Download or read book The Consciousness Instinct written by Michael S. Gazzaniga and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2018-04-03 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The father of cognitive neuroscience” illuminates the past, present, and future of the mind-brain problem How do neurons turn into minds? How does physical “stuff”—atoms, molecules, chemicals, and cells—create the vivid and various worlds inside our heads? The problem of consciousness has gnawed at us for millennia. In the last century there have been massive breakthroughs that have rewritten the science of the brain, and yet the puzzles faced by the ancient Greeks are still present. In The Consciousness Instinct, the neuroscience pioneer Michael S. Gazzaniga puts the latest research in conversation with the history of human thinking about the mind, giving a big-picture view of what science has revealed about consciousness. The idea of the brain as a machine, first proposed centuries ago, has led to assumptions about the relationship between mind and brain that dog scientists and philosophers to this day. Gazzaniga asserts that this model has it backward—brains make machines, but they cannot be reduced to one. New research suggests the brain is actually a confederation of independent modules working together. Understanding how consciousness could emanate from such an organization will help define the future of brain science and artificial intelligence, and close the gap between brain and mind. Captivating and accessible, with insights drawn from a lifetime at the forefront of the field, The Consciousness Instinct sets the course for the neuroscience of tomorrow.
Download or read book Unraveling the Universe s Mysteries written by Louis Anthony Del Monte and published by Louis A. del Monte. This book was released on 2012-10-01 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unraveling the Universe's Mysteries offers a rare glimpse into scientific mysteries that have baffled scientists over the last century. It bravely takes the reader to the edge of science where proof is scarce, and the line between physics and metaphysics blurs. Explore the latest science theories regarding: What caused the Big Bang? Is there a multiverse? What role does string theory play in modern science? Is time travel possible? Is dark energy/dark matter real? Are there other Earths? Are we alone? What ultimate fate does humankind face? Can science prove God exists?
Download or read book That s Disgusting Unraveling the Mysteries of Repulsion written by Rachel Herz and published by W. W. Norton & Company. This book was released on 2012-01-23 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Disgust originated to prevent humans from eating poisonous food, but this simple safety mechanism has since evolved into a uniquely human emotion that dictates how people treat others, shapes cultural norms, and even has implications for mental and physical health. This book illuminates the science behind disgust, tackling such colorful topics as cannibalism, humor, and pornography to address larger questions including why sources of disgust vary among people and societies and how disgust influences individual personalities, daily lives, and values. It turns out that disgust underlies more than we realize, from political ideologies to the lure of horror movies.
Download or read book Wired to Create written by Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2015-12-29 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discover the ten things highly creative people do differently. Is it possible to make sense of something as elusive as creativity? Based on psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman’s groundbreaking research and Carolyn Gregoire’s popular article in the Huffington Post, Wired to Create offers a glimpse inside the “messy minds” of highly creative people. Revealing the latest findings in neuroscience and psychology, along with engaging examples of artists and innovators throughout history, the book shines a light on the practices and habits of mind that promote creative thinking. Kaufman and Gregoire untangle a series of paradoxes— like mindfulness and daydreaming, seriousness and play, openness and sensitivity, and solitude and collaboration – to show that it is by embracing our own contradictions that we are able to tap into our deepest creativity. Each chapter explores one of the ten attributes and habits of highly creative people: Imaginative Play * Passion * Daydreaming * Solitude * Intuition * Openness to Experience * Mindfulness * Sensitivity * Turning Adversity into Advantage * Thinking Differently With insights from the work and lives of Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Marcel Proust, David Foster Wallace, Thomas Edison, Josephine Baker, John Lennon, Michael Jackson, musician Thom Yorke, chess champion Josh Waitzkin, video-game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, and many other creative luminaries, Wired to Create helps us better understand creativity – and shows us how to enrich this essential aspect of our lives.
Download or read book Warped Passages written by Lisa Randall and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2009-10-21 with total page 782 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The universe has many secrets. It may hide additional dimensions of space other than the familier three we recognize. There might even be another universe adjacent to ours, invisible and unattainable . . . for now. Warped Passages is a brilliantly readable and altogether exhilarating journey that tracks the arc of discovery from early twentieth-century physics to the razor's edge of modern scientific theory. One of the world's leading theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall provides astonishing scientific possibilities that, until recently, were restricted to the realm of science fiction. Unraveling the twisted threads of the most current debates on relativity, quantum mechanics, and gravity, she explores some of the most fundamental questions posed by Nature—taking us into the warped, hidden dimensions underpinning the universe we live in, demystifying the science of the myriad worlds that may exist just beyond our own.
