The Tangled Brain Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of The Tangled Brain book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.
Part of being human is to learn new ideas, reject them or modify them and pass them on. What we choose to do with an idea depends on who we are; our gender, ethnicity, earlier ideas, what we do for a living, etc. That is, ideas spread to our minds depending on whether they are fit for the environment or not. Descent with modification and selection is the central feature of both biological and ideological evolution. An evolutionary approach helps us to understand such issues as changes in Christianity over time, the mimicry of colonial regimes, the cycles of corruption that are followed by purges in the police and business, and much more. This approach can even shed a light on the belief that the end of the world is nigh. However, there are major differences between ideological and biological evolution. The roles played by consciousness and powerful individuals or groups cannot be ignored. The book contains examples that highlight the similarities and differences between biological and ideological evolution. We have a rich ideological flora and fauna in our minds. Hopefully, an understanding of how they got there will help us distinguish between beautiful flowers and pernicious weeds.
A new vision of the brain as a fully integrated, networked organ. Popular neuroscience accounts often focus on specific mind-brain aspects like addiction, cognition, or memory, but The Entangled Brain tackles a much bigger question: What kind of object is the brain? Neuroscientist Luiz Pessoa describes the brain as a highly networked, interconnected system that cannot be neatly decomposed into a set of independent parts. One can’t point to the brain and say, “This is where emotion happens” (or any other mental faculty). Pessoa argues that only by understanding how large-scale neural circuits combine multiple and diverse signals can we truly appreciate how the brain supports the mind. Presenting the brain as an integrated organ and drawing on neuroscience, computation, mathematics, systems theory, and evolution, The Entangled Brain explains how brain functions result from cross-cutting brain processing, not the function of segregated areas. Parts of the brain work in a coordinated fashion across large-scale distributed networks in which disparate parts of the cortex and the subcortex work simultaneously to bring about behaviors. Pessoa intuitively explains the concepts needed to formalize this idea of the brain as a complex system and how to unleash powerful understandings built with “collective computations.”
The Tangled Mind argues that a small group of sensory concepts sculpted your perception of the world. Today, your entire knowledge rests upon a sensory foundation. In this book, you'll learn how those sensory underpinnings influence perception and behavior, including deep-rooted beliefs and values (e.g., morality, religion, politics).
Brain and Art by Idan Segev, Luis M. Martinez,Robert J. Zatorre Pdf
Could we understand, in biological terms, the unique and fantastic capabilities of the human brain to both create and enjoy art? In the past decade neuroscience has made a huge leap in developing experimental techniques as well as theoretical frameworks for studying emergent properties following the activity of large neuronal networks. These methods, including MEG, fMRI, sophisticated data analysis approaches and behavioral methods, are increasingly being used in many labs worldwide, with the goal to explore brain mechanisms corresponding to the artistic experience. The 37 articles composing this unique Frontiers Research Topic bring together experimental and theoretical research, linking state-of-the-art knowledge about the brain with the phenomena of Art. It covers a broad scope of topics, contributed by world-renowned experts in vision, audition, somato-sensation, movement, and cinema. Importantly, as we felt that a dialog among artists and scientists is essential and fruitful, we invited a few artists to contribute their insights, as well as their art. Joan Miró said that “art is the search for the alphabet of the mind.” This volume reflects the state of the art search to understand neurobiological alphabet of the Arts. We hope that the wide range of articles in this volume will be highly attractive to brain researchers, artists and the community at large.
