Seven and a Half Lessons about the BrainFrom the author ofHow Emotions Are Made, a myth-busting primer on the brain in the tradition ofSeven Brief Lessons on Physics andAstrophysics for People in a Hurry. Have you ever wondered why you have a brain? Let renowned neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett demystify that big gray blob between your ears. In seven short essays (plus a bite-sized story about how brains evolved), this slim, entertaining, and accessible collection reveals mind-expanding lessons from the front lines of neuroscience research. You'll learn where brains came from, how they're structured (and why it matters), and how yours works in tandem with other brains to create everything you experience. Along the way, you'll also learn to dismiss popular myths such as the idea of a "lizard brain" and the alleged battle between thoughts and emotions, or even between nature and nurture, to determine your behavior. Sure to intrigue casual readers and scientific veterans alike,Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain is full of surprises, humor, and important implications for human nature--a gift of a book that you will want to savor again and again. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - stellarexplorer - LibraryThingIt’s hard to top the opening paragraph in this short primer about the current scientific understanding of our brains: “Once upon a time, the Earth was ruled by creatures without brains. This is not a ... Read full review
Contents
Your Brain Is Not for Thinking | 1 |
You Have One Brain Not Three | 13 |
Your Brain Is a Network | 29 |
Little Brains Wire Themselves to Their World | 47 |
Your Brain Predicts Almost Everything You Do | 64 |
Your Brain Secretly Works with Other Brains | 83 |
Brains Make More than One Kind of Mind | 98 |
Our Brains Can Create Reality | 110 |
Back Matter | 124 |
Back Flap | 181 |
Back Cover | 182 |
Spine | 183 |
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Common terms and phrases
ability abstraction actions activity Amphioxi animals babies become behavior believe better billion body budget called cells cerebral cortex chemicals comes common complex compression connections construct continue create creatures culture debate develop discuss effects efficiently emotion environment evolution evolutionary evolved example experience eyes feel function genes give glucose happens heart human brain idea important inside it’s kind language less lesson light lines live look means mental metaphor mind move movements nature neurons niche organs past person physical poverty predictions produce pruning rational regions regulate responsibility scientific scientists sense data share signals similar single social reality sometimes sort sounds species story stress structure studies term things tion triune brain tuned understand variation vertebrates whole wiring you’re
Bibliographic information
| Title | Seven and a Half Lessons about the Brain |
| Author | Lisa Feldman Barrett |
| Edition | illustrated |
| Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020 |
| ISBN | 0358157145, 9780358157144 |
| Length | 192 pages |
| Subjects | › › Science / Cognitive Science Science / Life Sciences / Biology Science / Life Sciences / Neuroscience |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |