Cognitive studies Books
MIT Press Ltd Interactive Task Learning Humans Robots and
Book SynopsisExperts from a range of disciplines explore how humans and artificial agents can quickly learn completely new tasks through natural interactions with each other.Humans are not limited to a fixed set of innate or preprogrammed tasks. We learn quickly through language and other forms of natural interaction, and we improve our performance and teach others what we have learned. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie the acquisition of new tasks through natural interaction is an ongoing challenge. Advances in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and robotics are leading us to future systems with human-like capabilities. A huge gap exists, however, between the highly specialized niche capabilities of current machine learning systems and the generality, flexibility, and in situ robustness of human instruction and learning. Drawing on expertise from multiple disciplines, this Strüngmann Forum Report explores how humans and artificial agents can quickly learn co
£40.85
MIT Press Ltd Handbook of GameBased Learning The MIT Press
Book SynopsisA comprehensive introduction to the latest research and theory on learning and instruction with computer games.This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the latest research on learning and instruction with computer games. Unlike other books on the topic, which emphasize game development or best practices, Handbook of Game-Based Learning is based on empirical findings and grounded in psychological and learning sciences theory. The contributors, all leading researchers in the field, offer a range of perspectives, including cognitive, motivational, affective, and sociocultural. They explore research on whether (and how) computer games can help students learn educational content and academic skills; which game features (including feedback, incentives, adaptivity, narrative theme, and game mechanics) can improve the instructional effectiveness of these games; and applications, including games for learning in STEM disciplines, for training cognitive skills, for workforce lea
£96.90
MIT Press Ltd Language Acquisition and Development A Generative
Book SynopsisAn introduction to the study of children's language development that provides a uniquely accessible perspective on generative/universal grammar-based approaches.How children acquire language so quickly, easily, and uniformly is one of the great mysteries of the human experience. The theory of Universal Grammar suggests that one reason for the relative ease of early language acquisition is that children are born with a predisposition to create a grammar. This textbook offers an introduction to the study of children's acquisition and development of language from a generative/universal grammar-based theoretical perspective, providing comprehensive coverage of children's acquisition while presenting core concepts crucial to understanding generative linguistics more broadly. After laying the theoretical groundwork, including consideration of alternative frameworks, the book explores the development of the sound system of language—children's perception and production o
£49.40
MIT Press Ltd Who You Are The Science of Connectedness The MIT
Book SynopsisWhy you are more than just a brain, more than just a brain-and-body, and more than all your assumptions about who you are.Who are you? Are you just a brain? A brain and a body? All the things you have done and the friends you have made? Many of us assume that who we really are is something deep inside us, an inner sanctuary that contains our true selves. In Who You Are, Michael Spivey argues that the opposite is true: that you are more than a brain, more than a brain-and-body, and more than all your assumptions about who you are. Rather than peeling layers away to reveal the inner you, Spivey traces who you are outward. You may already feel in your heart that something outside your body is actually part of you—a child, a place, a favorite book. Spivey confirms this intuition with scientific findings.With each chapter, Spivey incrementally expands a common definition of the self. After (gently) helping you to discard your assumptions about who you ar
£28.80
MIT Press Ltd Variability and Consistency in Early Language
Book SynopsisA data-driven exploration of how children's language learning varies across different languages, providing both a theoretical framework and reference.The Wordbank Project examines variability and consistency in children's language learning across different languages and cultures, drawing on Wordbank, an open database with data from more than 75,000 children and twenty-nine languages or dialects. This big data approach makes the book the most comprehensive cross-linguistic analysis to date of early language learning. Moreover, its data-driven picture of which aspects of language learning are consistent across languages suggests constraints on the nature of children's language learning mechanisms. The book provides both a theoretical framework for scholars of language learning, language, and human cognition, and a resource for future research.