National Academy of Sciences,Institute of Medicine,Sandra Ackerman
Author : National Academy of Sciences,Institute of Medicine,Sandra Ackerman Publisher : National Academies Press Page : 195 pages File Size : 42,5 Mb Release : 1992-01-01 Category : Medical ISBN : 9780309045292
Discovering the Brain by National Academy of Sciences,Institute of Medicine,Sandra Ackerman Pdf
The brain ... There is no other part of the human anatomy that is so intriguing. How does it develop and function and why does it sometimes, tragically, degenerate? The answers are complex. In Discovering the Brain, science writer Sandra Ackerman cuts through the complexity to bring this vital topic to the public. The 1990s were declared the "Decade of the Brain" by former President Bush, and the neuroscience community responded with a host of new investigations and conferences. Discovering the Brain is based on the Institute of Medicine conference, Decade of the Brain: Frontiers in Neuroscience and Brain Research. Discovering the Brain is a "field guide" to the brainâ€"an easy-to-read discussion of the brain's physical structure and where functions such as language and music appreciation lie. Ackerman examines: How electrical and chemical signals are conveyed in the brain. The mechanisms by which we see, hear, think, and pay attentionâ€"and how a "gut feeling" actually originates in the brain. Learning and memory retention, including parallels to computer memory and what they might tell us about our own mental capacity. Development of the brain throughout the life span, with a look at the aging brain. Ackerman provides an enlightening chapter on the connection between the brain's physical condition and various mental disorders and notes what progress can realistically be made toward the prevention and treatment of stroke and other ailments. Finally, she explores the potential for major advances during the "Decade of the Brain," with a look at medical imaging techniquesâ€"what various technologies can and cannot tell usâ€"and how the public and private sectors can contribute to continued advances in neuroscience. This highly readable volume will provide the public and policymakersâ€"and many scientists as wellâ€"with a helpful guide to understanding the many discoveries that are sure to be announced throughout the "Decade of the Brain."
Author : R. Douglas Fields Publisher : Simon and Schuster Page : 631 pages File Size : 40,6 Mb Release : 2009-12-29 Category : Medical ISBN : 9781439160435
Despite everything that has been written about the brain, a potentially critical part of this vital organ has been overlooked—until now. The Other Brain examines the growing importance of glia, which make up approximately 85 percent of the cells in the brain, and the role they play in how the brain functions, malfunctions, and heals itself. Long neglected as little more than cerebral packing material, glia (meaning “glue”) are now known to regulate the flow of information between neurons and to repair the brain and spinal cord after injury and stroke. But scientists are also discovering that diseased and damaged glia play a significant role in psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and depression, and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Diseased glia cause brain cancer and multiple sclerosis and are linked to infectious diseases such as HIV and prion disease (mad cow disease, for example) and to chronic pain. The more we learn about these cells that make up the “other” brain, the more important they seem to be. Written by a neuroscientist who is a leader in glial research, The Other Brain gives readers a much more complete understanding of how the brain works and an intriguing look at potentially revolutionary developments in brain science and medicine.
For students, this updated guide teaches test-taking strategies and tests all the skills needed to do well on the SAT. For parents, there is a 24-page Parent's Guide that provides information on financial aid and scholarships.
The Tangled Web of Wicca by Rain Dove (Suzy Smith) Pdf
I am a Traditionalist. A Traditional Wiccan High Priestess Witch. I am not a person with an Ivy League education. Nor am I a scholar with 6 or 7 degrees! I do not speak any language other than English, a few choice Spanish words and some pig latin. I don't use big fancy words where you have to have a dictionary to read the book and I don't use long, complicated sentences that you have to read 16 times to understand what I'm saying. I'm not a professional writer and even if I were, I felt this book needed to be written where anyone could read it without any difficulty no matter the level of reading one does or how long they've been on the path of Wicca. Most people will agree there have been many books written on the subject of Wicca. So many of them it can become confusing and frustrating for the Novice because most books are simply bits and pieces of Wicca thrown together coupled with a person's personal opinion and experience. There are many important details left out. Details that are inclusive in most Traditional Wiccan training. Keep in mind there's only one way to receive full training and it does not come from a book or from the internet. This book is different than your average how to book on Wicca. There are no spells. It is not about magic. There are no instructions on how to cast a Circle or how to call the quarters. There's plenty of books out there on all of those subjects. If that is the kind of book you were expecting, I am happy to inform you that it is not. This is a book that explains a (seemingly) fast disappearing perspective regarding important protocol and important elements that are missing in today's practices within the religion of Wicca in our American Wiccan communities today. A perspective (believed by many) that should return. The book also points out some of our problems and issues in the Wiccan community that are going on here today in the United States. Problems and issues that have arose since the occurrence of Wicca's massive growth spurt and the booming book and internet industry that surrounds it! This book is written based on my training, experiences, knowledge and information that I have personally gained over the years from walking and living the life of a Wiccan Witch. There is information contained within this book that you normally would not hear or know about Wicca unless you had (or have) a teacher. Teacher meaning a Traditional Wiccan High Priestess or Priest Witch to help you along, to guide, direct and train you. The sole purpose of this book is to give you some of that information that you would not receive without training, without an experienced High Priestess or Priest to give it to you. Much of it is information that you will not find in books and is vital to Traditional Wiccan practice. Some which is basic Wiccan protocol that has been passed down orally and/or verbally through the generations, some since the beginning of Wicca and its oral Traditions in the United States. Oral and verbal protocol that was (and still is) being given to Novices in their beginner level training in some of the working Traditional Covensteads. My hope is that it will provide the reader/s with a fresh (yet certainly not new) look at Wicca and hopefully help guide them in the direction that's most beneficial for them. If you find it to be controversial for, remember this is a perspective coming from a Traditional Wiccan Witch who has been formally trained in a Tradition of Wicca in a Traditional Wiccan Coven. Either way, I hope anyone who reads it will get something from it even if its just a small something and that it will help in some way as you step onto the path of Wicca or onto the next crossroads of your journey in Wicca. Before you begin to read this book, please understand that I am not staking any claims that I am the Wiccan Guru or the Grand Poohbah of Wicca! I have never claimed such nor will I ever claim such ! So please do not take my words out of context or twist them in any way! I ask that you understand and know that my words are in no way conveying that a person is not legitimately Wiccan or not legitimately practicing Wicca if they don't do things the way I explain in this book or if they do not practice the way I do! It is not a book that says do it this way and no other or that my way is the only way or the best way. Not at all. The book was written for the reader/s to understand Wicca from a Traditional perspective and to come to their own conclusions about what to do (if anything) after reading it. Again, this is a book written from my own training and experiences and from the knowledge I have gathered over the years of walking this path. If you have questions about something that is stated in the book, please refer to the Facebook page that is set up for discussion of the book. I am sure some folks will go on with their usual way of doing things, regardless of what I have to say. And I wouldn't expect anything more or anything less. I do not wish to complicate things for anyone. I am in hopes it will answer some questions or rid the reader of any preconceived ideas or confusion she/he might have, maybe even eliminate some of the incorrect information you have come across during your seeking and/or walk in the path of Wicca thus far. If nothing else, maybe it will provoke thought on some new (yet not new) ideas. Not following any protocol, not having any criteria, not having or abiding by any rules of any kind is leaving a door wide open for Occult mayhem. In my own personal opinion I feel we're not far from it, if not already in mayhem. I feel it is time we make bigger changes. Changes that will help Wicca grow and prosper in a more positive way. It is a vision of mine to see changes taking place in the Wiccan community, changes that will bring the Traditional practices of Wicca back where they use to be and as a result bring a successful religion to the lands we live and to the path and religion that I care so much about. Wicca is not the be all or end all of Occult paths. Wicca is just one Occult path out of many that a person may learn or take. Learning as much as you can about as many of them as you can is always encouraged. But if you are interested in Wicca (in particular) and you live in the United States, it is wise to heed the advice of the older, trained and more experienced long term members of the Wiccan community who have practiced (paritcularly here) in the United States. Due to the the love and passion I have for Wicca, I have been called to write this book. I would like to thank every person who has been with me through this journey because all of you have contributed in my writing it. Both directly and indirectly. A thank you goes out to those of you who have purchased the book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. **NOTE** ; If you do not agree with something I have stated in this book and wish to debate it, please be an adult about it and show your level of spiritual maturity by writing your own book in rebuttle to it. If you have something to say in defense or do not agree with something and do not wish to write a book in rebuttle, please refer to the discussion page on Facebook that has been set up so we can talk about it. The one thing that I ask is that you have enough respect for me to not stoop to personal verbal attacks, my training or my own personal experiences and perspectives just because you don't agree with me! I would be most grateful for that! Thanks! Happy Reading! Rain Dove
From the creator of the MIND diet, the authoritative guide to eating for a healthy brain and optimal cognitive function. Several factors play into whether you will suffer from cognitive decline and develop Alzheimer's disease -- lifestyle, health conditions, environment, and genetics, for example. But now there is scientific evidence indicating that diet plays a bigger role in brain health than we ever thought before. In Diet for the MIND, one of the leaders in this research provides an easy, non-invasive, and effective way to prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease through diet and lifestyle. There are specific foods and nutrients that are important for keeping the brain functioning optimally, and also foods to limit because they can cause brain injury. With 80 delicious recipes for every occasion, Diet for the MIND is your roadmap to a healthy brain -- for life.
