Simon Mills

Gilbert Simondon: Information, Technology and Media is a comprehensive introduction to the work of the French philosopher Gilbert Simondon. In particular it examines Simondon's original informational ontology, as developed from a synthesis of Cybernetics, thermodynamics and French epistemology, The book goes on to delineate the role this ontology plays in developing an original account of individuation in the physical, biological and psycho-social regimes. This is done, in part, through reading Simondon with and against other figures in these fields such as Merleau-Ponty and Stuart Kauffman. Additionally, Mills explores Simondon's contribution to epistemology and invention, including an analysis of his important theories of the image-cycle and transindividuality. He also examines Simondon's influence on several contemporary thinkers, including Bernard Stiegler and Bruno Latour, before exploring the relevance of Simondon's work for theorising contemporary media technology.

The authoritative and comprehensive modern textbook on western herbal medicine - now in its second edition This long-awaited second edition of Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy covers all major aspects of herbal medicine from fundamental concepts, traditional use and scientific research through to safety, effective dosage and clinical applications. Written by herbal practitioners with active experience in clinical practice, education, manufacturing and research, the textbook is both practical and evidence based. The focus, always, is on the importance of tailoring the treatment to the individual case. New insights are given into the herbal management of approxiately 100 modern ailments, including some of the most challenging medical conditions, such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and other complex autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, and there is vibrant discussion around the contribution of phytotherapy in general to modern health issues, including health ageing. Fully referenced throughout, with more than 10, 000 citations, the book is a core resource for students and practitioners of phytotherapy and naturopathy and will be of value to all healthcare professionals - pharmacists, doctors, nurses - with an interest in herbal therapeutics. 50 evidence-based monographs, including 7 new herbs Rational guidance to phytotherapeutic strategies in the consulting room New appendices provide useful information on topics such as herbal actions, dosage in children and reading and interpreting herbal clinical trials Comprehensive revision of vital safety data, including an extensive herb-drug interaction chart. 50 evidence-based monographs, including 7 new herbs Rational guidance to phytotherapeutic strategies in the consulting room New appendices provide useful information on topics such as herbal actions, dosage in children and reading and interpreting herbal clinical trials Comprehensive revision of vital safety data, including an extensive herb-drug interaction chart.

Testing IT provides a complete, off-the-shelf software testing process framework for any testing practitioner who is looking to research, implement, roll out, adopt, and maintain a software testing process. It covers all aspects of testing for software developed or modified in-house, modified or extended legacy systems, and software developed by a third party. Software professionals can customize the framework to match the testing requirements of any organization, and six real-world testing case studies are provided to show how other organizations have done this. Packed with a series of real-world case studies, the book also provides a comprehensive set of downloadable testing document templates, proformas, and checklists to support the process of customizing. This new edition demonstrates the role and use of agile testing best practices and includes a specific agile case study.

Still today, in South Korea, many people pay for the services of mudang - the intermediaries of Korea's syncretic folk religion. The majority of mudang are called to the profession by gods; their clients are individuals or small groups and they focus on the use of spirit-power ('possession') for diagnosis and problem-solving. There is, however, a tiny minority of mudang who are born or adopted into the ritual life and who have no spirit-power. These ritualists perform in large family groups, conducting rituals for whole communities. They focus far more on the use of music, dance, and song to provide healing experiences. In this book, Simon Mills provides an in-depth analysis of the East Coast hereditary mudang institution and its rhythm-oriented music, focusing particularly on the Kim family of mudang - the government-appointed 'cultural assets' for the genre. It is the first English language book to study this tradition in any depth, using materials from fieldwork (1999-2000) alongside interviews with two key family members, Kim Junghee and Jo Jonghun. Throughout, Mills includes numerous quotes from the ritualists themselves to help reveal their characters, opinions and beliefs. He documents the family's history, the decline of the hereditary mudang institution and its kinship customs, and the family's changing relations towards 'outsiders'. Mills also details ritual procedures, musical structures, playing techniques, instruments, and learning methods both of the past and present; as non-ritual musicians become increasingly aware of the powerful ritual rhythms, the music is finding new life in non-ritual settings. Downloadable audio resources featuring Kim, Jo, and Mills accompanies the book, each track corresponding to the equivalent chapter in the text.

A clear and comprehensive reference on the full range of healing herbs and remedies An indispensable guide to the herbal remedies most used in the Anglo-American and European traditions Defines each remedy in terms of its main pharmacological actions and usual therapeutic applications A useful reference to the application of traditional medicines for modern health problems for the professional and lay use.