£64.80
MIT Press Ltd Regression Modeling for Linguistic Data
Book SynopsisThe first comprehensive textbook on regression modeling for linguistic data offers an incisive conceptual overview along with worked examples that teach practical skills for realistic data analysis.In the first comprehensive textbook on regression modeling for linguistic data in a frequentist framework, Morgan Sonderegger provides graduate students and researchers with an incisive conceptual overview along with worked examples that teach practical skills for realistic data analysis. The book features extensive treatment of mixed-effects regression models, the most widely used statistical method for analyzing linguistic data. Sonderegger begins with preliminaries to regression modeling: assumptions, inferential statistics, hypothesis testing, power, and other errors. He then covers regression models for non-clustered data: linear regression, model selection and validation, logistic regression, and applied topics such as contrast coding and nonline
£54.15
MIT Press Ltd Wonder Childhood and the Lifelong Love of Science
Book SynopsisHow we can all be lifelong wonderers: restoring the sense of joy in discovery we felt as children.From an early age, children pepper adults with questions that ask why and how: Why do balloons float? How do plants grow from seeds? Why do birds have feathers? Young children have a powerful drive to learn about their world, wanting to know not just what something is but also how it got to be that way and how it works. Most adults, on the other hand, have little curiosity about whys and hows; we might unlock a door, for example, or boil an egg, with no idea of what happens to make such a thing possible. How can grown-ups recapture a child’s sense of wonder at the world? In this book, Frank Keil describes the cognitive dispositions that set children on their paths of discovery and explains how we can all become lifelong wonderers. Keil describes recent research on children’s minds that reveals an extraordinary set of emerging abilities
£29.70
MIT Press Bayesian Models of Perception and Action
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£55.80
MIT Press Ltd Sentience
Book SynopsisThe story of a quest to uncover the evolutionary history of consciousness from one of the world's leading theoretical psychologists.We feel, therefore we are. Conscious sensations ground our sense of self. They are crucial to our idea of ourselves as psychic beings: present, existent, and mattering. But is it only humans who feel this way? Do other animals? Will future machines? Weaving together intellectual adventure and cutting-edge science, Nicholas Humphrey describes in Sentience his quest for answers: from his discovery of blindsight in monkeys and his pioneering work on social intelligence to breakthroughs in the philosophy of mind.The goal is to solve the hard problem: to explain the wondrous, eerie fact of “phenomenal consciousness”—the redness of a poppy, the sweetness of honey, the pain of a bee sting. What does this magical dimension of experience amount to? What is it for? And why has it evolved? Humphrey presents here his new
£20.96
MIT Press Ltd The MindBody Problem MIT Press Essential
Book SynopsisAn introduction to the mind-body problem, covering all the proposed solutions and offering a powerful new one.Philosophers from Descartes to Kripke have struggled with the glittering prize of modern and contemporary philosophy: the mind-body problem. The brain is physical. If the mind is physical, we cannot see how. If we cannot see how the mind is physical, we cannot see how it can interact with the body. And if the mind is not physical, it cannot interact with the body. Or so it seems.In this book the philosopher Jonathan Westphal examines the mind-body problem in detail, laying out the reasoning behind the solutions that have been offered in the past and presenting his own proposal. The sharp focus on the mind-body problem, a problem that is not about the self, or consciousness, or the soul, or anything other than the mind and the body, helps clarify both problem and solutions.Westphal outlines the history of the mind-body problem, beginning with Descartes. H
£16.14
MIT Press Ltd The Computational Brain
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£43.00
MIT Press Ltd Brainstorms MIT Press Philosophical Essays on
Book SynopsisAn anniversary edition of a classic in cognitive science, with a new introduction by the author.When Brainstorms was published in 1978, the interdisciplinary field of cognitive science was just emerging. Daniel Dennett was a young scholar who wanted to get philosophers out of their armchairs—and into conversations with psychologists, linguists, computer scientists. This collection of seventeen essays by Dennett offers a comprehensive theory of mind, encompassing traditional issues of consciousness and free will. Using careful arguments and ingenious thought experiments, the author exposes familiar preconceptions and hobbling intuitions. The essays are grouped into four sections: “Intentional Explanation and Attributions of Mentality”; “The Nature of Theory in Psychology”; “Objects of Consciousness and the Nature of Experience”; and “Free Will and Personhood.”This anniversary edition includes a new introductio
£27.00
MIT Press Ltd The PhonologyPhonetics Interface
Book SynopsisA textbook for advanced students that goes beyond basic phonetics and phonology to investigate their interaction.Is speech in the mouth or in the brain? Do we hear with our ears or our minds? The answer is: both. The sounds of language are both physical objects and cognitive constructs. The physical aspects of speech are the province of phonetics: sound waves that are produced by the movement of articulators and received by the ear. Phonology, by contrast, studies cognitive aspects: systematic patterns in the ways that languages combine sounds to create meaning. Many books look at phonology and phonetics as separate disciplines. This book looks at the interaction between the two.
