Cognitive studies Books

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis book is pure, sunshine-yellow, stop-me-guys-if-I'm-being-crazy California deep-think ... thoughtful, stretching and occasionally brilliant. * The Sunday Times *Don Hoffman is widely regarded as one of the deepest and most original thinkers of his generation of cognitive scientists. His startling argument has implications for philosophy, science, and how we understand the world around us. Yet despite his powerful intellect and strong opinions, Hoffman is a genial writer with an unfailingly pleasant voice." -- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Family Professor, Department of Psychology; Harvard University; Author, 'The Sense of Style'; and 'The Better Angels of Our Nature'In this masterpiece of logic, rationality, science, and mathematics, Donald Hoffman dismantles the local realism of Albert Einstein and the "astonishing hypothesis" of Francis Crick, the scientific giants of the century. Read this book carefully and you will forever change your understanding of reality, both that of the universe and your own self. -- Deepak ChopraHoffman's truly radical theory will force us to ponder reality in a completely different light. Handle with care. Your perception of the world around you is about to be dismantled! -- Chris Anderson, author of 'TED Talks'Think you know what's really out there? Read this breathtaking, whistle-stop tour of a book that illuminates all the profound weirdness masked by our experience and assumptions. -- David Eagleman, best-selling author of 'The Brain' and 'Incognito'Empirical research on the human brain has made breathtaking progress during the last three decades. What's missing, though, is an attempt to see the 'big picture' of the kind Don Hoffman has introduced in this book. And he does so with the wit, clarity and originality that characterizes all his work. -- VS Ramachandran MBBS. PhD, FRCP, DSc, UCSD and Salk Institute.A fresh view into who we truly are?one that transcends the perceptions that we accept as reality. Hoffman unapologetically takes us down a rabbit hole where we learn that all reality is virtual and that truth lies solely in you, the creator. -- Rudolph Tanzi, coauthor of 'Super Brain'Captivating and courageous ... anyone who reads this book will likely never look at the world the same way again. Hoffman challenges us to rethink some of the most basic foundations of neuroscience and physics, which could prove to be exactly what we need to make progress on the most difficult questions we face about the nature of reality. -- Annaka Harris, author of 'Conscious'

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Book Synopsis''Her stories have the power to transform your life'' Lori Gottlieb, bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone ''Radically changes the way we think about mental illness, pleasure, pain, reward and stress'' Daniel Levitin, bestselling author of The Organized MindTHE NEW YORK TIMES AND SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER We are a wired generation. In these fast-paced times we are constantly bombarded by high-reward, high-dopamine stimuli. From texting to social media, food to drugs, gambling to shopping, we have become addicted to fleeting and distracting pleasures that are making us sick.In Dopamine Nation, psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr Anna Lembke reveals why our relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain and what we can do about it. Bringing together cutting-edge neuroscience with the gripping real life experiences from her clinical practice, Lembke explores how contentment and connTrade ReviewAnna Lembke's stories of guiding people to find a healthy balance between pleasure and pain have the power to transform your life -- Lori Gottlieb, bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to SomeoneBrilliant . . . No matter what you might find yourself over-indulging in-from the internet to food to work to sex-you'll find this book riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued. Lembke weaves patient stories with research, in a voice that's as empathetic as it is clear-eyed -- Beth Macy, bestselling author of DopesickRadically changes the way we think about mental illness, pleasure, pain, reward, and stress. Turn toward it. You'll be happy you did -- Daniel Levitin, bestselling author of The Organized Mind and Successful Aging[An] eye-opening survey on pleasure-seeking and addiction . . . Readers looking for balance will return to Lembke's informative and fascinating guidance. * Publishers Weekly, starred review *fascinating case histories, and a sensible formula for treatment. * Kirkus Reviews *Dr Anna Lembke is a whiz on why we get hooked on things - and how we can enjoy pleasurable things in healthier doses * Guardian *

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book Synopsis''A gripping new drama in science ... if you want to understand how the concept of life is changing, read this'' Professor Andrew Briggs, University of OxfordWhen Darwin set out to explain the origin of species, he made no attempt to answer the deeper question: what is life? For generations, scientists have struggled to make sense of this fundamental question. Life really does look like magic: even a humble bacterium accomplishes things so dazzling that no human engineer can match it. And yet, huge advances in molecular biology over the past few decades have served only to deepen the mystery. So can life be explained by known physics and chemistry, or do we need something fundamentally new?In this penetrating and wide-ranging new analysis, world-renowned physicist and science communicator Paul Davies searches for answers in a field so new and fast-moving that it lacks a name, a domain where computing, chemistry, quantum physics and nanotechnology intersect. At the heart of these diverse fields, Davies explains, is the concept of information: a quantity with the power to unify biology with physics, transform technology and medicine, and even to illuminate the age-old question of whether we are alone in the universe. From life''s murky origins to the microscopic engines that run the cells of our bodies, The Demon in the Machine is a breath-taking journey across the landscape of physics, biology, logic and computing. Weaving together cancer and consciousness, two-headed worms and bird navigation, Davies reveals how biological organisms garner and process information to conjure order out of chaos, opening a window on the secret of life itself.Trade ReviewBrilliantly vivid ... The big idea is that understanding the information flow in organisms might be the missing part of our scientific jigsaw puzzle. The informational approach [to life], in David's elegant and lucid exposition, is highly promising -- Steven Poole * Guardian *Important and imaginative -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Boundary-transcending ... Davies claims that life's defining characteristics are better understood in terms of information ... there is grandeur in this view of life * Nature *Paul Davies is a courageous explorer of the boundaries of what we can know about our world. This book makes his explorations available to all who enjoy pushing those boundaries. Written with a light entertaining touch, even the most abstruse science acquires the clarity of exposition for which the author is justly renowned -- Denis Noble, University of Oxford, author of Dance to the Tune of Life: Biological RelativityThis is one of the most exciting books I have read in years. Paul Davies celebrates a significant anniversary with a demonically brilliant investigation of a fundamental question that only the very latest science and philosophy can deal with. Now we have a view from the master that's as thrilling as it is satisfying. Superb. -- Robyn WilliamsThe molecular biology revolution has led to extraordinary understandings of how life emerges from physical processes. But comprehension of the nuts and bolts of these processes omits a key feature of what is going on: what separates life from non-life is information. In this characteristically clearly written and engaging book, ranging from physics to biology and evolutionary theory to neuroscience, Paul Davies strongly makes the case that at its core, life is about information flows. There is much food for thought here. Highly recommended. -- George F.R. Ellis, University of Cape Town, co-author of The Large Scale Structure of Space-TimePaul Davies always probes the deepest questions in science. Here, addressing the deepest of all -- Schrödinger's What is Life? -- he tells us what life is: matter plus information - beyond the laws of physics, but compatible with them. To elaborate this thesis, he deploys his trademark talent: getting to the heart of the most abstruse and technical aspects of science (biology as well as physics), without jargon and with down-to-earth analogies -- Michael Berry, HH Wills Physics LaboratoryThis creative demon shadows DNA and the promise of quantum computing, answering some basic questions. What is consciousness, why is life so good at predicting where it might go next? The bridge connecting fundamental physics, biology and the most advanced labs of computation is what Davies calls information patterns. He shows how it organizes for top-down creativity, and thereby holds off the grim reaper of entropy. With striking insight, and metaphors that illuminate the landscape of science today, Davies once again becomes a guide to the near future. -- Charles Jencks, The Garden of Cosmic SpeculationThe Demon in the Machine encompasses some of the most intriguing and unsolved mysteries of the universe: the existence of an arrow of time imprinted on the cosmos, and the emergence of life itself. Davies' crisp but rich narrative succeeds in untangling various highly complex ideas and processes, while fluently and intelligently setting out its own arrow of argument. -- Mikhail Prokopenko, The University of SydneyPaul Davies narrates a gripping new drama in science, in which the plot is the story of life and the leading actor is information. With his characteristic blend of erudition and clarity, he brings together some of the most rapidly advancing knowledge in physics and technology to show how information controls biology. If you want to understand how the concept of life is changing, read this. -- Professor Andrew Briggs, University of Oxford, author of The Penultimate Curiosity and It Keeps Me Seeking.A tour-de-force of a fascinating and frontier topic: information as a distinguishing, central aspect of those physical systems known as living ones. The Demon in the Machine is simultaneously rigorous, state-of-the-art, and highly readable - very hard to put down -- Michael Levin, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts UniversityPaul Davies takes us on a fascinating tour of what is known about what life is. Along the way he speculates interestingly about what may become known. His theme, drawn from Darwin, Schrödinger, Turing, Gödel, Shannon and von Neumann, is that what separates life from non-life is information. But how? Exploring that question illuminates biology by revealing its deep roots in physics, mathematics and computer science. -- David DeutschWhat is life? Questions don't come much bigger than that. It's asked regularly by biologists, philosophers, lawyers, law-makers, astrobiologists and, occasionally, wide-eyed children. It's not so often asked by physicists, which makes Paul Davies' new book, The Demon In The Machine, that much more fascinating. * Sydney Morning Herald *a vivid exposition of the new mathematics of biology, in which information flows play a central part * The Telegraph, best new science books to buy for Christmas 2019 *Davies - one of the most imaginative scientists working today - urges biologists studying the origins and evolution of life to pay more attention to flows of information and energy on top of traditional chemistry and physics. He is a clear guide to the emergence of information science as a key factor in biology research. * The Financial Times, Best books of 2019: Science *