Download or read book Who s in Charge written by Michael S. Gazzaniga and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2011-11-15 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Big questions are Gazzaniga’s stock in trade.” —New York Times “Gazzaniga is one of the most brilliant experimental neuroscientists in the world.” —Tom Wolfe “Gazzaniga stands as a giant among neuroscientists, for both the quality of his research and his ability to communicate it to a general public with infectious enthusiasm.” —Robert Bazell, Chief Science Correspondent, NBC News The author of Human, Michael S. Gazzaniga has been called the “father of cognitive neuroscience.” In his remarkable book, Who’s in Charge?, he makes a powerful and provocative argument that counters the common wisdom that our lives are wholly determined by physical processes we cannot control. His well-reasoned case against the idea that we live in a “determined” world is fascinating and liberating, solidifying his place among the likes of Oliver Sacks, Antonio Damasio, V.S. Ramachandran, and other bestselling science authors exploring the mysteries of the human brain.
Download or read book The Addiction Solution written by David Kipper and published by Rodale Books. This book was released on 2010-11-09 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revolutionary and empowering paradigm in treating addiction based on groundbreaking new science. For decades addiction has been viewed and treated as a social and behavioral illness, afflicting people of "weak" character and "bad" moral fiber. However, recent breakthroughs in genetic technology have enabled doctors, for the first time, to correctly diagnose the disease and prove that addiction is an inherited, neuro-chemical disease originating in brain chemistry, determined by genetics, and triggered by stress. In their groundbreaking The Addiction Solution, David Kipper, MD, and Steven Whitney distill these exciting findings into a guide for the millions of adults who want to be free from the cycle of addiction, and for their loved ones who want to better understand it and to help. It draws on composite case histories to illustrate how the innovative Personal Recovery Program works by customizing treatment for a diverse group of addicts abusing a wide variety of different substances—from the first day of treatment to its successful resolution. The result is a complete guide to a world made brand-new by this enormous paradigm shift in the treatment of addiction.
Download or read book Alzheimer s Disease written by Anne Brown Rodgers and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book NeuroLogic written by Eliezer Sternberg and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2016-01-12 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking investigation of the brain’s hidden logic behind our strangest behaviors, and of how conscious and unconscious systems interact in order to create our experience and preserve our sense of self. From bizarre dreams and hallucinations to schizophrenia and multiple personalities, the human brain is responsible for a diverse spectrum of strange thoughts and behaviors. When observed from the outside, these phenomena are often written off as being just “crazy,” but what if they were actually planned and logical? NeuroLogic explores the brain’s internal system of reasoning, from its unconscious depths to conscious decision making, and illuminates how it explains our most outlandish as well as our most stereotyped behaviors. From sleepwalking murderers, contagious yawning, and the brains of sports fans to false memories, subliminal messages, and the secret of ticklishness, Dr. Eliezer Sternberg shows that there are patterns to the way the brain interprets the world—–patterns that fit the brain’s unique logic. Unraveling these patterns and the various ways they can be disturbed will not only alter our view of mental illness and supernatural experience, but will also shed light on the hidden parts of ourselves. (With black-and-white illustrations throughout.)
Download or read book Tales from Both Sides of the Brain Enhanced Edition written by Michael S. Gazzaniga and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2015-02-24 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With extensive video footage of his trailblazing cognitive experiments, Michael Gazzaniga—the “father of cognitive neuroscience”—illuminates the discoveries behind his groundbreaking work in this enhanced digital edition of Tales from Both Sides of the Brain. Michael S. Gazzaniga, one of the most important neuroscientists of the twentieth century, gives us an exciting behind-the-scenes look at his seminal work on that unlikely couple, the right and left brain. Foreword by Steven Pinker. In the mid-twentieth century, Michael S. Gazzaniga, “the father of cognitive neuroscience,” was part of a team of pioneering neuroscientists who developed the now foundational split-brain brain theory: the notion that the right and left hemispheres of the brain can act independently from one another and have different strengths. In Tales from Both Sides of the Brain, Gazzaniga tells the impassioned story of his life in science and his decades-long journey to understand how the separate spheres of our brains communicate and miscommunicate with their separate agendas. By turns humorous and moving, Tales from Both Sides of the Brain interweaves Gazzaniga’s scientific achievements with his reflections on the challenges and thrills of working as a scientist. In his engaging and accessible style, he paints a vivid portrait not only of his discovery of split-brain theory, but also of his comrades in arms—the many patients, friends, and family who have accompanied him on this wild ride of intellectual discovery.
