Books On How the Brain Works

[Knowledge]

Hi,

One of my main interests is science and currently I'm focusing on books on the functioning as well as the evolutionary origins of the modern human brain. Some of my favorite books I have read are:

The Robot's Rebellion: Finding Meaning in the Age of Darwin, 2004, written by Keith E. Stanovich (see book review at http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/robot.htm) This book basically explains how the human brain is divided into three parts: the primitive brain common to all animals (the medulla) where basic emotions like anger, fear, thirst/hunger, sex drive, etc. reside. The second part of the brain is the cerebral cortex where we have higher intelligent thought and the ability to think in terms of past, present future as well as using science to manipulate our environment. The third level is not really reified and is more abstract or conceptual as opposed to purely material, but this level is the broad rationalism level and this level is rare and allows a person to see how the level one and two interact which each other to cause various human behaviors.

-------------------------------------------------------

Behavioral Genetics in the Postgenomic Era
published by the American Psychological Association, 2003.
Editors: Plomin, Defries, Graig & McGuffin (see book review at http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/bgpe.htm)

This book explains the science of IQ and human personality. IQ is said to be 80% inherited, and personality is divided into 5 basic parts, each one 50% inherited:

Consciousness
agreeableness versus tough-mindedness
introversion versus extroversion
conventionality versus open to experience
neuroticism

-----------------------------------------------------

The Scientific Study of General Intelligence: Tribute to Arthur R. Jensen. Edited by Helmuth Nyborg, 2003 (see book review at http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/ARJtribute.htm)

This book discusses the science behind human intelligence and covers the current greatest contributer to this field, Berkeley Professor emeritus Arthur R. Jensen

--------------------------------------------------------

The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature by Steven Pinker, Viking Press, 2002 (see book review at http://home.comcast.net/~neoeugenics/tbs.htm)

This book discusses how the Neo-Marxists are incorrect in assuming that human behavior and intelligence are 100% environmental.

I hope you enjoy the links to the book reviews. Comments welcomed.

Regards.

 

[Ashlea]

I've tried to get into Steven Pinker's books before, and was thwarted. From my limited knowledge of the subject, it seems that what we know about how the brain functions is so limited that it's hard to even draw accurate and meaningful conclusions.

Have you read Girl, Interrupted? There's a chapter there that outlines the main problem with psychology: is my mental illness a function of a chemical imbalance so that I need drugs, or is it a reaction to my experiences, so that I need to discuss it ad nauseum?

 

[Litany]

I love Steven Pinker, well, not physically. The Language Instinct is a great book. Also The Private Life of the Brain by Susan Greenfield is worth a read, but I'm not sure that I agree with a lot of her conclusions.

There's only so many brain books I can read before I get bored, it can be very subjective, and while it's always entertaining to watch the various experts in the field rip into each other, when it comes to the secrets of conciousness we're still at the stage when each hypothesis is as relevant as the next and it just depends on where you prefer to place your own bets.

I always prefer the more physical aspect of the human race, (but then don't we all ), Steve Jones always manages to entertain, especially when he gets on to the Y chromosome. Sorry boys, but your days are numbered. And to digress even further from the subject at hand, Why is Sex Fun by Jared Diamond is, I think, the book that first alerted me to the fun bonobos have with sword fighting.

 

[VT Math]

You might also want to check out Carl Sagan's Dragons of Eden. Excellent book on the evolution of the brain. It won him a Pulitzer Prize as a matter of fact.

 

[StarFields]

I don't think that one can understand the human brain without taking the workings of the mind into consideration. Our ability to think of things that are not present in the environment, and thus for example to instantly release massive amounts of adrenaline which flood the system (and that's just the one example) and changes the PHYSIOLOGY as direct response to a single thought makes that irrevocably linked to any attempts at such studies.

I recommend things by Robert Anton Wilson on that topic.

SFxxx

 

[byelush]

thank you for this! i share your intrest.

 

[kass21]

Does someone has some suggestions of books about the way the different "levels" of the brain work...i.e.the conscious, subconscious, inconscious and I think one else that I don't recall?

thx

 

[st0gey]

Does someone has some suggestions of books about the way the different "levels" of the brain work...i.e.the conscious, subconscious, inconscious and I think one else that I don't recall?

'Matter and Consciousness' by Paul M. Churchland

Chapters on Mind/Body problem, Semantical problems, Epistemological problems, A.I, Neuroscience.

It's part philosophy, part speculative science.

I liked it.

 

[Ell]

The OP hasn't been back, but seems worth adding for others:

The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan

Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends--and their amazing links to recent discoveries. - New York Times

Some info maybe a bit dated, but it's still worth a read.