Ocean State Libraries

"The "father of cognitive neuroscience" makes a powerful and provocative argument against today's common wisdom that our lives are wholly determined by physical processes we cannot control"--Provided by publisher.

A new book about brain chemistry, neural systems, and the formation of beliefs from the scientist who brought to light serotonin's many crucial roles in human behavior. Beliefs: What are they? How have evolution and culture led to a brain that is seemingly committed to near endless belief creation? And once established, why are most beliefs so difficult to change? Believing offers answers to these questions from the perspective of a leading neuroscientist...

"What is consciousness? How does it arise? And why does it exist? We take our experience of being in the world for granted. But the very existence of consciousness raises profound questions: Why would any collection of matter in the universe be conscious? How are we able to think about this? And why should we? In this wonderfully accessible book, Annaka Harris guides us through the evolving definitions, philosophies, and scientific findings that probe...

In this book the author, a cognitive scientist explains how the brain evolved to store and use information, allowing our ancestors to control their environment, and why we think and act as we do. He explains what the mind is, how it evolved, and how it allows us to see, think, feel, laugh, interact, enjoy the arts, and ponder the mysteries of life. This work explains many of the imponderables of everyday life. Why does a face look more attractive...

"An accessible journalistic exploration of the culture of modern psychiatry analyzes early crossover efforts between the fields of neuroscience and psychoanalysis to outline new understandings in how humans think, feel, and behave." --

"A breathtaking look at the new science that can track consciousness deep in the brain How does our brain generate a conscious thought? And why does so much of our knowledge remain unconscious? Thanks to clever psychological and brain-imaging experiments, scientists are closer to cracking this mystery than ever before. In this lively book, Stanislas Dehaene describes the pioneering work his lab and the labs of other cognitive neuroscientists worldwide...

"When your dog growls and barks, you might assume that he's angry. But how do you know? You can't very well ask him. Even if you could, it's not at all clear that animals even have emotions like humans do. We still know very little about what emotions are and how they drive behavior. In fact, scientists haven't even been able to reach a consensus on how to study them. In The Nature of the Beast, neuroscientist David Anderson argues that the only way...

"Rippon presents a breakthrough work in neuroscience and an incisive corrective to a long history of damaging pseudo-science, finally debunking the myth that there is a biological distinction between male and female brains." --

"An illustrated introduction to the evolution and early development of the brain, emotions, and personality. Designed for psychologists, psychotherapists, and childcare professionals, this book is an accessible primer on developmental neuropsychology, combining easy-to-understand text with light-hearted illustrations. Covering topics such as the autonomic nervous system, neuroaffective development, the prefrontal cortex, and the zone of proximal development,...