What is a model? How do you construct one? What are some common models in the social sciences? How can models be applied in new situations? What makes a model good? Focusing on answers to these and related questions, this multidisciplinary introduction to model building in the social sciences formulates interesting problems that involve students in creative model building and the process of invention. The book describes models of individual choice, exchange, adaptation, and diffusion. Throughout, student participation in analytical thinking is encouraged. Originally published in 1975 by HarperCollins Publishers.

http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/history/east-asian-history/astrology-and-cosmology-early-china-conforming-earth-heaven
The ancient Chinese were profoundly influenced by the Sun, Moon and stars, making persistent efforts to mirror astral phenomena in shaping their civilization. In this pioneering text, David W. Pankenier introduces readers to a seriously understudied field, illustrating how astronomy shaped the culture of China from the very beginning and how it influenced areas as disparate as art, architecture, calendrical science, myth, technology, and political and military decision-making. As elsewhere in the ancient world, there was no positive distinction between astronomy and astrology in ancient China, and so astrology, or more precisely, astral omenology, is a principal focus of the book. Drawing on a broad range of sources, including archaeological discoveries, classical texts, inscriptions and paleography, this thought-provoking book documents the role of astronomical phenomena in the development of the 'Celestial Empire' from the late Neolithic through the late imperial period.

Whereas modern societies tend to banish the dead from the world of the living, medieval men and women acccorded them a vital role in the community. The saints counted most prominently as potential intercessors before God, but the ordinary dead as well were called upon to aid the living, and even to participate in the negotiation of political disputes. In this book, the distinguished medievalist Patrick J. Geary shows how exploring the complex relations between the living and dead can broaden our understanding of the political, economic, and cultural history of medieval Europe. Geary has brought together for this volume twelve of his most influential essays. They address such topics as the development of saints' cults and of the concept of sacred space; the integration of saints' cults into the lives of ordinary people; patterns of relic circulation; and the role of the dead in negotiating the claims and counterclaims of various interest groups. Also included are two case studies of communities that enlisted new patron saints to solve their problems. Throughout, Geary demonstrates that, by reading actions, artifacts, and rituals on an equal footing with texts, we can better grasp the otherness of past societies.

地球并不只是人类的天下，其实有1500名外星人生活中我们当中，而星际移民局则处理和外星人相关的事情。
纽约普通警察爱德华兹（威尔·史密斯 饰）因缘际会之下加入了这一组织，成为MIB的一员，代号J，从此没有名字、没有身份，成为特警K（汤姆·李·琼斯 饰）的搭档。
J应对的 第一起事件就是虫族的入侵。亚基伦王子罗斯伯在地球被虫族杀害，而他随身携带的“银河系”——宇宙次原子能源的最好来源也失踪了，若虫族找到，将给亚基伦人带来毁灭性的打击；亚基伦人发出最后通牒，如果地球人不能在一个小时之内交出“银河系”，他们就摧毁地球。
为了地球的安全，K和J不得不挺身而出。

This rigorous but brilliantly lucid book presents a self-contained treatment of modern economic dynamics. Stokey, Lucas, and Prescott develop the basic methods of recursive analysis and illustrate the many areas where they can usefully be applied. After presenting an overview of the recursive approach, the authors develop economic applications for deterministic dynamic programming and the stability theory of first-order difference equations. They then treat stochastic dynamic programming and the convergence theory of discrete-time Markov processes, illustrating each with additional economic applications. They also derive a strong law of large numbers for Markov processes. Finally, they present the two fundamental theorems of welfare economics and show how to apply the methods developed earlier to general equilibrium systems. The authors go on to apply their methods to many areas of economics. Models of firm and industry investment, household consumption behavior, long-run growth, capital accumulation, job search, job matching, inventory behavior, asset pricing, and money demand are among those they use to show how predictions can he made about individual and social behavior. Researchers and graduate students in economic theory will find this book essential.