Catalog All books
Alain Prochiantz
The Anatomies of Thought What do squid think about ?
When we watch a squid facing up to a predator, we see it recoil, agitate the tentacles, spray a jet of ink, and then make use of the temporary blindness of the predator in order to escape to a safe hiding place. Are we able to say what it is thinking ? Evidently, we know that this behaviour is not the result of a reflex unleashed by the sight of an enemy. The mollusc is not however conscious of its acts, at least not in the sense that we, as human beings, understand this term. It is true that we are the product of a evolution of species, and that, although this may not be welcome news for everyone, we share a common ancestry with the octopus, or even the fly. Even if the structure of our cortex, and the invention of language allows us to write about octopuses (or flies), and not the other way round, the fact remains that these evolutive roots, in the same way as other animal species, including invertebrates, have something to teach us about the nature of our thoughts. Alain Prochiantz
Alain Prochiantz
Darwin: 200 Years
More than an homage to a great scientist, this book, written by eminent specialists, is a perfect introduction to understanding the impact of Darwinism on contemporary thinking and science
John Scheid, Alain Prochiantz
Lights, light
The 2015 Colloquium of the Collège de France unites some of the most eminent authors in physics and astrophysics, in biology, in neuroscience and the history of science. Light is a timeless subject: it has always had the power to fascinate and disturb. Here it is explained.
Patrick Boucheron, Alain Prochiantz
Migrants, Refugees, and Exile Colloquium at the Collège de France
The timeliness of the issue of migratory movement and the displacement of populations. The multi-disciplinary nature of the studies, which bring together history and geography, geopolitics, psychology, as well as law and economics.
Ilya Prigogine
The End of Certainties
As we come to the end of the century, the question of the future of science is often posed. I believe we are just at the beginning of a new endeavour. We are witnessing the development of a science which is no longer limited to simplified, idealised situations, but makes us face the complexity of the real world. This new science will allow human creativity to be experienced as the unique expression of a fundamental trait common to all aspects of nature. Ive tried to present this conceptual transformation, which implies the beginning of a new chapter in the fruitful relations between physics and mathematics, in a manner that will be comprehensible and accessible to all readers interested in the evolution of our ideas of nature. We are but at the threshold of a new chapter in the history of our dialogue with nature, writes Ilya Prigogine. Ilya Prigogine, winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, teaches at the Free University of Brussels and at the University of Texas, in Austin.
Ilya Prigogine
The End of Certainties (Coll. Opus)
As we come to the end of the century, the question of the future of science is often posed. I believe we are just at the beginning of a new endeavour. We are witnessing the development of a science which is no longer limited to simplified, idealised situations, but makes us face the complexity of the real world. This new science will allow human creativity to be experienced as the unique expression of a fundamental trait common to all aspects of nature. Ive tried to present this conceptual transformation, which implies the beginning of a new chapter in the fruitful relations between physics and mathematics, in a manner that will be comprehensible and accessible to all readers interested in the evolution of our ideas of nature. We are but at the threshold of a new chapter in the history of our dialogue with nature, writes Ilya Prigogine. Ilya Prigogine, winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry, teaches at the Free University of Brussels and at the University of Texas, in Austin.
Géraldyne Prévot-Gigant
The Power of an Encounter An encounter can change your life
A book that enables the reader to question him or herself about encounters, to understand their value, to find meaning and responses for better self-knowledge.
Géraldyne Prévot-Gigant
How to Find Love Preparing to Meet Someone New
Know yourself — and take a step toward a happier love life
Géraldyne Prévot-Gigant
The powers of hope
Hope, among the values of positive psychology, is fundamental. It is an indication of mental well-being. A profound reflection on hope presented in a very pedagogical style.
Ann Premack, David Premack
The Baby, the Ape and Man
The issue of the differences and similarities between humans and their cousins the chimpanzees governs the definition of human identity. How can this difference be explained? By studying the learning process of chimpanzees and comparing it to that of children, Ann and David Premack were gradually able to discover a series of differences, none of which were radical but when put together showed a yawning gap between the two species. The results they obtained enabled them to reconstruct little by little the sum of the differences that make up human identity. Ann and David Premack are specialists in the study of primates.
Colin Powell, Joseph E. Persico
My American Journey
Colin Powell is the incarnation of the American dream. Born of Jamaican parents, he lived a tough urban life before embarking on a brilliant career in the army, then at Washington. The rest is history. The man who was once at the head of the United States Armed Forces, and is today one of the most important figures in American politics recounts his progression in life : from the dangers of Vietnam to the garrisons of Korea, from the deep South to the corridors of the Pentagon and then the White House, under Reagan and Bush, at the time of the Star Wars, Irangate, and the Gulf War. With the collaboration of Joseph E. Persico.
Colin Powell, Tony Koltz
It Worked for Me In Life and Leadership
A natural storyteller, Powell offers warm and engaging parables with wise advice on succeeding in the workplace and beyond.
Emmanuelle Pouydebat
Animal Intelligence
A surprising enquiry into the diversity of adaptive behaviour in the animal kingdom: memory, navigation, innovation, sharing and cooperation: who knows how to do what, and what exactly is the uniqueness of human intelligence?
Jean-Pierre Pourtois, Huguette Desmet
At the Heart of Resilience
A reference text for mental health and education professionals, and theoretical and practical resources to help people as they recover.
Yves Pouliquen, Michel Mohrt
Speech on the Occasion of Entry into the French Academy and the Response of Michel Mohrt
Speech on the occasion of entry into the French Academy of Yves Pouliquen, 30th January 2003, and the response of Michel Mohrt
Yves Pouliquen, Jean-Jacques Saragoussi
Glasses or Laser?
New ways of correcting failing eyesight have been developed as a consequence of our increased lifespan...
Yves Pouliquen
The Revolution in Eye Surgery the Journey of a Great Surgeon
The exceptional journey of one of the greatest specialists in ocular surgery. A reflection on medicine and the extraordinary progress carried out in 50 years.
Yves Pouliquen
The Transparent Eye New Edition
A triumphant story of ophtalmology and its modern works of magic.
Yves Pouliquen
When the Académie Française almost Disappeared From the French Revolution to the Empire
The history of the Académie Française under the Revolution and the Empire