How hormonal signals in one small structure of the brain—the hypothalamus—govern our physiology and behavior. As human beings, we prefer to think of ourselves as reasonable. But how much of what we do is really governed by reason? In this book, Gareth Leng considers the extent to which one small structure of the neuroendocrine brain—the hypothalamus—influences what we do, how we love, and who we are. The hypothalamus contains a large variety of neurons. These communicate not only through neurotransmitters, but also through peptide signals that act as hormones within the brain. While neurotransmitter signals tend to be ephemeral and confined by anatomical connectivity, the hormone signals that hypothalamic neurons generate are potent, wide-reaching, and long-lasting. Leng explores the evolutionary origins of these remarkable neurons, and where the receptors for their hormone signals are found in the brain. By asking how the hypothalamic neurons and their receptors are regulated, he explores how the hypothalamus links our passions with our reason. The Heart of the Brain shows in an accessible way how this very small structure is very much at the heart of what makes us human.
Brain repair, smart pills, mind-reading machines--modern neuroscience promises to soon deliver a remarkable array of wonders as well as profound insight into the nature of the brain. But these exciting new breakthroughs, warns Steven Rose, will also raise troubling questions about what it means to be human. In The Future of the Brain, Rose explores just how far neuroscience may help us understand the human brain--including consciousness--and to what extent cutting edge technologies should have the power to mend or manipulate the mind. Rose first offers a panoramic look at what we now know about the brain, from its three-billion-year evolution, to its astonishingly rapid development in the embryo, to the miraculous process of infant development. More important, he shows what all this science can--and cannot--tell us about the human condition. He examines questions that still baffle scientists and he explores the potential threats and promises of new technologies and their ethical, legal, and social implications, wondering how far we should go in eliminating unwanted behavior or enhancing desired characteristics, focusing on the new "brain steroids" and on the use of Ritalin to control young children. The Future of the Brain is a remarkable look at what the brain sciences are telling us about who we are and where we came from--and where we may be headed in years to come.
Why do we do the things we do? Over a decade in the making, this game-changing book is Robert Sapolsky's genre-shattering attempt to answer that question as fully as perhaps only he could, looking at it from every angle. Sapolsky's storytelling concept is delightful but it also has a powerful intrinsic logic: he starts by looking at the factors that bear on a person's reaction in the precise moment a behavior occurs, and then hops back in time from there, in stages, ultimately ending up at the deep history of our species and its genetic inheritance. And so the first category of explanation is the neurobiological one. What goes on in a person's brain a second before the behavior happens? Then he pulls out to a slightly larger field of vision, a little earlier in time: What sight, sound, or smell triggers the nervous system to produce that behavior? And then, what hormones act hours to days earlier to change how responsive that individual is to the stimuli which trigger the nervous system? By now, he has increased our field of vision so that we are thinking about neurobiology and the sensory world of our environment and endocrinology in trying to explain what happened. Sapolsky keeps going--next to what features of the environment affected that person's brain, and then back to the childhood of the individual, and then to their genetic makeup. Finally, he expands the view to encompass factors larger than that one individual. How culture has shaped that individual's group, what ecological factors helped shape that culture, and on and on, back to evolutionary factors thousands and even millions of years old. The result is one of the most dazzling tours de horizon of the science of human behavior ever attempted, a majestic synthesis that harvests cutting-edge research across a range of disciplines to provide a subtle and nuanced perspective on why we ultimately do the things we do...for good and for ill. Sapolsky builds on this understanding to wrestle with some of our deepest and thorniest questions relating to tribalism and xenophobia, hierarchy and competition, morality and free will, and war and peace. Wise, humane, often very funny, Behave is a towering achievement, powerfully humanizing, and downright heroic in its own right.
The Tangled Mind: Unraveling the Origin of Human Nature by Nick Kolenda Pdf
Humans learn by association. Every concept that you understand is connected to an earlier concept. So then, what happens if you retrace those connections? Wouldn't you eventually find a starting point? Indeed, you would. The Tangled Mind argues that a small group of sensory concepts sculpted your perception of the world. Today, your entire knowledge rests upon a sensory foundation. In this book, you'll learn how those sensory underpinnings sculpt your perception and behavior, including deep-rooted beliefs and values (e.g., morality, religion, politics).