Location: United States
Member Since: Dec. 29, 2014

William Cerf

Smashwords book reviews by William Cerf

  • Theorist-at-Large: One Woman's Ambiguous Journey into Medical Cannabis on Jan. 04, 2015
    (no rating)
    I loved how the author introduces each chapter with a personal vignette using an autoethnographic approach to her own lived experience as a cannabis patient, researcher and advocate. She states the purpose of her work as follows: “Not to be a renowned Professor or become some kind of Advocate or Global Leader but to venture further as a lifelong Learner, helping others do the “same…and living life on my own terms while (hopefully) gaining a retirement plan” (Nelson 10 - 11)! She reveals a great deal about her personal care of others and care for dealing with caring for those who are sick and unable to tolerate traditional allopathic remedies. She explores several theorists in the ethics of care, including Noddings, Gilligan, and Tronto. Regina Nelson is an interdisciplinary scholar who learned enough about the medical science behind the endo-cannibinoid system to be accepted as a speaker at a scientific conference. She very ably explained what she has learned and continues to learn about science to a lay audience in clear and cogent language. In addition she lays out the lessons learned from the political arena in the fight to make drugs more readily available in the battle against AIDS. Regina seems very comfortable moving outside of her academic comfort zone. The author skillfully weaves several complex strands together into a consistent and holistic narrative regarding the stigmatization and marginalization of cannabis patients, arguing against the Eurocentric posture taken by those in opposition to the use of cannabis as medicine. The author tackles forfeiture policies and federal actions against providers licensed in accordance with State law. Nelson demonstrates interdisciplinary thinking in augmenting conventional leadership with Integral Theory espoused by Ken Wilber. She very ably enters into scientific discourse regarding the enod-cannibinoid system as part of her argument to advocate for the declassification of cannabis from Schedule 1 to be more widely available for research, development and use in treatment by physicians and other healthcare practitioners while further buttressing her position by quoting from and citing an editorial by former President of the US, Jimmy Carter. Nelson further develops an integral frame for challenging Evidence Based Medicine (EBM). I highly recommend this work to interdisciplinary educators and people considering furthering their formal education as interdisciplinary scholars. Indeed anyone who suffers, has family members and friends who suffer from pain, nausea, and incurable conditions needs this book as a source of inspiration and valuable information. Resource Nelson, Regina. Theorist-at-Large: One Woman's Ambiguous Journey into Medical Cannabis. 2015. Web.
  • Theorist-at-Large: One Woman's Ambiguous Journey into Medical Cannabis on Jan. 25, 2015

    This one get 5 Stars! Read my review below