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Book SynopsisA self-help book originally written by Dr Joseph Murphy in English and translated into Malayalam for a wider audience. The book explores the idea that our subconscious mind plays a critical role in shaping our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. It provides practical techniques and exercises to harness the power of the subconscious mind, including visualization, affirmations, and meditation. The Malayalam translation makes this valuable resource accessible to Malayalam-speaking readers who are interested in personal growth, spiritual development, and self-improvement. A timeless guide to unlocking your potential and achieving success in all areas of life.

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Book SynopsisA grand new vision of cognitive science that explains how our minds build our worldsOne of the most important books yet published this century' SpectatorFor as long as we''ve studied the mind, we''ve believed that information flowing from our senses determines what our mind perceives. But as our understanding has advanced in the last few decades, a hugely powerful new view has flipped this assumption on its head. The brain is not a passive receiver, but an ever-active predictor.At the forefront of this cognitive revolution is widely acclaimed philosopher and cognitive scientist Andy Clark, who has synthesized his ground-breaking work on the predictive brain to explore its fascinating mechanics and implications. Among the most stunning of these is the realization that experience itself, because it is guided by prior expectation, is a kind of controlled hallucination. We don''t passively take in the world around us; instead our mind is constantly making and refining predictions about what we expect to see. This even applies to our bodies, as the way we experience pain and other states is shaped by our expectations, and this has broader implications for the understanding and treatment of conditions from PTSD to schizophrenia to medically unexplained symptoms. From the most mundane experiences to the most sublime, it is our predictions that sculpt our experience.A landmark study of cognitive science, The Experience Machine lays out the extraordinary explanatory power of the predictive brain for our lives, mental health and society.

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Book SynopsisTHE UNFORGETTABLE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERA TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR''Popular science at its best: entertaining and thought-provoking.'' FINANCIAL TIMES''You don''t have to be a victim to your past and the way you used to think . . . A wonderful book.'' DR RANGAN CHATTERJEEA radically new and engaging explanation of how and why we remember.' MATTHEW WALKERLife-changing.' SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEEMemory is far more than an archive of the past. This groundbreaking book by a pioneering Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, Dr Charan Ranganath, reveals the powerful role memory plays in nearly every aspect of our lives.Combining fascinating tales of the peculiarities of memory as well as cutting-edge science, Dr Ranganath shows the surprising ways our brains record the past and how we use that information to understand who we are in the present, and to imagine and guide our futures. Memory shapes how we experience the world, and it does that in often invisible, active and sometimes destructive ways. Dr Ranganath argues that we can use this knowledge to make better use of our flawed memories, whether in daily tasks like finding our keys or dealing with memory loss as we age. What's more, when we work with the brain's ability to learn and reinterpret past events, we can shed our biases, learn faster and heal after grief or trauma. This is a vital, accessible guide to understanding memory's quirks and its power.

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Book SynopsisThe hugely influential book on how the understanding of causality revolutionized science and the world, by the pioneer of artificial intelligence''Wonderful ... illuminating and fun to read'' Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize-winner and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow''Correlation does not imply causation.'' For decades, this mantra was invoked by scientists in order to avoid taking positions as to whether one thing caused another, such as smoking and cancer, or carbon dioxide and global warming. But today, that taboo is dead. The causal revolution, sparked by world-renowned computer scientist Judea Pearl and his colleagues, has cut through a century of confusion and placed cause and effect on a firm scientific basis. Now, Pearl and science journalist Dana Mackenzie explain causal thinking to general readers for the first time, showing how it allows us to explore the world that is and the worlds that could have been. It is the essence of human and artificial intelligence. And just as Pearl''s discoveries have enabled machines to think better, The Book of Why explains how we too can think better.''Pearl''s accomplishments over the last 30 years have provided the theoretical basis for progress in artificial intelligence and have redefined the term thinking machine'' Vint CerfTrade ReviewHave you ever wondered about the puzzles of correlation and causation? This wonderful book has illuminating answers and it is fun to read -- Daniel Kahneman, winner of the Nobel Prize * author of Thinking, Fast and Slow *If causation is not correlation, then what is it? Thanks to Judea Pearl's epoch-making research, we now have a precise answer to this question. If you want to understand how the world works, this engrossing and delightful book is the place to start -- Pedro Domingos, professor of computer science, University of Washington * author of The Master Algorithm *Judea Pearl has been the heart and soul of a revolution in artificial intelligence and in computer science more broadly -- Eric Horvitz, Technical Fellow and Director, Microsoft Research LabsPearl's accomplishments over the last 30 years have provided the theoretical basis for progress in artificial intelligence ... and they have redefined the term 'thinking machine' -- Vint Cerf, Chief Internet Evangelist, Google, Inc.Modern applications of AI, such as robotics, self-driving cars, speech recognition, and machine translation deal with uncertainty. Pearl has been instrumental in supplying the rationale and much valuable technology that allow these applications to flourish -- Alfred Spector, Vice President of Research, Google, Inc.

