India’s Look East policy opened up a new strategic dimension to Indian foreign policy. India had significant cultural and diplomatic linkages with the Southeast Asian nations. But India’s non-aligned diplomatic position created a distance between India and Southeast Asia. The adoption of the Look East Policy led to the establishment of economic and strategic ties with Southeast Asia. The policy was revised in the form of the Act East Policy in 2015 in the face of China’s increasing influence in South and Southeast Asia which posed a threat to India’s security. Moreover the Sino-Pakistan liaison necessitated the strengthening of India-Southeast Asia relations. This book is an attempt to trace the development of the Look East Policy, its transition into Act East Policy and its aftermath. These changing parameters will show the decisive impacts on the transformative phases of India’s foreign policy.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th Portuguese Conference on Artificial Intelligence, EPIA '97, held in Coimbra, Portugal, in October 1997. The volume presents 24 revised full papers and 9 revised posters selected from 74 submissions from various countries. Also included are two full invited papers and two abstracts of invited talks. The papers are organized in topical sections on automated reasoning and theorem proving; CBR and machine learning; constraints; intelligent tutoring; knowledge representation; multi-agent systems and DAI; nonmonotonic, qualitative and temporal reasoning, and problem solving.

We live in a world full of shiny distractions, faced with an onslaught of viral media constantly competing for our attention and demanding our affections. These ever-present visual “spectacles” can quickly erode our hearts, making it more difficult than ever to walk through life actively treasuring that which is most important and yet invisible: Jesus Christ. In a journalistic style, Tony Reinke shows us just how distracting these spectacles in our lives have become and calls us to ask critical questions about what we’re focusing on. The book offers us practical steps to redirect our gaze away from the addictive eye candy of the world and onto the Ultimate Spectacle—leading to the joy and rest our souls crave.

Mechanical Choices details the intimate connection that exists between morality and law: the morality we use to blame others for their misdeeds and the criminal law that punishes them for these misdeeds. This book shows how both law and morality presuppose the accuracy of common sense, a centuries-old psychology that defines people as rational agents who make honorable choices and act for just reasons. It then shows how neuroscience is commonly taken to challenge these fundamental psychological assumptions. Such challenges--four in number--are distinguished from each other by the different neuroscientific facts from which they arise: the fact that human choices are caused by brain events; the fact that those choices don't cause the actions that are their objects but are only epiphenomenal to those choices; the fact that those choices are identical to certain physical events in the brain; and the fact that human subjects are quite fallible in their knowledge of what they are doing and why. The body of this book shows how such challenges are either based on faulty facts or misconceived as to the relevance of such facts to responsibility. The book ends with a detailed examination of the neuroscience of addiction, an examination which illustrates how neuroscience can help rather than challenge both law and morality in their quest to accurately define excuses from responsibility.

This handbook consists of essays on contemporary issues in criminal law and their theoretical underpinnings. Some of the essays deal with the relationship between morality and criminalization. Others deal with criminalization in the context of specific crimes such as fraud, blackmail, and revenge pornography. The contributors also address questions of responsible agency such as the effects of addiction or insanity, and some deal with punishment, its mode and severity, and the justness of the state’s imposition of it. These chapters are authored by some of the most distinguished scholars in the fields of applied ethics, criminal law, and jurisprudence.

The story of the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3 is a familiar story for many. Forbidden fruit, a deceptive snake, and fig leaf-covered humans make their way into everything from children’s bibles to Hollywood movies. But our familiarity with the story may hide fundamental misunderstandings that impact how we see God and ultimately damage our trust in him. Many see the story only as bad news about the Fall of Man; the beginning of human failure and sin. But what is this foundational story of the Bible really trying to communicate? In this captivating exploration, Brent Faulkner takes readers on a journey beyond the familiar tropes of forbidden fruit and fig leaves. Unveiling the deeper layers of the biblical tale, Faulkner dispels misconceptions, offering a fresh perspective on the true nature of God. Through a skillful interweaving of scriptural insights and relatable stories, he reveals a God worthy of trust. Join Faulkner as he unveils the good news concealed within the Fall—the revelation of God’s steadfast character. This book invites you to reevaluate your understanding of the Garden of Eden and, in doing so, fortify your trust in God. Understand the path of deception that damages our trust in God. See the truth of God’s goodness and love revealed in Genesis 3. Begin living the intimate-trust filled partnership you were created for. Discover the good news of God’s trustworthy character revealed within the Fall.