Browsing by Author "Cambridge University Press, publisher"

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Open Access
Care on Earth: generating informed concern
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2010) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
Generating beings that can care requires much complexity. DNA is best interpreted as a cybernetic process that selects for caring. In spontaneous wild nature, the processes that generate such concern have locally a narrow focus, self-survival of the organism. More inclusively, these processes generate ecosystemic networks in which life is elaborated in richness in biodiversity and biocomplexity, elaborated forms of caring. In humans, this focus is exceeded with more inclusive forms of caring. Such wider vision requires a complex brain that can, with a theory of mind, evaluate others with concern for their integrity. Humans, alone on the planet, can take a transcending overview of the whole--and care for life on Earth. The sciences trace the evolution of such escalating concern, but more complete explanations requires metaphysical and theological perspectives.
Open Access
Creation: God and endangered species
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1994) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
Species have evolved from an evolutionary point of view, but by contemporary religious conviction, life is sacred and species exist with a divinely authorized claim to life, which ought to be respected by humans, the overseers of creation. Human-caused extinctions shut down the creative processes. Human dominion over the Earth is constrained by the inherent goodness in and value of creation. Extinction of species is ungodly. Such religious convictions can be an effective force in conservation biology.
Open Access
Environmental ethics on Antarctic ice
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2000) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
An environmental philosopher gets disoriented in Antarctica, an uninhabited continent, wilderness in deep freeze. Antarctica is peripheral to the main focus of environmental ethics, sustaining life on Earth. Yet Antarctica could set the pace for thinking about the common heritage of humankind. We must stay busy at work on the other six continents, but we ought to set this seventh continent aside. Don't nationalize it. Don't internationalize it. Naturalize it.
Open Access
Genes, genesis, and God: values and their origins in natural and human history: Chapter 1 and Chapter 6 - book summary
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1999) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
Open Access
Genetic values: diversity and complexity in natural history
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1999) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
Generation of diversity and complexity in natural history over evolutionary time. Contingency, probability, inevitability in evolutionary processes. Genetic processes as creative searching, generating and testing novel forms, similar to trial and error learning. Genetic algorithms used in computer searches paralleling evolutionary genetic processes. Genetic values as intrinsic and inclusive. Genetic values as distributed and shared, in contrast to selfish genes. Evolutionary processes generating storied natural history.
Open Access
Multiply ionized carbon plasmas with index of refraction greater than one
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2007) Johnson, W. R., author; Dunn, J., author; Nilsen, J., author; Rocca, Jorge J., author; Marconi, M. C., author; Purvis, M., author; Grave, J., author; Filevich, J., author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
For decades the analysis of interferometry have relied on the approximation that the index of refraction in plasmas is due solely to the free electrons. This general assumption makes the index of refraction always less than one. However, recent soft x-ray laser interferometry experiments with Aluminum plasmas at wavelengths of 14.7 nm and 13.9 nm have shown fringes that bend the opposite direction than would be expected when using that approximation. Analysis of the data demonstrated that this effect is due to bound electrons that contribute significantly to the index of refraction of multiply ionized plasmas, and that this should be encountered in other plasmas at different wavelengths. Recent studies of Silver and Tin plasmas using a 46.9 nm probe beam generated by a Ne-like Ar capillary discharge soft-ray laser identified plasmas with an index of refraction greater than one, as was predicted by computer calculations. In this paper we present new interferometric results obtained with Carbon plasmas at 46.9 nm probe wavelength that clearly show plasma regions with an index of refraction greater than one. Computations suggest that in this case the phenomenon is due to the dominant contribution of bound electrons from doubly ionized carbon ions to the index of refraction. The results reaffirm that bound electrons can strongly influence the index of refraction of numerous plasmas over a broad range of soft x-ray wavelengths.
Open Access
Picosecond 14.7 nm interferometry of high intensity laser-produced plasmas
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2005) Marconi, Mario C., author; Ng, Andrew, author; Hunter, James R., author; Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N., author; Nilsen, Joseph, author; Keenan, Roisin, author; Rocca, Jorge J., author; Moon, Stephen J., author; Smith, Raymond F., author; Filevich, Jorge, author; Dunn, James, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
We have developed a compact, 14.7 nm, sub-5 ps X-ray laser source at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) together with a Mach-Zehnder type diffraction grating interferometer built at Colorado State University for probing dense, high intensity laser-produced plasmas. The short wavelength and pulse length of the probe reduces refraction, absorption effects within the plasma and minimizes plasma motion blurring. This unique diagnostic capability gives precise two-dimensional (2D) density profile snapshots and is generating new data for rapidly evolving laser-heated plasmas. A review of the results from dense, mm-scale line focus plasma experiments will be described with detailed comparisons to hydrodynamic simulations.
Open Access
Religion: naturalized, socialized, evaluated
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1999) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
Evolutionary history on the prolific Earth, resulting in nature producing spirit (Geist). The origins of evil and sin in the genesis of human life. The necessity of suffering in evolutionary creation. Religion evolving to increase human fertility. Religion generating altruism, interpreted as both pseudoaltruism and as genuine altruism. The survival value of religion. Testing religions socially and cognitively. Creativity in actual and possible natural history as the genesis of information, the genesis of value, in which theists can detect transcendent divine presence.
Open Access
Responsible man in reformed theology: Calvin versus the Westminister Confession
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1970) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
In the concept of the essential nature of responsible persons, Calvin and the Calvinists that followed him differed significantly. The Calvinists formulated what they called a double covenant between God and humans, a covenant of works and a covenant of grace. Humans were placed in creation and expected to keep God's law, and to be judged on their merits. Humans sinned, broken God's law and failed to keep this covenant. On this basis they are judged, and lost. In the covenant of grace, God enters and redeems human life by grace, and this is the Biblical story in Israel, fulfilled in Christ. The danger that has beset Reformed thought is that in its use of covenant, nature, law, and grace, it makes of the Christian faith something which comes in where human powers fail. Humans need God only for the mending of life's wrongness, to rescue persons from their irresponsibility. The authentic Reformed witness makes place for this, but goes beyond. Religion belongs not just to the weakness of life, but also to its strength. A person's fundamental need for communion with a gracious God springs not merely from redemption, but more basically from one's dignity as a creature formed for grace. Grace belongs before sin, not less than after. In grace God made and makes responsible persons.
Open Access
The future of environmental ethics
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
The environment is on the world agenda, also on the ethical frontier, for the foreseeable future. Environmental ethics is, at times, about saving things past, still present. Environmental ethics is equally about future nature, without analogy in our past. Living at one of the ruptures of history, modern cultures threaten the stability, beauty, and integrity of Earth, and thereby of the cultures superposed on Earth. Environmental ethics must find a satisfactory fit for humans in the larger communities of life on Earth.
Open Access
Value in nature and the nature of value
(Colorado State University. Libraries, 1994) Rolston, Holmes, 1932-2025, author; Cambridge University Press, publisher
Value is often thought not to exist in wild nature; it is bestowed on nature by human preferences. This prevailing account is too anthropocentric. In nature, animals value their lives; they too can have their preferences satisfied. Plants have vital needs. Species are historical forms of life defended over generations. Ecosystems are "able to generate value," as occurs with the evolution and ecological support of organisms, animals, and humans. Earth, taken as earth, dirt, seems of little intrinsic value; but Earth, the home planet, is systemically valuable, the ground of all value.