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Book Synopsis''This book can catapult you into living fully the life that is yours to live while you have the chance'' Jon Kabat-Zinn''A must-read for our distracted times'' Dan Goleman''A must-have guide to experiencing every moment of our lives'' Goldie Hawn''A treasure trove of insights and exercises to enrich our lives'' Dan SiegelStop for a moment. Are you here right now?Is your focus on the words in front of you? Or is it roaming elsewhere, to the past or future, to a worry, to your to-do list, or to your phone?The good news: There''s nothing wrong with you - your brain isn''t broken. The human brain was built to be distractible.The even better news: You can train your brain to pay attention more effectively.Acclaimed neuroscientist Dr Amishi Jha has dedicated her life''s work to understanding the science of attention at every level - from brain imaging studies in the lab to field testing soldiers, firefighters and athletes. Her mission has been to scientifically determine how we can harness the full power of our attention to better meet all that life demands. In Peak Mind, Dr Jha expertly guides readers through fascinating research, debunking common assumptions about focus and attention, and offers remarkably easy-to-adapt flexible twelve minute-a-day exercises to lift the mental fog, declutter the mind, and strengthen focus so that you can experience more of your life.Trade ReviewProven practices to take control of our focus and become our best selves. A must read for our distracted times * Daniel Goleman, author of #1 NYTimes Bestseller Emotional Intelligence *Thriving starts with our attention and what we do with it. In Peak Mind, Amishi Jha combines the science of attention with compelling stories from those in high stakes professions to show us all how to be more present in our lives so that we can unlock our full potential * Arianna Huffington, author of #1 New York Times bestseller Thrive *Dr. Jha brilliantly blends cutting-edge science, compelling stories, and strong practical instructions--the perfect antidote for our distracted over-busy times * Jack Kornfield, bestselling author of The Wise Heart *For a while now I've thought of experiences we long for, like love and connection, as emergent properties of how we pay attention. Attention is the key factor in moving beyond just living mechanically into a life of clarity and joy. Dr. Jha brilliantly shows us how that can be so, offering a clear and useful path to paying attention differently * Sharon Salzberg, author of New York Times Bestseller, Real Happiness *Peak Mind delivers crucial insights about the human mind along with practical, accessible tools to enhance it. With clarity and skill, Amishi Jha brings you into the lab to learn how attention works, why it's essential for well-being, and how it can be trained to reach your greatest potential. Required reading for our modern world! * Wendy Hasenkamp, PhD, Science Director, Mind & Life Institute *In Peak Mind, Amishi Jha offers a brilliant guide for training our attention with mindful awareness and maximizing our human potential. You will learn the science behind mindfulness, and well-researched strategies that promote resilience against stress, and increased mental focus, creativity, clarity and strength. The true gift is the capacity to be fully here-present and engaged in your relationships and your life * Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance *How easy it is to lose your mind just in those critical moments when you need it most. Here is a friendly and compelling way to not only get it back but to optimize it for life-your own and those with whom you share this world. Suffused with Amishi's rare talent for making rigorous science commonsensical, her exquisite clarity as both a researcher and teacher, her own experiences with life's sometimes rending challenges, and her personal meditation practice, this book can catapult you into living fully the life that is yours to live while you have the chance * Jon Kabat-Zinn, Founder of MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction), author of Full Catastrophe Living and Mindfulness for All *Peak Mind is a must-have guide to experiencing every moment of our lives. Equipping us with easy-to-follow exercises based in the latest breakthroughs in neuroscience, Dr. Amishi Jha reveals the unfiltered joy of paying attention * Goldie Hawn *Where our attention goes, neural firing flows, and neural connection grows' is powerfully revealed in the original research and mind-opening ideas and heartfelt stories of this powerful book by one of our world's pioneers in the science of mindfulness. Clear, illuminating, and filled with practices that will strengthen your attention, open your awareness, and cultivate compassionate connections within yourself and in your relationships with others, this is a treasure trove of insights and exercises to enrich our lives! * Daniel J. Siegel, New York Times bestselling author, Executive Director, Mindsight Institute *An inspiring book. Amishi Jha - internationally acclaimed expert on the new science of attention, mindfulness and the brain - shows beyond doubt that mental fitness is as important as physical fitness for human flourishing. This book is for all whose attention is hijacked when they least want it to be - everyone. It becomes urgent for those who have other people's lives in their hands, whether you are a parent or carer, a firefighter or surgeon or in the military. With gentle humour and (often surprising) examples she reveals how and why training in mindful awareness changes the brain's attentional systems, and how the capacity to be attentive is not a "soft skill", but is the strong and precious foundation of everything you want to be and do in your life * Mark Williams, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Oxford, UK *

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Book SynopsisA TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2021 ''Punchy, funny and invigorating ... Pinker is the high priest of rationalism'' Sunday Times ''If you''ve ever considered taking drugs to make yourself smarter, read Rationality instead. It''s cheaper, more entertaining, and more effective'' Jonathan Haidt, author of The Righteous Mind In the twenty-first century, humanity is reaching new heights of scientific understanding - and at the same time appears to be losing its mind. How can a species that discovered vaccines for Covid-19 in less than a year produce so much fake news, quack cures and conspiracy theorizing? In Rationality, Pinker rejects the cynical cliché that humans are simply an irrational species - cavemen out of time fatally cursed with biases, fallacies and illusions. After all, we discovered the laws of nature, lengthened and enriched our lives and set the benchmarks for rationality itself. Instead, he explains, we think in ways that suit the low-tech contexts in which we spend most of our lives, but fail to take advantage of the powerful tools of reasoning we have built up over millennia: logic, critical thinking, probability, causal inference, and decision-making under uncertainty. These tools are not a standard part of our educational curricula, and have never been presented clearly and entertainingly in a single book - until now. Rationality matters. It leads to better choices in our lives and in the public sphere, and is the ultimate driver of social justice and moral progress. Brimming with insight and humour, Rationality will enlighten, inspire and empower. ''A terrific book, much-needed for our time'' Peter SingerTrade ReviewSteven Pinker is the high priest of rationalism ... [This book] is an impassioned and zippy introduction to the tools of rational thought ... Pinker wants probability theory and psychological biases to be taught in schools and universities. Punchy, funny and invigorating, this could be the textbook. -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *Steven Pinker is among the best science writers in history, and with Rationality he applies his talents to one of the most important and misunderstood human abilities - tracking reality with a brain that was designed to do so under some circumstances but not others. If you've ever considered taking drugs to make yourself smarter, read Rationality instead. It's cheaper, more entertaining, and more effective. -- Jonathan Haidt, NYU-Stern School of Business and author of The Righteous MindThe Enlightenment torchbearer is eloquent in his defence of clear thinking ... [reason] is a tool that human beings have to learn to use with care, something this book will help any reader to do. -- Julian Baggini * Financial Times *Rationality ­- like all of Pinker's work - [is] a paen to human potential... what Pinker really trades in are profoundly refreshing, energising sets of explanations for why we do and think the way we do ... harnessing reason is not just useful in all kinds of ways both personal and universal, but a wondrous property of being human. -- Zoe Strimpel * Daily Telegraph *Almost every sentence in Rationality is crisp and intelligible, which is quite a feat, given that explaining logic to humans is like teaching them Sanskrit. Pinker suggests various ways to run our collective affairs more rationally. -- Simon Kuper * New Statesman *A reader-friendly primer in better thinking through the cultivation of that rarest of rarities: a sound argument. * Kirkus *Rationality is a terrific book, much-needed for our time. In addition to drawing together the tools for overcoming obstacles to rational thinking, Pinker breaks new ground with the evidence he provides linking rationality and moral progress. -- Peter Singer

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Book SynopsisWendy Wood was born in the UK and is Provost Professor of Psychology and Business at the University of Southern California. Her research incorporates neuroscience, cognition and behavioural insights to understand habit persistence and change, and she has collaborated with many luminary psychologists, including Angela Duckworth and Adam Grant. She has written for the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, and her work has been featured in the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Time magazine, USA Today and NPR.Trade ReviewIf you’ve ever struggled to make or break a habit, this is the book you need to read. Wendy Wood is widely recognized as the authority on the science of habits -- Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take, and host of the TED podcast WorkLifeWendy Wood is the world’s foremost expert in the field, and this book is essential -- Angela Duckworth, author of GritEnlightening and insightful . . . Wood’s research and perspective on the malleability of habits will bring hope to any reader looking to create long-term behavioural change * Publishers Weekly *Wendy Wood . . . is the most thoughtful, innovative person who understands the role of habits in human behaviour . . . I can’t imagine a better person writing this book -- Dan Ariely, bestselling author of Predictably IrrationalThere is no one in all of psychology who could write a more compelling book on habits and behaviours -- James W. Pennebaker, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of TexasNo one has studied how habits form and direct behaviour better than Professor Wendy Wood . . . She has described how to change negative habits into positive versions better than anybody. She's the researcher best able to write the next big book on the topic -- Robert Cialdini, author of Influence and Pre-SuasionFascinating and fun, this book will change a lot of lives . . . Wood brings state-of-the-art social science into contact with the most pressing issues in daily life. She’s a tremendous guide -- Cass R. Sunstein, Robert Walmsley University Professor at Harvard University, and author of How Change HappensA fascinating tour of the science of habits, and Wendy Wood is the consummate tour guide. One of the world’s leading habit researchers -- Professor Adam Alter, New York Times bestselling author of Drunk Tank Pink and IrresistibleA huge achievement. Wendy Wood manages to distil the science of habit formation, most of which emerges from her own lab, in a manner that is fascinating but also, above all, extremely useful for people looking to make positive change in their life -- David Kessler, New York Times bestselling author of The End of Overeating and CaptureMany authors have written about habits . . . but Wood is also a premier scientist in psychology, working on how habits affect and are affected by the human mind. Top tip: Willpower isn’t enough. But through her original research, Wood explains what does work * Washington Post *In Good Habits, Bad Habits . . . the social psychologist Wendy Wood . . . seeks to give the general reader more realistic ideas for how to break habits. Drawing on her work in the field, she sees [that] . . . the path to breaking bad habits lies not in resolve but in restructuring our environment in ways that sustain good behaviors * The New Yorker *Table of ContentsUnit - Part I: How We Really Are Chapter - 1: Persistence and Change Chapter - 2: The Depths Beneath Chapter - 3: Introducing Your Second Self Chapter - 4: What About Knowledge? Chapter - 5: What About Self Control? Unit - Part II: The Three Bases of Habit Formation Chapter - 6: Context Chapter - 7: Repetition Chapter - 8: Reward Chapter - 9: Consistency is for Closers Chapter - 10: Total Control Unit - Part III: Special Cases, Big opportunities, and the World Around Us Chapter - 11: Jump Through Windows Chapter - 12: The Special Resilience of Habit Chapter - 13: Contexts of Addiction Chapter - 14: Happy with Habit Chapter - 15: You Are Not Alone Section - i: Epilogue Section - ii: How to Stop Looking at Your Phone So Often Section - iii: Notes Section - iii: Bibliography Acknowledgements - iv: Acknowledgements Index - v: Index