£33.25
MIT Press Ltd The Neurocognitive Theory of Dreaming
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£43.20
MIT Press Memory The MIT Press Essential Knowledge series
Book SynopsisA short, accessible primer on human memory, its workings, feats, and flaws, by two leading psychological researchers.Why do we vividly recall a traumatic childhood event but forget where we left our keys five minutes ago? How can a scent take us back fifty years while a colleague’s name eludes us? In this compact introduction, two leading psychological researchers describe memory—how it works and why it sometimes doesn’t; how it can be tricked, trained, or improved; and what changes with time. In a manner as engaging as it is informative, Fergus Craik and Larry Jacoby explain the strengths and weaknesses of memory. They trace evolving ideas about memory’s function and present a down-to-earth account of modern views. Citing the latest research, they outline the processes for acquiring and retrieving memories and explore the distinction between conscious and unconscious processes. With insights into the workings of the brain, Craik and
£13.59
MIT Press Context Changes Everything How Constraints Create
Book SynopsisFrom the influential author of Dynamics in Action, how the concepts of constraints provide a way to rethink relationships, opening the way to intentional, meaningful causation.Grounding her work in the problem of causation, Alicia Juarrero challenges previously held beliefs that only forceful impacts are causes. Constraints, she claims, bring about effects as well, and they enable the emergence of coherence. In Context Changes Everything, Juarrero shows that coherence is induced by enabling constraints, not forceful causes, and that the resulting coherence is then maintained by constitutive constraints. Constitutive constraints, in turn, become governing constraints that regulate and modulate the way coherent entities behave. Using the tools of complexity science, she offers a rigorously scientific understanding of identity, hierarchy, and top-down causation, and in so doing, presents a new way of thinking about the natural world. Juarrero
£38.70
MIT Press Ltd What Makes Us Social
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£46.75
MIT Press Sentience
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£22.46
MIT Press Principles of Biological Autonomy a new annotated
Book SynopsisA new, updated edition of the 1979 classic from one of the foremost authors in cognitive science and theoretical biology, with the original text as well as more than 200 citations to current scientific developments.Francisco Varela?s Principles of Biological Autonomy was a groundbreaking text when it was first published in 1979, putting forth a novel theory of how living systems produce and maintain themselves. This new edition, edited and annotated by cognitive scientists Ezequiel Di Paolo and Evan Thompson?revised and complemented with introductory essays for each part of the book?contains a wealth of ideas relevant to current projects in theoretical biology, cognitive science, systems theory, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of biology. Over 220 margin annotations supplement the reading of the text, linking to subsequent research and broader contemporary debates.This foundational book introduces the key concept of autonomy derived as an elaboration of the idea of autopoiesis (the self-production and self-distinction) of living organisms. Varela covers topics in systems theory, neuroscience, theories of perception, and immune networks, and offers a participatory epistemology that goes on to be further developed in later enactive literature. These ideas are compelling not only for historical reasons but also because they still illuminate current efforts in developing the enactive approach toward wider and more challenging goals (language, human cognition, ethics, environmentalism, etc.).
£60.30
MIT Press Deflating Mental Representation
Book SynopsisA novel account of the explanatory role of representation in both the cognitive sciences and commonsense practice that preserves the virtues without the defects of the prevailing two views about mental representation.Philosophers of mind tend to hold one of two broad views about mental representation: they are either robustly realist about mental representations, taking them to have determinate, objective content independent of attributors? explanatory interests and goals, or they embrace some form of anti-realism, holding that mental representations are at best useful fictions. Neither view is satisfactory. In Deflating Mental Representation, Frances Egan develops and defends a distinctive third way?a view she calls a deflationary account of mental representation?that both resolves philosophical worries about content and best fits actual practice in science and everyday life.According to Egan?s deflationary account, appeal to mental representation does indeed pick out causes of behavior, but the attribution of content to these causes is best understood as a pragmatically motivated gloss, justified in part by attributors? explanatory interests and goals. Content plays an explanatory role in the deflationary account, but one quite different than that assumed by robust representational realists. Egan also develops a novel account of perceptual experience as a kind of modeling of our inner lives by aspects of external reality and explains the role of appeal to representation in this process.
