When writing under such a broad remit as this, it is difficult to know exactly what to include and what to exclude. Previous editions have not contained any material on agency or negligence. I have decided to include these because so many business courses include them in the syllabus nowadays. I have also tried to put the law in its practical business context so that the reader knows why the law has developed as it has, rather than simply presenting the reader with a set of somewhat abstract rules. It would be helpful if readers would give some feedback about the book. For example, what do you think could usefully be expanded and what do you think could be omitted without any loss? I would also be pleased to learn of areas which you find difficult to understand—I can then work on trying to simplify the text for any future edition. If you would care to email me with your views at Keith.Owens@Northampton.ac.uk, I will try to reply within a reasonable time, though there are some times of the year where it might be weeks rather than days!

The present volume is one of a series on physics and mathematics, for the upper forms at school and the first year at the university. The books have been written by a team of experienced teachers at the Royal Military College of Science, and the series therefore forms an integrated course of study. In preparing their manuscripts the writers have been mainly guided by the examination syllabuses of London University, the Joint Board of Oxford and Cambridge and the Joint Matriculation Board, but they have also taken a broad view of their tasks and have endeavoured to produce works which aim to give a student that solid foundation without which it is impossible to proceed to higher studies. The books are suitable either for class teaching or self study; there are many illustrative examples and large collections of problems for solution taken, in the main, from recent examination papers. It is a truism too often forgotten in teaching that knowledge is acquired by a student only when his interest is aroused and maintained. The student must not only be shown how a class of problems in mathematics is solved but, within limits, why a particular method works and in physics, why a technique is especially well adapted for some particular measurement. Throughout the series special emphasis has been laid on illustrations which may be expected to appeal to the experience of the student in matters of daily life, so that his studies are related to what he sees, feels and knows of the world around him. Treated in this way, science ceases to be an arid abstraction and becomes vivid and real to the inquiring mind. The books have therefore been written, not only to ensure the passing of examinations, but as a preparation for the exciting world which lies ahead of the reader. They incorporate many of the suggestions which have been made in recent years by other teachers and, it is hoped, will bring some new points of view into the classroom and the study. Last, but by no means least, they have been written by a team working together, so that the exchange of ideas has been constant and vigorous. It is to be hoped that the result is a series which is adequate for all examinations at this level and yet broad enough to satisfy the intellectual needs of teachers and students alike.

The 13th edition of Prosthodontic Treatment for Edentulous Patients seeks to maintain our commitment to guiding dental students, dentists, and prosthodontists to make the best-informed clinical decisions while optimally managing the needs of edentulous patients. As practicing dentists and clinical educators, we continue to seek educational formats that reconcile established clinical protocols with research developments, while never losing sight of the ultimate beneficiaries of our professional skills—our patients. The latter have become increasingly aware of their right to receive efficacious and effective dental therapies, and hence a text that brings context and understanding to a participatory partnership between patient and dentist. Choosing an eclectic approach to our synthesis of optimal care knowledge for caring for this special patient cohort, we invited leading international educators and scholars to join us in articulating the strongest case possible for understanding the edentulous predicament and its management. We are confident that the end result reflects an approach that never loses sight of the biological underpinnings of each patient’s unique situation. Moreover, the best current management of the edentulous predicament is now seen in a far broader and more rational context than past descriptions. This is because the educational and research focus in prosthodontics has continued to grow and evolve in the past near-decade since we published the 12th edition. Advances in dental materials and increased objectivity in the understanding of limitations of mechanical analogues for the masticatory system had already facilitated significant progress in the discipline. However, the single most compelling catalyst for change has been the technique of osseointegration. This ushered in an exciting new therapeutic era, especially for prosthetically maladaptive patients.

This book is particularly intended for the student with a year (or a year and a half) of calculus who wants to develop, in a short time, a basic competence in each of the many areas of mathematics needed in junior to senior-graduate courses in physics, chemistry, and engineering. Thus it is intended to be accessible to sophomores (or freshmen with AP calculus from high school). It may also be used effectively by a more advanced student to review half-forgotten topics or learn new ones, either by independent study or in a class. Although the book was written especially for students of the physical sciences, students in any field (say mathematics or mathematics for teaching) may find it useful to survey many topics or to obtain some knowledge of areas they do not have time to study in depth. Since theorems are stated carefully, such students should not need to unlearn anything in their later work. The question of proper mathematical training for students in the physical sciences is of concern to both mathematicians and those who use mathematics in applications. Some instructors may feel that if students are going to study mathematics at all, they should study it in careful and thorough detail. For the undergraduate physics, chemistry, or engineering student, this means either (1) learning more mathematics than a mathematics major or (2) learning a few areas of mathematics thoroughly and the others only from snatches in science courses. The second alternative is often advocated; let me say why I think it is unsatisfactory. It is certainly true that motivation is increased by the immediate application of a mathematical technique, but there are a number of disadvantages: 1. The discussion of the mathematics is apt to be sketchy since that is not the primary concern. 2. Students are faced simultaneously with learning a new mathematical method and applying it to an area of science that is also new to them.

The Mathematics of Logic. This text aims to give an introduction to select topics in mathematical logic at a level appropriate for first year undergraduate mathematics students, especially those who intend to teach secondary school mathematics. The text serves introduction to proofs, set theory and number systems. Most students who take the course plan to teach, although there are a handful of students who will go on to graduate school or study applied mathematics or computer science. For these students the current text hopefully is still of interest, but the intent is not to provide a solid mathematical foundation for computer science. The text provided here is intended to be used in a class taught using problem oriented or inquiry-based methods. During face to face interactions, I will assign sections for reading after first introducing them in class by using a mix of group work and class discussion on a few interesting problems. The text is meant to consolidate what we discover in class and serve as a reference for students as they master the concepts and techniques covered in the course unit. None-the-less, every attempt has been made to make the text sufficient for self-study as well, in a way that hopefully mimics an inquiry-based classroom. The topics covered in this text were chosen to match the needs of mathematics students as a pre-requisite for higher level mathematics courses. The main areas of study are number systems, set theory, notion of a mathematical proof, functions, mathematical arguments, logic and Boolean algebra, in that order. Apart from induction, proof techniques are covered at the end of the chapter on arguments. Induction is covered at the beginning of the course to provide enough common language to discuss the logical flow of proofs. While this selection and order of topics might be currently optimal for Foundations of Mathematics, you should endeavor to read deeper into the specific topics to broaden your scope of knowledge. There are occasionally examples and exercises that rely on earlier material and these can be understood without too much additional study. A lot of examples and more than 200 exercises are provided in the text, and these should make the text more useful for students for self-study and group work. The lecture material will continue to be improved during class sessions, and additions suggested by other readers and users will be incorporated. Thus, I encourage you to send along any suggestions and comments as you have them.