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Book Synopsis''Heady, exhilarating, often astonishing'' New York Times ''Iridescently original, deeply disorientating and yet somehow radically hopeful ... worth reading and rereading'' Brian Eno ''Be prepared to re-evaluate your relationship with the amazing life forms with whom we share the planet. Fascinating, innovative and thought provoking: I thoroughly recommend Ways of Being'' Dr Jane Goodall, DBERecent years have seen rapid advances in ''artificial'' intelligence, which increasingly appears to be something stranger than we ever imagined. At the same time, we are becoming more aware of the other intelligences which have been with us all along, unrecognized. These other beings are the animals, plants, and natural systems that surround us, and are slowly revealing their complexity and knowledge - just as the new technologies we''ve built are threatening to cause their extinction, and ours.In Ways of Being, writer and artist James Bridle considers the fascinating, uncanny and multiple ways of existing on earth. What can we learn from these other forms of intelligence and personhood, and how can we change our societies to live more equitably with one another and the non-human world? From Greek oracles to octopuses, forests to satellites, Bridle tells a radical new story about ecology, technology and intelligence. We must, they argue, expand our definition of these terms to build a meaningful and free relationship with the non-human, one based on solidarity and cognitive diversity. We have so much to learn, and many worlds to gain.Trade ReviewBridle's writing weaves cultural threads that aren't usually seen together, and the resulting tapestry is iridescently original, deeply disorientating and yet somehow radically hopeful. The only futures that are viable will probably feel like that. This is a pretty amazing book, worth reading and rereading. -- Brian EnoJames Bridle is an artist who is fascinated by technology - creating a homemade self-driving car to understand how AIs "think", for example - and I loved their book, Ways of Being, which looks at artificial and animal intelligence, and how those challenge our assumptions about the world. Come for the slime mould replicating the Tokyo subway system, stay for the non-binary computer that used water to model the British economy. -- Helen Lewis * New Statesman Books of the Year *Heady and often astonishing ... the scope of Bridle's curiosity and comprehension is immense ... there is something hopeful and even heartening in their faith that our current disastrous course might be shifted not only by new policies and technologies but also - and more fundamentally - by the power of new ideas. -- Stefan Merrill Block * New York Times *If you plan on reading James Bridle's Ways of Being - and I cannot recommend highly enough that you do - you might consider forming a support group first. The ideas in this book are so big, so fascinating and yes, so foreign, you are going to need people to talk to about them ... Bridle has created a new way of thinking about our world, about being ... read this important book. Read it twice. Talk about it. Tell everyone you know. -- Brenna Maloney * Washington Post *It was so interesting that I luxuriated in every word. The conversation unfolding in these pages is fundamentally important and I would recommend it to absolutely everyone who wants to really think and reimagine a future that remains ours to make. I was left with a feeling that James Bridle hasn't so much written a book, as a manifesto for a new Green Enlightenment ... it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. -- Sir Tim SmitIn making clear the patience, imagination and humility required to better know and protect other forms of intelligence on Earth, Bridle has made an admirable contribution to the dawning interspecies age. * The Economist *Bridle is a clear, artful writer and a sweeping thinker ... [A] hopeful book, almost an antidote. It imagines technology not as something separate and menacing, but as part of a grand unfolding - an 'efflorescence', to use Bridle's word - along an evolutionary continuum of human and 'more-than-human' ways of being in the world. -- Peter Christie * Post Magazine *Bridle enlarges our definition of what 'intelligence' can be ... This book is an expansive guide, helping us turn our gaze outwards as we look for answers to the challenges of our time. The answers are out there, Bridle says, but Western science and imagination are only just beginning to take them seriously. Ways of Being is an absorbing, existential and ultimately hopeful book. -- Elizabeth Wainwright * Geographical *We must rethink what it means to be intelligent in a spirit of collaboration with non-humans ... What makes Bridle's book new and interesting is its insistence that AI, rightly used, can help in this project ... It may not be intelligence as we know it, but it is human, all too human. -- Stuart Jeffries * The Spectator *James Bridle encourages you to widen the boundaries of your understanding, to contemplate the innate intelligence that animates the life force of octopuses and honeybees as well as apes and elephants. We humans are not alone in having a sense of community, a sense of fun, a sense of wonder and awe at the beauty of nature. Be prepared to re-evaluate your relationship with the amazing life forms with whom we share the planet. Fascinating, innovative and thought provoking I thoroughly recommend Ways of Being. -- Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder of the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of PeaceFrom what are we alienated? Some kind of godlike being, transcending the physical world? The truth is exactly the opposite ... Alienation means thinking humans are special and different. James Bridle's wonderful book will make you feel and think the power of knowing how like all other lifeforms we are. There is nothing more important. -- Timothy MortonJames Bridle's brilliant Ways of Being shows we can only face the challenges of the 21st century if we go beyond the fear of pooling knowledge: Bridle shows the importance of listening to one another and our surroundings, and of creating new forms of community. -- Hans Ulrich Obrist

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Book SynopsisMind Mapping is a breakthrough system of planning and note-taking that cuts homework time in half and makes schoolwork fun. Mind Maps for Kids is Tony Buzan's first book written specially for a younger audience, suitable for ages 7 to 14.Tony Buzan has been teaching children all over the world for the past thirty years and has proved that Mind Maps are the magic formula in the classroom: remembering facts and figures is a piece of cake, planning is a doddle and getting stuck for an answer is a thing of the past.In Mind Maps for Kids, Tony Buzan explains this amazing system using step-by-step examples in every subject across the curriculum. He shows just how easy Mind Mapping is and how it can help kids to remember things and concentrate better make clearer and better notes revise and ace exams! come up with ideas and unlock the imagination save timeMind Maps for Kids is a full-colour workbook, with the emphasis on having fun. As well as tips for improving memory and concentration, the book is packed with jokes, cartoons and brainteasers.Mind Mapping is the shortcut to success that puts kids one step (and sometimes miles!) ahead.Trade Review‘Mind Maps are fun for all ages.’ The Independent (Top 10 Best Revision Guides) The whole world should Mind Map.'THE EXPRESS 'The biggest name in memory.'THE NEW YORKER 'Tony Buzan deserves a medal for coming up with the sanity-saving concept of Mind Maps, which make difficult mental tasks possible, even pleasurable, by engaging the right side of the brain, where colour and creativity reign…The system can be a lifesaver for children with dyslexia-type difficulties.’ Time Out

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAbsorbing and engagingly written. . . Costa is a charming and witty guide. This is a rigorous book about complex science but Costa has a winningly informal style, a deadpan wit, and mixes laboratory findings of cognitive neuropsychology with examples from everyday life, TV programmes, sports and politics -- Patrick McGuiness * Guardian *Enlightening and astonishing. . . very readable: the prose is gentle, anecdotal, witty, personal and balanced. . . Albert Costa (a Catalan-Spanish bilingual) died last year, and this book is a great testimony to his lifetime of research into the subject -- Tobias Jones * Observer *Fascinating. . . This engaging book explores just how multiple languages are acquired and sorted out by the brain. . . Costa's work derives from a great fund of knowledge, considerable curiosity and solidly scientific spirit -- Phillip Hensher * Spectator *Absorbing. . . Amiably written, and reader-friendly even when delving into the minutiae of bilingualism, this compact but data-dense book throws out some intriguing ideas about the relationship of dual-language use to attitudes and behaviour -- Boyd Tonkin * Art's Desk *A clear and approachable study by a renowned neurologist * Prospect *A fascinating primer on the science of language. . . Anyone with an inquisitive mind and an interest in language in general, and certainly bilingualism specifically, will find this book a compelling read -- Victoria Murphy * TES *Neuropsychologist Albert Costa spent two decades exploring bilingualism, and his book offers surprising insights * BBC Science Focus *

