The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us HumanDrawing on strange and thought-provoking case studies, an eminent neurologist offers unprecedented insight into the evolution of the uniquely human brain. V. S. Ramachandran is at the forefront of his field-so much so that Richard Dawkins dubbed him the "Marco Polo of neuroscience." Now, in a major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness. Taking us to the frontiers of neurology, he reveals what baffling and extreme case studies can teach us about normal brain function and how it evolved. Synesthesia becomes a window into the brain mechanisms that make some of us more creative than others. And autism—for which Ramachandran opens a new direction for treatment—gives us a glimpse of the aspect of being human that we understand least: self-awareness. Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in neurology with a storyteller's eye for compelling case studies and a researcher's flair for new approaches to age-old questions. Tracing the strange links between neurology and behavior, this book unveils a wealth of clues into the deepest mysteries of the human brain. |
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Review: The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human
User Review - Jody - GoodreadsInteresting ideas and info. Writing style needs editing. Read full review
Review: The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human
User Review - Siri - GoodreadsRamachandran is an accessible writer for a subject than can sometimes be inaccessible: science. Lots of his real life experiences humanize the subject matter. I learned some stuff about phantom limbs and the brain that i will likely never apply. It was all very interesting. Read full review
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 16 |
Section 3 | 24 |
Section 4 | 26 |
Section 5 | 27 |
Section 6 | 29 |
Section 7 | 33 |
Section 8 | 41 |
Section 20 | 117 |
Section 21 | 122 |
Section 22 | 136 |
Section 23 | 153 |
Section 24 | 177 |
Section 25 | 192 |
Section 26 | 194 |
Section 27 | 197 |
Section 9 | 49 |
Section 10 | 56 |
Section 11 | 57 |
Section 12 | 58 |
Section 13 | 67 |
Section 14 | 75 |
Section 15 | 88 |
Section 16 | 89 |
Section 17 | 90 |
Section 18 | 92 |
Section 19 | 94 |
Section 28 | 202 |
Section 29 | 209 |
Section 30 | 218 |
Section 31 | 245 |
Section 32 | 277 |
Section 33 | 289 |
Section 34 | 294 |
Section 35 | 306 |
Section 36 | 327 |
Section 37 | 340 |
Other editions - View all
The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human V. S. Ramachandran Limited preview - 2011 |
The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest for What Makes Us Human V. S. Ramachandran Limited preview - 2012 |
The Tell-tale Brain: A Neuroscientist's Quest For What Makes Us Human V S Ramachandran No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
ability abstract actually aesthetics amygdala angular gyrus anosognosia apes apotemnophilia artists asked aspects autism body image brain areas brain regions Broca’s area called Capgras syndrome cells chapter cingulate cognitive color complex conscious cortex damage disorder emotional evoked evolution evolutionary evolved example exaptation experience explain face feel figure frontal lobes function fusiform gyrus genes grouping hand hominin human brain idea inferior parietal lobule insula interactions involved Jason language look memory mental metaphor mind mirror neurons mirror-neuron system monkey motor mu wave muscle neural neurology normal objects one’s pain parietal lobe pathway patient perception person phantom limbs primates processing psychologists question result semantics sense sensory signals specific stroke structure supramarginal gyrus symptoms synesthesia synesthetes syntax temporal lobes theory there’s things tion touch understand unique to humans V. S. Ramachandran vision visual areas Wernicke’s area What’s words