Interdisciplinary Book and Film Reviews

  A Spy in Moscow 2024 by Geoffrey W. Sutton & Designer The Spy in Moscow Station: A Counterspy's Hunt for a Deadly Cold War Threat by   Eric Haseltine 2019 The Spy in Moscow Station: A Counterspy's Hunt for a Deadly Cold War Threat by Eric Haseltine recounts the true story of the incredible challenge to discover the deadly intelligence leak in the United States Embassy in Moscow. The book is an electrifying account of espionage, American spy agency bureaucratic infighting, technical surveillance, and spycraft that reveals the barriers to counter-intelligence caused by the limitations of the intersection of human intelligence and personality.   The Spy...Moscow on AMAZON Haseltine's book is a technical account of the lengths that governments will go to gain intelligence advantages as we head into the 2020s. The Spy in Moscow Station describes what really happened behind the scenes in the 1970s and 1980s at NSA, CIA, and in the U.S. embassy in Moscow. The ...

  Five Views 2024 Geoffrey W Sutton & Bing AI The second edition of Psychology and Christianity: Five Views is an expanded version of the 2000 edition. Edited by Eric L. Johnson, the book presents ways to understand the relationship between psychology and Christianity.  [ Available on Amazon ] The Five Views   1. Levels-of-Explanation View by David Myers, Hope College   This view suggests that psychology and Christianity operate at different levels of explanation. Psychology operates at the level of human behavior and mental processes, while Christianity operates at the level of meaning and value.   2. Integration View by Stanton Jones, Wheaton College   This view proposes that psychology and Christianity can be integrated in a way that both can contribute to a fuller understanding of human nature.   3. Christian Psychology View by Robert Roberts (Baylor University) and P. J. Watson (University of Tennessee-Chattanooga) ...

  Beyond Freedom and Dignity Author: B.F. Skinner Reviewer   Geoffrey W. Sutton   B.F. Skinner's Beyond Freedom and Dignity (1971) challenges traditional ideas about human autonomy and self-determination. Skinner asserts that our behaviors are not driven by an inherent sense of freedom or dignity, but rather by environmental contingencies. I observed a somewhat humorous example of Skinner’s influence on psychology in the 1970s when I was in graduate school. A colleague in school psychology relied heavily upon reinforcement theory as he helped teachers with classroom management and identified himself as a behavioral engineer.   In Beyond Freedom and Dignity , Skinner argues for a more orderly structuring of society, especially through the implementation of psychological research. As a proponent of radical behaviorism, he posits that humans are controlled by their environment and their DNA. He suggests that if society wishes to improve its collective ...

  Walden Two by B.F. Skinner Reviewed by   Geoffrey W. Sutton Walden Two by B.F. Skinner   Walden Two is a utopian novel that presents an experimental community where life is drastically simplified and happiness is obtained through a scientific approach to behavioral engineering. The story begins with two young men, Rogers and Steve, who visit Professor Burris after returning from World War II. They inquire about a man named Frazier and the new society he is trying to build.   Frazier, a former classmate of Burris, has created a community named Walden Two based on principles of behaviorism. This community, home to about a thousand people, operates on the idea that human behavior can be controlled by manipulating contingencies of reinforcements and punishments. The inhabitants live in communal dwellings, eat in common dining spaces, raise their children in a communal nursery, and grow and build much of what they need. The standard workday lasts only four ho...

  The Bible, The Biography A Review Karen Armstrong's book, The Bible: The Biography ( 2007),  is a historical account of how the Bible was formed, interpreted, and used by Jews and Christians over the centuries. Armstrong argues that the Bible is a living document that has been constantly reinterpreted and applied to different contexts and situations by its readers. She traces the development of the Bible from its oral origins to its written form, and from its canonical status to its diverse interpretations.   Armstrong begins by exploring the origins of the Hebrew Bible, which was composed by various authors who had different views of God, creation, and society. She shows how the Israelites did not have a rigid orthodoxy until after the Babylonian exile, when they began to canonize their scriptures and define their beliefs. She also explains how the Torah scholars considered themselves as prophets who could find new meanings in the ancient texts.   Armst...

Dr. Johnson's London is a book by Liza Picard that explores the city of London during the 1700s. The book provides a detailed account of the city's history, culture, and daily life during this period. It covers topics such as the city's architecture, transportation, food, entertainment, and politics.  I recommend this book is an excellent resource for anyone interested in the history of London or the 18th century in general. In addition, Picard divides the chapters into "bite-sized" units making it easy to grad a read when you only have a few minutes between appointments or activities.     Picard, L. (2001). Dr. Johnson's London : Life in London 1740-1770. St. Martin's Press. Available on Amazon Geoffrey W. Sutton, PhD  is Emeritus Professor of Psychology. He retired from a clinical practice and was credentialed in clinical neuropsychology and psychopharmacology. His website is    www.suttong.com   See Geoffrey Sutton’s books on    AMAZO...

  The Evening and the Morning     is a prequel to Ken Follett's The Pillars of the Earth and the fourth book in his Kingsbridge series. The novel is set in medieval Britain, beginning at the end of the Early Middle Ages, and spanning the years 997 CE to 1007 CE. The story revolves around three main characters: Edgar, Ragna, and Aldred.   Edgar is a young boat builder whose life changes forever when Vikings attack his village. During the raid, a Viking kills the woman he loves, Sungifu, and Edgar's father. Edgar kills the man and leaves the village with his family. The remainder of the novel explores themes of justice, mercy, and the complications of leadership, as Edgar becomes entangled in increasingly dangerous snares of political intrigue.   Ragna is a beautiful Norman princess who marries an Anglo-Saxon chieftain named Wilwulf. She loves him, but when she gets to England and starts to live with him in his town, she discovers that things are not qui...