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Book SynopsisI love this book!' Dr Jeff Rediger Intelligent and accessible' Helen Russell An illuminating, fun read' Camilla Nord Thoroughly recommended' David RobsonDiscover how 15 minutes a day can awaken your creative magic and spark joyHave you ever been so absorbed in writing, drawing, cooking, dancing, yoga, music or crafting that you lost track of time? In neuroscience, this is known as flow', a focused state where the mind and body are at their most serene.In this book, former dancer and neuroscientist Julia Christensen reveals why you experience overthinking and shares a 7-step method to create a reliable pathway to flow and effortlessly unlock the creative genius within you. Boost your mood, calm your mind, and enjoy the magic of flow every day.I enjoyed every minute of this fabulous book' Professor Joe Devlin, former head of Experimental Psychology at UCL

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Forbes' Must-Read Brain Books of 2019""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Philosophy, Association of American Publishers"

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Book SynopsisRead this book! Mithu Storoni''s unique strategy doesn''t just preserve brain health and longevity, it promises to escalate mental performance to new heights and improve the way we work. - Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and #1 New York Times Bestselling author of the Blue Zones.Is it time to change gear?Take back control by learning to adjust your brain''s speed and efficiency.In today''s Information Age, we move through life at a frantic pace to keep up with the never-ending influx of information and daily tasks. Bombarded with data every waking hour, it''s no wonder our brains are feeling overwhelmed and overloaded.In Hyperefficient, Dr Mithu Storoni lays out the tools to retune our brains to the best settings for complex thinking, creativity, concentration, and decision-making. Based on intriguing scientific research, Hyperefficient is a must-have practical manual for your brain

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Book SynopsisAdult humans have impressive pieces of cognitive equipment, but in Cecilia Heyes's view these cognitive gadgets are not programmed in the genes. They are constructed over the course of childhood through social interaction. From birth, our malleable minds learn from our culture-soaked human environment not only what to think but how to think it.Trade ReviewThis is an important book and likely the most thoughtful of the year in the social sciences… Highly recommended, it is likely to prove one of the most thought-provoking books of the year. -- Tyler Cowen * Marginal Revolution *With this volume, [Heyes] stakes out a bold, authoritative position in the multidisciplinary literature on cultural evolution and human uniqueness…Highly recommended to anyone willing to have their assumptions challenged. -- Carl Brusse * Quarterly Review of Biology *An essential addition to the literature on human uniqueness…Brilliantly challenges many of the core assumptions of contemporary evolutionary psychology in a way that is insightful, cohesive, detailed, and carefully written. This is perhaps one of the best and most comprehensive views of human cognitive evolution advanced in the recent years. -- Ivan Gonzalez‐Cabrera * History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences *Fascinating. * Choice *Cecilia Heyes presents a new hypothesis to explain the one feature that distinguishes Homo sapiens from all other species: the mind. Through lucid, compelling writing, this masterly exegesis proposes that the key features of the human mind, termed ‘cognitive gadgets,’ are the products of cultural rather than genetic evolution. It will stimulate its readers to think deeply, as Heyes has done, about what it means to be human. -- Lord John Krebs, University of OxfordCognitive Gadgets is a book written with a strong conviction, boldly taking on deeply entrenched views on topics such as the genetic basis of language and imitation. It will be a very positive contribution to long-held debates about the nature of being human. -- Steven Mithen, author of The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and BodyHuman minds are strange and powerful, but how did they become that way? Cecilia Heyes argues that culture is the prime mover, upgrading the mind by installing a cascade of ‘gadgets’—non-genetic innovations that enable imitation, mind-reading, episodic memory, and more. Cognitive Gadgets is an elegant, compelling, and groundbreaking work that should be read by anyone interested in what we are and how we came to be. -- Andy Clark, University of EdinburghCognitive Gadgets is a terrific book. Heyes makes a very surprising claim, arguing that human cognitive capacities—language, technical and causal intelligence, and the capacity to understand others—are not built by natural selection, but are instead cultural adaptations, installed by social learning. It is a richly informed, beautifully clear, and lucidly argued case. -- Kim Sterelny, Australian National UniversityEvolutionary psychology has been plagued by theories that are interesting but not testable, and theories that are testable but not interesting. In her exposition of cognitive gadgets, Heyes escapes from this trap. By emphasizing specific mechanisms, she makes precise predictions about what makes human cognition unique, and demonstrates that human culture is not just about accumulating knowledge—it also enables each of us to learn how to think. -- Chris Frith, University College LondonHow much of what is distinctively human depends on our biological (genetic) evolution and how much is culturally influenced or learned? This book will make you think about this old question anew and wonder if you have drawn the lines between these two kinds of inheritance in the right places. -- Mary Jane West-Eberhard, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

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Book SynopsisA new edition of a classic work that originated the “embodied cognition” movement and was one of the first to link science and Buddhist practices.This classic book, first published in 1991, was one of the first to propose the “embodied cognition” approach in cognitive science. It pioneered the connections between phenomenology and science and between Buddhist practices and science—claims that have since become highly influential. Through this cross-fertilization of disparate fields of study, The Embodied Mind introduced a new form of cognitive science called “enaction,” in which both the environment and first person experience are aspects of embodiment. However, enactive embodiment is not the grasping of an independent, outside world by a brain, a mind, or a self; rather it is the bringing forth of an interdependent world in and through embodied action. Although enacted cognition lacks an absolute foundation, the book shows how

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Book SynopsisThe human mind is both brilliant and pathetic. We have mastered fire and have stood on the moon, and yet every one of us is fundamentally ignorant, irrational and prone to making simple mistakes every day.'In The Knowledge Illusion, the cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach hammer another nail into the coffin of the rational individual . . . positing that not just rationality but the very idea of individual thinking is a myth.'Yuval Harari, bestselling author of Sapiens and Homo DeusIn this groundbreaking book, cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach show how our success as a species is down to us living in a rich community of knowledge where we are drawing on information and expertise outside our heads. And we have no idea that we are even doing it.Utilizing cutting-edge research, The Knowledge Illusion explains why we think we know more than we do, why beliefs are so hard to change and why we are so prone to making mistakes. Providing a blueprint for successful ways to work in collaboration to do amazing things, it reveals why the key to human intelligence lies in the way we think and work together.Trade ReviewIn The Knowledge Illusion, the cognitive scientists Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach hammer another nail into the coffin of the rational individual . . . positing that not just rationality but the very idea of individual thinking is a myth. -- Yuval Harari, bestselling author of Sapiens and Homo DeusSloman and Fernbach offer clever demonstrations of how much we take for granted, and how little we actually understand . . . The book is stimulating, and any explanation of our current malaise that attributes it to cognitive failures — rather than putting it down to the moral wickedness of one group or another — is most welcome. Sloman and Fernbach are working to uproot a very important problem. * Financial Times *We all know less than we think we do, including how much we know about how much we know. There's no cure for this condition, but there is a treatment: this fascinating book. The Knowledge Illusion is filled with insights on how we should deal with our individual ignorance and collective wisdom. -- Steven PinkerWe radically overestimate how much we know. In this fascinating book, Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach examine the origin and consequences of this knowledge illusion, exploring both the extent of our ignorance and the clever ways in which we overcome it. This is an exceptionally clear and well-reasoned book, and it has some important and radical things to say about everything from the allure of stories to how iPhones make us smarter to the pros and cons of democracy. This is psychology at its best. -- Paul BloomI love this book. A brilliant, eye-opening treatment of how little each of us knows, and how much all of us know. It's magnificent, and it's also a lot of fun. Read it! -- Cass R. Sunstein, coauthor of Nudge and founder and director, Program on Behavioral Economics and Public Policy, Harvard Law School

