Your Job 18. Cold Baths, Olympic Games and Hot Bodies #1: yes if you run the right direction and speed you should be able to avoid getting wet depending on the slant of rain. #2: Is there any evidence of a flood. The author states it was very local and involved the Mediterrenean Basin and the Black Sea. #3, 4: is star travel possible. # 5: the benefits of caffeine (yea, coffee is good for energy, alertness, fighting cancer, etc. # 6, 7: Maggots in wound care and Maggots in forensics. # 8. both 8 and 17 talk about names and jobs #9: broccoli, where did it come from and why is it good when it taste so bad. And yes its very good for you. #10 and #11: outdated, talked about the proposed Voyager trips when it is already over. But I decided to check and yes, there is a vehicle that keeps flying by Titan and sending back videos. #12. Research on roadkill. #13: should you take Melatonin or not. I can say that I actually found things in this chapter to use in my work and that the chapters I found most interesting were #5 and 6, 7, and 9. #14-18, generally I am growing tired of the book and rushed through these final chapters. The author reported on some research in cold baths and athlete performance and tolerance of cold that was as weak as the Melatonin reseach but he wasn't as critical #16: Findings, so far, challenge simplistic notions that viewing TV encourages anti-social behaviour. Discussions with older students suggested family and community factors which seem more persuasive in shaping behaviour than mere exposure to TV. St. Helena Project by Prof Tony Charlton and Dr. Andrew Hannan The section on TV is severely outdated with the advances made in flat screens, LCD, Plasma etc. And changes with viewing TV verses watching content on computers, pads and laptops. Finally, even though I want to read some nonfiction, I will never do another Dewey challenge. ���* � �