Download or read book The Brain Under Siege written by Howard L. Weiner and published by BenBella Books. This book was released on 2021-10-26 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 1 in 6 people suffer from brain diseases like MS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s. Now, a Harvard neurologist takes you inside the brain under attack—and illuminates the path to a cure. Multiple Sclerosis. Parkinson’s Disease. Alzheimer’s. ALS. Chances are, you know someone with a neurologic disease. Because the brain controls so much and is integral to our identity, the diseases that affect it are uniquely devastating both to patients and families. And because it remains the most mysterious of our vital organs, treating the brain is an ongoing puzzle. In The Brain Under Siege, Howard Weiner likens the brain to a crime scene, showing readers how “clues” point to causes and suggest paths to a cure. He takes readers on a journey through the latest technological advances, exploring which routes of investigation have gone cold and which have led to breakthroughs. Readers couldn’t ask for a better guide: A professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and co-director of the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic diseases, Weiner is an internationally renowned expert, who pioneered immunotherapy in MS and is currently investigating an Alzheimer’s vaccine. Informative and engaging, this groundbreaking book tells the story behind the science—painting a picture of the discoveries, setbacks, false leads, and victories on the front lines of brain research. Weiner also offers unique insight by exploring the experiences of the brave patients and families who make cutting-edge clinical trials possible. Both a clear-eyed assessment of where the science stands and a gripping and poignant narrative of the dramatic pursuit for a cure, The Brain Under Siege is a must-read for patients, families, and anyone interested in unraveling the mysteries of the brain.
Download or read book The Soul in the Brain written by Michael R. Trimble and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2007-04-17 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By examining the breakdown of language in several neuropsychiatric disorders, neuroscientists have identified brain circuits that are involved with metaphor, poetry, music, and religious experiences.
Download or read book Capture written by David A. Kessler and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2016-04-12 with total page 221 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr. David A. Kessler, the dynamic and controversial former FDA commissioner known for battling the tobacco industry, has spent the past two decades studying how certain addictive substances influence our behaviour. In his first two books, Dr. Kessler explored the ways in which tobacco and food can exert control over our thoughts and actions; in Capture, he broadens this conversation exponentially, exploring the very underpinnings of why we suffer from any mental affliction—such as addiction, depression, anxiety, neurosis and panic—under which our logical minds and better intentions feel as though they have been hijacked by something we cannot control. Capture draws upon the latest thinking in psychology, medicine and neuroscience to examine the common mechanism by which this range of mental disorders takes hold in the mind; it also offers a sweeping narrative history of the role of “capture”—the term Dr. Kessler coins for the phenomenon by which the mind is taken hostage—throughout literature, philosophy, religion and art. From Aristotle’s belief in the triumph of human virtue to William James’ concept of selective attention to Freud’s model of repressed desire, Kessler traces the history of Western thought on capture. In doing so, he illuminates history’s most valuable contributions as well as its shortcomings in understanding and treating mental distress. Kessler argues that to truly understand the nature of capture, we must view it not only through the lens of intellect, but also our own human experiences—and so the book begins with stories, and continues to offer narratives of people who are, or were at some point, in capture’s throes; stories that offer an incredibly evocative, almost palpable viewpoint of anguish. This includes candid conversations and raw accounts of substance abuse, anorexia, obsessive love, gambling and sexual compulsions in everyday people; the words of writers such as David Foster Wallace, Franz Kafka and Anne Sexton, who elucidated their own despair with urgency and eloquence; and portraits of those cases of capture that have become infamous for their violent outcomes—including Sirhan Sirhan and Ted Kaczynski. Through this storytelling Kessler offers an extraordinary portal into the realm of capture, a chance to better understand its manifestations, and a way of considering how it can seize our attention and overtake our behavior in ways that can be benign, tragic or—for some—transcendent. The closer we can come to fully comprehending this mechanism, Dr. Kessler argues, the better chance we stand at being able to both alleviate its deleterious effects and, ultimately, overcome its grip by changing our thoughts and behaviour. More than twenty years in the making, this impeccably researched book is nothing less than a successful effort to inform everything from the smallest action to the largest life aim, a unified field theory of human activity that draws in how we form thoughts, manage trauma and even try to reconcile will and cause. “A fascinating account of the science of human appetite, as well as its exploitation by the food industry.” —MICHAEL POLLAN, AUTHOR OF IN DEFENCE OF FOOD, ON THE END OF OVEREATING