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Book SynopsisFor many of us life has stopped making sense. Super-efficient routines that once served us well now stress us out and a ''toughing it out'' mindset is only compounding the problem.In Better in Every Sense, neuroscientist Norman Farb and clinical psychologist Zindel Segal reveal how the new science of sensation provides the key to doing things differently. By tuning into new and everyday sensations - from the feeling of our feet on a crowded street to the sound of birdsong in the park - we can engage our sensory network and boost our resilience, well-being, health and creativity.Grounded in decades of scientific research and filled with simple exercises and practical mental techniques for mastering the art of ''sense foraging'', Better in Every Sense explores the power of sensory experience to liberate us from our negative thinking patterns and help us successfully handle all of life''s challenges.A brilliant, user-friendly, and easy-to-implemTrade ReviewA brilliant, user-friendly, and easy-to-implement framework explaining why intentionally tuning in to our senses and learning how to trust them and expand their repertoire in outside-the-box ways-what the authors call 'sense foraging'-is profoundly liberative and healing, revolutionary, and yet totally commonsensical. -- Jon Kabat-ZinnWhen you are feeling stressed or stuck, how do you relate to your life? In Better in Every Sense the authors take us through the science of tools to get out of the 'house of habit' and offer ways to re-engage with your life. A wonderful new book by Norman Farb and Zindel Segal. Fascinating, thought-provoking, and so useful in these trying times. -- Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real LifeThese two highly trained and highly skilled professionals have got the chops - and the goods - to help you genuinely upgrade your life! -- Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier

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Book SynopsisIf a gorilla walked out into the middle of a basketball pitch, you'd notice it. Wouldn't you? If a serious violent crime took place just next to you, you'd remember it, right? The Invisible Gorilla is a fascinating look at the unbelievable, yet routine tricks that your brain plays on you.In an award-winning and groundbreaking study, psychologists Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons asked volunteers to watch a 60-second film of a group of students playing basketball and told them to count the number of passes made. About halfway through, a woman dressed head to toe in a gorilla outfit slowly moved to centre screen, beat her chest at the camera, and casually strolled away. Unbelievably, almost half of the volunteers missed the gorilla.As this astonishing and utterly unique new book demonstrates, exactly the same kind of mental illusion that causes people to miss the gorilla can also explain why many other things, including why:honest eyewitness testimony can convict innocent defendantsTrade Review"Entertaining and illuminating"Dan Ariely, New York Times bestselling author of Predictably Irrational "A riveting romp across the landscape of our psychological misperceptions."Nicholas A. Christakis, Professor, Harvard Medical School "This book will delight all who seek depth and insight into the wonder and complexities of cognition"Jerome Groopman, Recanati Professor, Harvard Medical School "breathtaking and insightful"Richard Wiseman, author of Quirkology "Like its authors, the book is both funny and smart"Joseph T. Hallinan, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Why We Make Mistakes "incredibly engaging…a must-read"Elizabeth Loftus, author of Memory and Eyewitness Testimony "engaging, accurate and packed with real-world examples – some of which made me laugh out loud"Sandra Aamodt, co-author of Welcome To Your Brain "not just witty and engaging, but also insightful"Thomas W. Malone, author of The Future of Work and founder of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence "The Invisible Gorilla should be required reading by every judge and jury member in our criminal justice system, along with every battlefield commander, corporate CEO, and, well, you and I"Michael Shermer, Publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of Why People Believe Weird Things "Clever, illuminating, by turns shocking and delightful, this book will change a lot of your bad habits and could even save your life"Margaret Heffernan, CEO and author of Women on Top

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Book SynopsisExplores the latest in canine psychology, revealing fascinating insights into how our dogs think and how we can strengthen our unique bond with them. A rare blend of cutting edge neuroscience and practical training advice.

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Book SynopsisDiscover how to talk instantly to your subconscious and manifest the life you want.We all have goals and dreams whether it's personally or professionally that we want to achieve, but for reasons we can't always fathom, our behaviour and actions can hold us back. In her eye-opening and effective new book, MBS expert Liz Dean reveals how the key to transforming those dreams into reality lies not in our conscious actions, but in our subconscious thoughts. By aligning the two, we can unleash our own power to lose weight, organise our lives, work more efficiently in our jobs and so much more. Switch Words is this simple yet incredibly powerful tool to help you get there.The greatest obstacle in achieving your goals is your subconscious. Whilst your conscious mind knows what you want and how to get it, experience tells us our subconscious mind can often ignore or sabotage our desires through action or inaction. Have you ever created a meal plan to help you lose weight, but then a couple of

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Book Synopsis[A] creative and original book on resilience through crises' DAVID MILIBAND [A] fascinating book is full of insights I highly recommend it' KATE RAWORTH, AUTHOR OF DOUGHNUT ECONOMICSFrom a leading international crisis management expert, a breakthrough book about performance under pressure that will change the way you think about stressWhen we experience too much stress, we often feel like shutting down and escaping the source: we downshift'. With too little stress, we become apathetic and disengaged. But what happens in the middle zone when we experience what psychologists call positive stress' and how can we use it to overcome extraordinary barriers and perform at our peak?From his role as a globally recognised change-maker at the likes of the United Nations, the International Red Cross and the World Bank, Ben Ramalingam has a unique vantage point from which to identify the key principles that can enable anyone to use stress as an opportunity for change. We learn how a switch in mentality helps musicians dazzle huge crowds against all odds; how astronauts focus on originality to overcome life-threatening incidents; and how discovering a sense of purpose allows emergency health workers and aid experts to deal with unprecedented crises.Through a sweep of fascinating interviews, in-depth research and inspiring human stories, Upshift provides us with an everyday toolkit that can help to improve our work, relationships and mindset, and places us on the road to success. Taking readers on an epic journey from early humans' survival of the Ice Age to how modern social movements emerge and propagate in the digital world, Upshift is a reminder that creative solutions to complex problems will always exist as long as we're ready to innovate.Trade Review‘Ben Ramalingam has brought all of his considerable passion and experience to write this creative and original book on resilience through crises. I will be looking for Upshifters from now on!’David Miliband ‘How can we experience stressful situations not as a threat to avoid, but as a challenge to rise to? This fascinating book is full of insights from Ben Ramalingam's rich personal and professional experience of responding to crisis. I highly recommend it’Kate Raworth, author of Doughnut Economics ‘A fascinating and inspiring read for everyone who aspires to harness creativity in the face of extreme constraints – which in today’s runaway world is every single one of us’Jaideep Prabhu, author of Frugal Innovation ‘Upshift is an inspired book about those moments when operating on the edge of your comfort zones, when you discover not only who you really are but who you have the potential to be. It's essential for you – and for those around you’Mike Adamson, Chief Executive Officer, British Red Cross ‘A reassuring guide to empowerment’Kirkus Praise for Aid on the Edge of Chaos ‘Groundbreaking … Important and relevant’Financial Times ‘Ramalingam sets out a challenge … to rethink our basic assumptions and to think and act in ways that are more attuned to the real world in all its complexities’Sir Richard Jolly, former Assistant Secretary Generalof the United Nations ‘Marrying science, policy and practice with a deep moral conscience, [Ramalingam] points to a future that we should all be working toward’Peter Doherty, Nobel Laureate in Medicine ‘Impressive … Sets a new milestone’Guardian ‘A leading champion of the adaptive, scientific,trial-and-error thinking that the aid industry badly needs’Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist

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Book Synopsis''Enlightening, impassioned, powerful'' The Times From dating apps and self-driving cars to facial recognition and the justice system, the increasing presence of AI has been widely championed - but there are limitations and risks too. In this book Gigerenzer shows how humans are often the greatest source of uncertainty and when people are involved, unwavering trust in complex algorithms can become a recipe for disaster. We need, now more than ever, to arm ourselves with knowledge that will help us make better decisions in a digital age.Filled with practical examples and cutting-edge research, How to Stay Smart in a Smart World examines the growing role of AI at all levels of daily life with refreshing clarity. This book is a life raft in a sea of information and an urgent invitation to actively shape the world in which we want to live.''Masterful ... an essential read'' Gary Klein, author of Sources of Power''One of the world''s most eminent psychologists'' SpectatorTrade ReviewEnlightening, impassioned, powerful . . . exposes the hunger for autocratic power, the political naivety and the commercial chicanery that lie behind the rise of AI -- Simon Ings * The Times *Using personal anecdotes, cutting-edge research and cautionary real-world tales, Gigerenzer deftly explains the limits and dangers of technology and AI -- Chen Ly * New Scientist *Compelling . . . over many years, Gerd Gigerenzer has provided evidence that humans are smarter than economists. Now he shows that they are (where it matters) smarter than computers -- John Kay * co-author of Radical Uncertainty *One of the world's most eminent psychologists * Spectator *A fascinating invitation to keep thinking for ourselves... Vital reading for a world populated by algorithms -- Konstantinos Katsikopoulos, Professor of Behavioural Science, University of Southampton

