Many have heard of the Cappadocian Fathers-that trio from the fourth century who shaped much of the way we think about our faith today. What some don't realize is that these men were surrounded by several devout women who had a profound influence on their lives and their theology. Dr. Carla Sunberg has uncovered the fragments of details that remain about seven revolutionary women, whom she calls the Cappadocian Mothers. In so doing, Sun berg introduces to us a group of saints who practiced some very Uncommon Virtues. You'll be challenged and inspired by the stories of these incredible and courageous women who model a new way of following Christ. Book jacket.
"Character" has become a front-and-center topic in contemporary discourse, but this term does not have a fixed meaning. Character may be simply defined by what someone does not do, but a more active and thorough definition is necessary, one that addresses certain vital questions. Is character a singular characteristic of an individual, or is it composed of different aspects? Does character--however we define it--exist in degrees, or is it simply something one happens to have? How can character be developed? Can it be learned? Relatedly, can it be taught, and who might be the most effective teacher? What roles are played by family, schools, the media, religion, and the larger culture? This groundbreaking handbook of character strengths and virtues is the first progress report from a prestigious group of researchers who have undertaken the systematic classification and measurement of widely valued positive traits. They approach good character in terms of separate strengths-authenticity, persistence, kindness, gratitude, hope, humor, and so on-each of which exists in degrees. Character Strengths and Virtues classifies twenty-four specific strengths under six broad virtues that consistently emerge across history and culture: wisdom, courage, humanity, justice, temperance, and transcendence. Each strength is thoroughly examined in its own chapter, with special attention to its meaning, explanation, measurement, causes, correlates, consequences, and development across the life span, as well as to strategies for its deliberate cultivation. This book demands the attention of anyone interested in psychology and what it can teach about the good life.
One of the world's great philosophers, William of Ockham's On the Connection of the Virtues (De connexione virtutum) provides insightful perspectives on ordinary issues of human conduct. Written in reasonably simple and nontechnical language, it is translated into English here for the first time. Ockham's views on many subjects have been misunderstood, his views on ethics as much as any. This book is designed to avoid some pitfalls that arise in reading medieval philosophy generally and Ockham in particular. Wood begins her introduction with an account of what is known about Ockham's life and works and with a discussion of his place in the history of philosophy, followed by a brief general guide to his views. Finally, there is a historical account of the medieval debate on the connection of the virtues, to which Ockham's treatise is an important contribution. Problems of interpretation are addressed in the commentary, which follows the translation. Translation, commentary, and introduction provide students of Ockham's treatise with what they need to appreciate his stance on ethical issues and to approach his arguments critically.
In Psychometrics, R Michael Furr and Verne R Bacharach centre their presentation of material around a conceptual understanding of psychometric issues, such as validity and reliability, and on purpose rather than procedure, the ′why′ rather than the ′how to′. By emphasizing concepts over mathematical proofs and by focusing on practical significance, this book will assist students in appreciating not just how measurement problems can be addressed but why it is important to address them. The Second Edition has been thoroughly revised to improve the clarity and accessibility of key concepts and to increase the depth of discussions. Many new tables and figures have been added and the references have been significanly updated and expanded. An entirely new chapter on confirmatory factor analysis has also been added to this edition. This new chapter focuses on the use of CFA to evaluate measurement models, including in-depth discussion of the logic and interpretation of the process. Key features of this volume: - presents information in a clear, easy-to-read, conversational style: the authors introduce concepts in a way that is accessible to non-professionals without sacrificing the academic integrity of the material - highlights practical applications: intended to enhance readers′ appreciation of the importance of psychometrics, the book provides examples that will resonate with students - offers an up-to-date treatment of topics in psychometrics: the book offers readers the most contemporary views of topics in psychometrics available in the non-technical psychometric literature - introduces statistical procedures in the context of their use rather than in a separate chapter: the authors integrate statistics with a discussion of their use as tools to solve particular psychometric problems, encouraging a more complete understanding of both.
