explorer

This Open Access Book is the first to examine disasters from a multidisciplinary perspective. Justification of actions in the face of disasters requires recourse both to conceptual analysis and ethical traditions. Part 1 of the book contains chapters on how disasters are conceptualized in different academic disciplines relevant to disasters. Part 2 has chapters on how ethical issues that arise in relation to disasters can be addressed from a number of fundamental normative approaches in moral and political philosophy. This book sets the stage for more focused normative debates given that no one book can be completely comprehensive.

"Men of Invention and Industry" by Samuel Smiles is a historical account likely written in the late 19th century. The book examines the lives and contributions of various inventors and industrialists, highlighting their impact on society, particularly within British industry, with an emphasis on significant advancements such as shipbuilding and steam power. The opening of the book sets the stage with a discussion of the early history of English shipbuilding, beginning with the figure of Phineas Pett. It explores the humble beginnings of the British navy and the advancements made under historical figures like Henry VIII. Various early challenges in shipbuilding are elucidated, alongside the importance of foreign expertise in developing England’s maritime capabilities. The narrative illustrates a shift from a heavy reliance on importing goods and expertise to a burgeoning English independence in shipbuilding and trade, paving the way for a stronger national identity tied to maritime innovation.