Avot, a tractate in the Mishnah (c. 220 CE), is the single most studied and commented upon Jewish text outside the Hebrew Bible. Commonly published as a stand-alone volume with the title Pirke Avot (“Chapters of the Fathers” or “Ethics of the Fathers”), Avot is also included in Jewish prayer books to encourage group and home study in every form of Judaism. A number of scholarly studies over the past three decades have reconceptualized the historical purpose and stylistic character of tractate Avot, which is unlike any other in the Mishnah. Some scholars have recognized that Avot’s content reflects the ideological positions of an elitist fellowship originally formed according to paradigms established by Greco-Roman schools of philosophy. Subversive Principles furthers the argument that Avot was composed to facilitate the formation of such a fellowship by engaging the analytical insights of Pierre Bourdieu regarding symbolic language and other theorists elucidating the role of exchange theory in religions. This volume explores an ethics of reading and the matter of historical relativism as such concerns influence the historical-critical interpretation of a canonical text.

A clear, comprehensible, and practical guide to the essentials of computer cryptography, from Caesar's Cipher through modern-day public key. Cryptographic capabilities like detecting imposters and stopping eavesdropping are thoroughly illustrated with easy-to-understand analogies, visuals, and historical sidebars. The student needs little or no background in cryptography to read Cryptography Decrypted. Nor does it require technical or mathematical expertise. But for those with some understanding of the subject, this book is comprehensive enough to solidify knowledge of computer cryptography and challenge those who wish to explore the high-level math appendix.

In today's extensively wired world, cryptology is vital for guarding communication channels, databases, and software from intruders. Increased processing and communications speed, rapidly broadening access and multiplying storage capacity tend to make systems less secure over time, and security becomes a race against the relentless creativity of the unscrupulous. The revised and extended third edition of this classic reference work on cryptology offers a wealth of new technical and biographical details. The book presupposes only elementary mathematical knowledge. Spiced with exciting, amusing, and sometimes personal accounts from the history of cryptology, it will interest general a broad readership.

In today's unsafe and increasingly wired world cryptology plays a vital role in protecting communication channels, databases, and software from unwanted intruders. This revised and extended third edition of the classic reference work on cryptology now contains many new technical and biographical details. The first part treats secret codes and their uses - cryptography. The second part deals with the process of covertly decrypting a secret code - cryptanalysis, where particular advice on assessing methods is given. The book presupposes only elementary mathematical knowledge. Spiced with a wealth of exciting, amusing, and sometimes personal stories from the history of cryptology, it will also interest general readers.

In 2009, an anonymous programmer releases a new method of paying and being paid to the world. No one runs it; no one controls it; no authority verifies it. In this, its creator promises, is a way around banks and governments, around laws and regulations, and around failure itself. Less than a decade on, the technology known as Bitcoin is soaring in demand, and a single unit is valued in the thousands. It has spawned hundreds of clones, and its underlying blockchain technology has created a revolution in computing. It has legally made millionaires of thousands of ordinary people. Decrypted shows you, in plain, no-nonsense terms, exactly how that happened. Cryptocurrency and startup pioneer Leng Hoe Lon walks you through how cryptos like Bitcoin work and get their value, their strengths and weaknesses, their implications for the world... and how they fit in your investment plans. Will you join the cryptocurrency revolution, or ignore it as a passing fad? It’s up to you to check out the facts, and decide for yourself. This book will show you what you need to know.

One of the translators of Lucian, Thomas Francklin, bemoaned in his introduction to True History, "We cannot but lament that the humour of many of the references has been lost to us; therefore, Lucian's True History cannot be half as pleasurable as when it was first written, but there are enough remaining allusions which we understand to secure it from being unrelatable." This work, True History Decrypted, attempts to take those "remaining allusions" and make them relatable to the modern reader. Modern audiences rarely have the background to fully understand all of the allusions made in True History and classical texts in general. It would be unfortunate if there were not a book that could help guide the reader through each section and provide the necessary background to fully enjoy the work. This book takes a two tiered approach to understanding True History: (1) provide extensive commentary section-by-section, addressing the main themes and ideas of the work as the reader goes along; (2) provide an Appendix of works that Lucian may have been acclimated to and used as a basis for the parody found in True History. With these two eyes, the True History becomes a great deal more enjoyable and easier to comprehend. There is no doubt that True History is Lucian's most famous and influential work. It has influenced works like More's Utopia and Swift's Gulliver's Travels. True History masquerades as a clinical account of the travels of the narrator and his companions. The style, tone, and approach of True History is exceptionally true to the travel genre; however, it is with the content where Lucian makes his satirical intent manifest. The narrator travels to the moon and back, to different islands like the Island of Cheese and Island of the Damned; he meets a cast of strange, twisted characters throughout, some more fanciful than others. Underneath it all, Lucian is really questioning the idea of truth found in factual, non-fiction writing. On a meta level, Lucian is trying to show the impossibility of absolute truth in writing. If the purpose of satire is improve the condition of a certain aspect of society, then Lucian is trying to call out some of the more grossly inaccurate worldly depictions in order to improve, all around, truth in literature, history, and entertainment. True History Decrypted is suitable for the casual reader and scholar. The text has previously been used in the university classroom.

What shape is the universe? Is it curved and closed in on itself? Is it expanding? Where is it headed? Could space be wrapped around itself, such that it produces ghost images of faraway galaxies? Such are the questions posed by Jean-Pierre Luminet in The Wraparound Universe, which he then addresses in clear and accessible language. An expert in bl

Praise for Bruce's History Lessons "If only history were taught the way Bruce Kauffmann writes about it, we'd have a nation of history buffs. He zeroes in on pivotal moments, relates them in conversational language and connects yesterday to today with skill and insight. And his gift for brevity always leaves me wanting to know more." - Gayle Beck, The Repository, Canton, Ohio "Mr. Kauffmann - Just wanted to say how much I enjoy your articles. I have taught high school social studies for 33 years and the last several years I have used a lot of your articles in my class." - Craig Grow, Sullivan, IN "Mr. Kauffmann, Your History Lessons column is a "must read" for me. My husband and I both greatly enjoy the interesting nuggets of overlooked events, corrections of misconceptions, or "how it came to be" that you write about. 'Did you read Bruce today?' is a common refrain over Sunday morning coffee." - Diane Pritchard, Champaign, IL "Dear Bruce, Thanks for the History Lessons that my mom has sent me. They are published in her Worcester, MA, Sunday paper. I have really enjoyed them and as a former educator, I think they make a great learning tool. You get a Gold Star!!!!!!" - Ginny Decker, Alabama