Download or read book Unraveling the Seven Riddles of the Universe written by Alexander R. Mazziotti and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2022-03-25 with total page 133 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As the crowd stood and applauded for the neurophysiologist Du Bois-Reymond’s lecture on August 14, 1872, they did not know that his lecture on the seven riddles of the universe would be long remembered. Scientists at the time believed that science could unlock all of the mysteries of the universe. However, the scientific revolution of the early 20th century fueled by relativity and quantum mechanics would upend the scientific world confirming Du Bois-Reymond’s insights. This book explores the brilliance of Du Bois-Reymond’s life and work and a vastly expanded scientific understanding of these riddles through the modern disciplines of physics, chemistry, and biology. Despite the progress, underlying metaphysical notions still haunt the riddles. Utilizing notions from Whitehead’s Process Philosophy, the author delves into the underlying structure of our universe and outlines the nature of the deity that emerges. Part two of this book examines the riddles consequent demands on theology and religion through the lens of the extraordinary teacher, philosopher, and theologian William DeWitt Hyde. The author clarifies notions about miracles, immortality, and wisdom. This book takes the reader on a vivid, imaginative journey towards unraveling the mysteries of our existence, roles in society, and personal loyalties.
Download or read book Think Tank written by David J. Linden and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2018-04-24 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essays that explore quirky, counterintuitive aspects of brain function and “make us realize that what goes on in our minds is nothing short of magical” (Scientific American). Neuroscientist David J. Linden approached leading brain researchers and asked each the same question: “What idea about brain function would you most like to explain to the world?” Their responses make up this one-of-a-kind collection of popular science essays that seeks to expand our knowledge of the human mind and its possibilities. The contributors, whose areas of expertise include human behavior, molecular genetics, evolutionary biology, and comparative anatomy, address a host of fascinating topics ranging from personality to perception, to learning, to beauty, to love and sex. The manner in which individual experiences can dramatically change our brains’ makeup is explored. Professor Linden and his contributors open a new window onto the landscape of the human mind and into the cutting-edge world of neuroscience with a fascinating, enlightening compilation that science enthusiasts and professionals alike will find accessible and enjoyable. “Scientists who can effectively communicate science are rare, but here are forty of the best, describing with clarity and enthusiasm the latest in brain research and its impact on our lives.” —Gordon M. Shepherd, co-editor of Handbook of Brain Microcircuits
Download or read book The Mind s Past written by Michael S. Gazzaniga and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why does the human brain insist on interpreting the world and constructing a narrative? Michael S. Gazzaniga shows how our mind and brain accomplish the amazing feat of constructing our past - a process clearly fraught with errors of perception, memory, and judgment. By showing that the specific systems built into our brain do their work automatically and largely outside of our conscious awareness, Gazzaniga calls into question our everyday notions of self and reality. The implications of his ideas reach deeply into the nature of perception and memory, the profundity of human instinct, and the ways we construct who we are and how we fit into the world around us. Gazzaniga explains how the mind interprets data the brain has already processed, making "us" the last to know. He shows how what "we" see is frequently an illusion and not at all what our brain is perceiving. False memories become a part of our experience; autobiography is fiction. In exploring how the brain enables the mind, Gazzaniga points us toward one of the greatest mysteries of human evolution: how we become who we are.
Download or read book Magnesium in the Central Nervous System written by Robert Vink and published by University of Adelaide Press. This book was released on 2011 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.
