The Ghost in the MachineWith this new work, Arthur Koestler completes a cycle which started with The Sleepwalkers and continued with The Act of Creation. They were concerned with scientific discovery and artistic inspiration - the glory of man; The Ghost in the Machine culminates in a discussion of the predicament of man - the pathology of the human mind. The streak of insanity which runs through the history of our species points, he argues, to the possibility that somewhere along the line of its ascent to prominence something has gone wrong. |
Contents
THE POVERTY OF PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
The Four Pillars of Unwisdom The Rise | 9 |
How to Manipulate Tautologies The Philosophy | 15 |
Copyright | |
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abstract Act of Creation activities adult aggression animal atoms autonomic nervous system awareness basic become behaviour Behaviourist believe biological bisociation brain branches called cells century cerebral cortex changes Chapter co-ordination complex concept conscious cortex course creative embryo emotions environment evolution evolutionary experience fact feedback flatworm function gene-complex genes genetic hierarchic order hierarchy higher levels holon homeostasis human Huxley hypothalamus individual instinct integrative tendency kind Koestler Konrad Lorenz language learning limbic limbic lobe limbic system living London MacLean marsupials means mechanisms ment mental mesocortex mind monkey mutation nature neocortex Neoteny nervous system normal ontogeny operate organelles organisation organism paedomorphosis patterns perception phenomena phonemes primitive problem psychology quote reaction reinforcement response routine rules self-assertive tendencies self-transcending skills Skinner social holon specialised species stage stimulus strategies structure theory thinking tissues tree triggers verbal visceral whole words