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Book SynopsisAn exploration of why people all over the world love to engage in pain on purpose--from dominatrices, religious ascetics, and ultramarathoners to ballerinas, icy ocean bathers, and sideshow performersMasochism is sexy, human, reviled, worshipped, and can be delightfully bizarre. Deliberate and consensual pain has been with us for millennia, encompassing everyone from Black Plague flagellants to ballerinas dancing on broken bones to competitive eaters choking down hot peppers while they cry. Masochism is a part of us. It lives inside workaholics, tattoo enthusiasts, and all manner of garden variety pain-seekers.At its core, masochism is about feeling bad, then better-a phenomenon that is long overdue for a heartfelt and hilarious investigation. And Leigh Cowart would know: they are not just a researcher and science writer-they're an inveterate, high-sensation seeking masochist. And they have a few questions: Why do people engage in masochism? What are the benefits and the costs? And what does masochism have to say about the human experience?By participating in many of these activities themselves, and through conversations with psychologists, fellow scientists, and people who seek pain for pleasure, Cowart unveils how our minds and bodies find meaning and relief in pain-a quirk in our programming that drives discipline and innovation even as it threatens to swallow us whole.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Meera Rastogi, Rachel Feldwisch, Michelle Pate and Joseph Scarce have compiled an excellent text suited for undergraduate art therapy studies. The breadth of book topics, spanning from art therapy history to contemporary influences on art therapy research and practices, provides teachers and students with a comprehensive overview of the field and makes teaching and learning foundational knowledge accessible. I wish I had a text like this when I began teaching undergraduate art therapy students many years ago!" -- Barbara Parker-Bell, Psy.D., ATR-BC, Director of Art Therapy, FSU Art Therapy Programs "I enthusiastically endorse the "Foundations of Art Therapy: Theory and Applications" book for providing the most historically accurate, inclusive, and comprehensive overview of the profession that has been published to date. This book contains an impressive breadth and depth of detailed and integrated information, including full color photos, informative charts, and case examples about the field of art therapy. The book is masterfully written in clear and concise language to appeal to a diverse readership by a wide range of credentialed art therapy authors and editors. "Foundations of Art Therapy: Theory and Applications," would make an excellent introduction to art therapy text book and resource for undergraduate studies and for practitioners in related mental health professions." -- Wayne Ramirez, MFA, MS, ATR-R, Founding President of the Wisconsin Art Therapy Association (first Art Therapy Association established and incorporated in the USA). "This introduction to the field of art therapy, with chapters written by professionals teaching in undergraduate programs, is a most welcome addition to the literature. It is especially timely because it includes information about individuals, approaches, and activities that have been insufficiently recognized, and are highly relevant for 21st century practice of the discipline." -- Judith A. Rubin, PhD, ATR-BC, HLM, Founder, Expressive Media Film Library "The authors are obviously well informed and familiar with the subjects in the chapters that they write. I love the outside resources they provide for those who want to dive into a specific topic as well as case study examples. One thing that may be nice in the future might be like an audio version that can be used alongside the text." -- Undergraduate Student, Temple University "I think the book works well because it has a lot of diagrams and pictures that help explain the key concepts mentioned in the book." -- Undergraduate Student, Temple UniversityTable of ContentsPart I: Fundamentals of Art Therapy: Prepping the Canvas 1. History, Profession, and Ethics of Art Therapy 2. Understanding Media: Laying the Groundwork for Art Making 3. Multicultural and Diversity Perspectives in Art Therapy: Transforming Image into Substance 4. Intersections of Neuroscience and Art Therapy 5. Approaches to Research in Art Therapy Part II: Theoretical Orientations: Gathering the Tools 6. Overview of Theoretical Orientations 7. Psychoanalytic and Jungian Approaches to Art Therapy 8. Humanistic Approaches to Art Therapy: Existentialism, Person-Centered, and Gestalt 9. Using Art to Think and Rethink: Cognitive-behavior Therapy from Behaviorism Through the Third Wave Part III: Art Therapy with Specific Populations: Painting the Picture 10. Child Development and Artistic Development in Art Therapy 11. Art Therapy for Psychological Disorders and Mental Health 12. Art Therapy and Older Adults 13. Art Therapy with Trauma Recovery and Response Part IV: Profession of Art Therapy: Exhibiting the Work 14. Beginning Concepts of Group Work 15. Community-based Art Therapy and Community Arts 16. Pathways to Developing a Career in Art Therapy

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Book SynopsisWe face radical new threats to our freedom of thought – here’s how to retain controlTrade Review'Excellent and beyond timely... [McCarthy-Jones] has identified a great challenge for our time - clarifying and asserting this right - and issued a clarion call to meet it.' —A. C. Grayling‘Impressive… wide-ranging… McCarthy-Jones offers a utopian vision of a "deep enlightenment" in which society is restructured, from its streets to its libraries, to improve conditions for free thought.’ —Literary Review

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Book SynopsisThe human brain is an impossibly complex and delicate instrument - capable of extraordinary calculations, abundant creativity and linguistic dexterity. But the brain is not just the most brilliant of evolutionary wonders. It''s also one of the most bizarre.This book shows a whole other side of how brains work - from the patient who is afraid to take a shower because she fears her body will slip down the drain to a man who is convinced, against all evidence, that he is a cat, and a woman who compulsively snacks on cigarette ashes.Entertaining though they are, these cases are more than just oddities. In attempting to understand them, neuroscientists have uncovered important details about how the brain works. BIZARRE will examine these details while explaining what neuroscience''s most unusual patients have taught us about normal brain function -ideal both for readers seeking a better appreciation of the inner workings of the brain and those who simply want some

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Book Synopsis''Promises a new route through the parenting wilds'' Sunday Times''Powerful, honest and reassuring'' Professor Gina Rippon''A vital new narrative . . . Meticulously researched, compelling and compassionate'' Elinor Cleghorn''A compelling book that upends popular notions about becoming a parent . . . reminds us why scientific research is a feminist issue'' New Stateman''I wish I''d had this book when I first became a mother'' Emma Jane UnsworthNew parents undergo major structural and functional brain changes, driven by hormones and the deluge of stimuli a baby provides. These neurobiological changes help all parents - birthing or otherwise - learn how to meet their child''s needs. Yet this emerging science is mostly absent from the public conversation about parenthood. Untangling insidious myths from complicated realities, Chelsea Conaboy reveals that the story that exists in the science today is far more meaningful than the idea that moth

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Book Synopsis The only comprehensive guide to the history and science of Alzheimer’s disease. This book will help you understand how the disease was discovered, why it is affecting our memory, what actually happens in the brain and how we can reduce our risk for Alzheimer’s disease. With vivid examples, Professor Michael Hornberger takes you on a whistle-stop tour of every aspect of the most common form of dementia, from its origins to modern diagnosis and treatment. You can discover scientifically proven Alzheimer’s disease prevention strategies and lifestyle changes. You can understand why people with the disease are often ‘living in the last’ and get disoriented as to where they are. And you can learn more about the rare forms of Alzheimer’s disease that are often mistaken for other conditions. Written for the general public, this book deals with: What causes Alzheimer’s disease? Why Alzheimer’s often affects our memory first The role of genetics in raising and lowering risk for the disease What new treatments are emerging The chances you will inherit Alzheimer’s from your parents The practical steps you can take to reduce your future risk for Alzheimer’s disease One in 14 people over 65 will get dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounts for around 70% of all people with dementia. Professor Michael Hornberger, a neuroscientist who has been researching people with Alzheimer’s for decades, has the key answers to help you and your family to understand the disease and reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease. He starts by looking at the very first patient who was diagnosed with ‘Alzheimer’s’ disease - Auguste Deter. A German doctor, Alois Alzheimer, not only described her symptoms in meticulous detail but also reported after her death specific changes which are now the hallmark features of Alzheimer’s disease - so called tangles. Tangled Up recounts Alzheimer’s intriguing interviews with Auguste Deter and the subsequent discovery of what was happening in the newly-named Alzheimer’s disease. In essence, Alzheimer’s disease emerges when two proteins, amyloid and tau, build up in our brains. Once the proteins start accumulating, they start becoming toxic to the nerve cells which eventually start dying. The loss of those nerve cells affect people’s memory and spatial orientation in the early stages of the disease, since those memory regions seem to be most vulnerable to the accumulation of the proteins. It can cause people with the disease to be ‘living in the past’, as their old memories remain intact while newer memories are increasingly difficult to create. However, the disease has many variants and Professor Hornberger goes into the symptoms of lesser-known ones, such as Posterior Cortical Atrophy, which do not affect memory early on. He also explains the role that inherited genes play in transmitting the disease, including the difference between risk genes, which only increase or decrease our risk, and familial Alzheimer’s disease genes, which make the development of the disease a near certainty. Finally, the book looks at new ‘biomarkers’ and blood tests to detect, diagnose and monitor Alzheimer’s, and which new medications are emerging to treat the disease. In the absence of a cure, prevention becomes ever more important. Making modest lifestyle changes can make a big difference and the book gives realistic tips on looking after your heart, blood sugar and body mass. While other popularly touted techniques, Professor Hornberger explains, may not be worth your time or money. About the author Michael Hornberger is Professor of Applied Dementia Research at Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in the UK. He regularly meets patients with Alzheimer’s disease as part of his research aimed at improving diagnosis, disease tracking and symptom management. Michael is originally from Germany and studied at the universities of Osnabruck and Vienna. He gravitated to England where he did his PhD at University College London before working at Cambridge University. He spent six years in Sydney, Australia, before returning to Cambridge. He finally arrived at UEA in November 2015. Introduction This is not a book about dementia. This is a book about Alzheimer’s disease. What’s the difference, you might ask? The difference is that dementia is an umbrella term for all types of dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being the most common form. Why would one need a book on Alzheimer’s disease and not a book on dementia? There are already many excellent books on dementia available. However, to my knowledge there is none on the science behind Alzheimer’s disease specifically. Why does it matter? If we want to understand the science behind dementia, we need to look at each type of dementia specifically, as the science for each type of dementia is quite different. We need to understand how a particular type of dementia develops in the brain, what changes it causes in the brain and how this results in the symptoms we see for this type of dementia. In essence, what is the science behind each type of dementia? What is this book about? This book focuses on the science (and history) of Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, we will explore in detail how the brain changes in Alzheimer’s disease cause the symptoms of the disease and how new, upcoming treatments will deal with these brain changes. We will also explore the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and how we can potentially reduce them. We will start by travelling back in history to find out how Alois Alzheimer and Oskar Fischer ‘discovered’ the disease. Who is this book for? For everyone, and I mean everyone, who is interested in the science behind Alzheimer’s disease. No prior scientific knowledge should be required to understand the book, as I have gone to great lengths to explain the scientific concepts behind each important aspect. So, if you are an interested lay person, a person with dementia, a paid or unpaid carer, a family member, a dementia advocate, a healthcare professional or even a clinician, this book is for you. However, although this book will cover the basic science behind Alzheimer’s disease, it will not go into the science of dementia care, for which there are already some excellent books available by lay and professional carers. But if you are curious about how the changes in the brain cause the disease and its consequent symptoms and how we can potentially prevent them, then this book is for you. Why this book now? Communication of science has been a passion of mine for nearly two decades. The reason I became interested was that I noticed how little scientific information was out there to provide people with detailed, but understandable scientific information on Alzheimer’s disease. What I found instead was a choice between either very generic scientific information, of the sort provided by websites, such as ‘it causes changes in the brain affecting your memory’; or scientific publications filled to the brim with jargon and acronyms, making it impossible for lay people to understand what these articles were discussing. I think there is a compromise between these two extremes, which allows a general reader to get a more detailed understanding of the science behind Alzheimer’s disease. Of course, I am not the first to think of that. Most dementia charities and organisations already provide such lay-friendly dementia science information. However, I could not find a book which compiled all the information in one place. So, I decided to write my own. Buy the book and carry on reading!

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Book SynopsisImagination is thought to be the province of childhood—the stuff of free play and unrestrained ideas. Then comes the dull routine of adulthood, stifling creativity. In fact, the opposite is true. Andrew Shtulman shows that imagination is not inherited at birth, nor does it diminish with age. It grows as we do, through education and reflection.Trade ReviewShtulman ably and incisively navigates this vast, fascinating terrain. * Science *[Shtulman’s] clear, vivid exploration of his subject and how it works may cheer up adults, gladdened to learn the ways imagination ‘can be expanded through education and reflection.’ * Harvard Magazine *Imaginations grow and develop as people do. Shtulman argues that one’s imagination can be expanded by using technological advances, moral principles, models and examples, pretense, and, of course, additional information. * Library Journal *Replete with research across cognitive development, psychology, and education, the book is an inspiring and empowering nudge to nurture our knowledge banks to open up more possibilities, and affirms the importance of education in all its forms, from traditional pre-K–12 to Montessori, from unschooling to self-directed learning and higher education. -- Lauren Lee * Greater Good Magazine *This remarkable book explores one of the most exciting topics in all of developmental psychology—the emergence of the imagination. Shtulman is a brilliant theoretician and scientist, and he tells the story of how children’s imaginative powers, surprisingly limited at first, gradually blossom through learning, reflection, and practice. Learning to Imagine is a delight to read, essential for anyone interested in this most extraordinary human capacity. -- Paul Bloom, author of Psych: The Story of the Human MindImagination is the superpower of the human mind, enabling us to simulate and consider alternatives and possibilities. We are often told that childhood is the fertile breeding ground for imagination, but this is a myth, as explained by Andrew Shtulman, the world’s leading expert on children’s imagination. In his new book, Shtulman once again demonstrates his flair for making child development fascinating, easily accessible, and a delight to read. -- Bruce Hood, author of Possessed: Why We Want More Than We NeedShtulman illustrates, in vivid and compelling detail, common misunderstandings of imagination and its development. Building on hundreds of recent studies, he convincingly shows how a popular narrative about children as imaginative wizards is simply wrong. Imagination requires care and support over many years of childhood to become an enabling force behind innovation. This will be an immensely valuable and timely book for anyone interested in children’s minds, education, and the origins of creative thought. -- Frank C. Keil, author of Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong Love of ScienceShtulman masterfully weaves together a set of ideas and findings that en face might seem disparate, and in the process he turns common views of the imagination on their heads. An engaging and insightful volume by a brilliant scientist. -- Angeline Stoll Lillard, author of Montessori: The Science Behind the Genius

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"In The Illusionist Brain, Jordi Camí and Luis Martínez elucidate the ways the two disciplines [psychological science and stage magic] can illuminate each other."---Matthew Hutson, Wall Street Journal"This exploration of neuroscience through the lens of magic will appeal to science-oriented readers, as it is first and foremost a deep dive into how the brain processes information. It’s also sure to find an audience in anyone who has ever witnessed a magic trick and wondered how the heck it works."---Ragan O'Malley, Library Journal"[A] tantalizing study."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"Cami and Martinez act like Morpheus, explaining in simple terms, and with compelling examples, the intricate workings of the matrix in our brain. In their book, magic acts as a trigger to learn neuroscience principles that are presented through a fascinating and refreshing viewpoint, and that should also be interesting to the lay reader not acquainted with the sorcerers’ guild."---Rodrigo Quian Quiroga, Current Biology"Thanks to this book, readers may arrive at a deeper understanding of daily experience through the intersection of neuroscience and the magical arts. The next time thisreader fi nds himself baffled by a magic trick, reflecting on which cognitive processes were hijacked will be thrilling."---J. E. Perez, Choice Reviews

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