£29.70
MIT Press Ltd The Idealized Mind
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£51.30
Yale University Press Nature Strange and Beautiful How Living Beings
Book SynopsisA beautifully written exploration of how cooperation shaped life on earth, from its single-celled beginnings to complex human societiesTrade Review“A truly fine piece of work, one that should be on the reading list of all students and practitioners of evolutionary biology.”—Geerat J. Vermeij, author of The Evolutionary World: How Adaptation Explains Everything from Shells to Civilization"Nature Strange and Beautiful is an exceptionally comprehensive and clear portrait of the origin and functioning of ecological communities, founded on Egbert Leigh’s career in tropical biology. The photographs by Christian Ziegler and other detailed drawings add to the book’s richness and appeal."—Douglas Futuyma, Stony Brook University“Not just a linear narrative of evolutionary history – but a wonderful walk through the world. Leigh demonstrates how the evolutionary lens enriches all of human experience and deepens our appreciation for the strange and beautiful world in which we live.”—Noel Michele Holbrook, Harvard University
£21.38
Yale University Press The True Creator of Everything
Book SynopsisTrade Review“The scope of this book is impressive . . . it provokes us to think deeply about our views on what we consider as reality.”—John H. Kaas, Vanderbilt University“Miguel is proposing an Enlightenment of the 21st century, in which all the old values of human society are reassessed and new values are proposed based on how the human brain is the measure of all things.”—Gordon Shepherd, Yale Medical School, author of Creating Modern Neuroscience: The Revolutionary 1950s“Nicolelis’s neuroscientific descriptions that form the basis of his theories expand and transcend current thinking in neuroscience—a characteristic that has epitomized his scientific career.”—Ron Frostig, University of California Irvine“In a sweeping style befitting his passion for neuroscience, Miguel Nicolelis takes the reader on a journey across his decades of scientific inquiry regarding a most amazing organ and into a future he foresees, challenging contemporary thinking. E pur si muove.”—Marshall G. Hussain Shuler, Johns Hopkins University"Miguel Nicolelis’ marvelous book is a great adventure story about the brain’s central role in creating our conception of the universe and its contents; it is colorful, electrifying and deep. He’s one of our great scientific adventurers and this book leverages his expertise and passion in formulating a theory on the origins of everything."—Asif A. Ghazanfar, Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University
£21.38
Random House USA Inc The Future of the Mind
Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The renowned theoretical physicist and national bestselling author of The God Equation tackles the most fascinating and complex object in the known universe: the human brain.“Compelling…Kaku thinks with great breadth, and the vistas he presents us are worth the trip.” —The New York Times Book ReviewThe Future of the Mind brings a topic that once belonged solely to the province of science fiction into a startling new reality. This scientific tour de force unveils the astonishing research being done in top laboratories around the world—all based on the latest advancements in neuroscience and physics—including recent experiments in telepathy, mind control, avatars, telekinesis, and recording memories and dreams. The Future of the Mind is an extraordinary, mind-boggling exploration of the frontiers of neuroscience. Dr. Kaku looks toward the day when we may achi
£16.15
Elsevier Science Adverse Childhood Experiences and Their LifeLong
Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Introduction 2. Child Maltreatment – Cross Culturally 3. What Causes Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? 4. Physical Child Abuse 5. Child sexual abuse 6. Medical child abuse 7. Emotional Maltreatment: Abuse is not just physical 8. Bullying 9. The Various Ways of Child Neglect 10. Children exposed to ACE: The trauma and its aftermath 11. Implications and Outcomes of ACEs 12. ACEs Throughout the Lifespan 13. ACE and its implication over the lifespan 14. The effects of ACE on intimate relationships 15. How did the pandemic affect child maltreatment 16. Resilience: What it is, and how to develop it 17. Treating Physical Abuse and Neglect
£108.90
W. W. Norton & Company Touching a Nerve Our Brains Our Selves
Book SynopsisA trailblazing philosopher’s exploration of the latest brain science—and its ethical and practical implications.Trade Review"...accurate and commendably up to date." -- Nature"...the philosopher Patricia Churchland defies her neuro-fundamentalist reputation to present a supremely measured, sensible and readable account of the brain's role in making us who we are." -- Julian Baggani, Books of the Year 2013 - The Observer
£19.00
WW Norton & Co Rethinking Consciousness
Book SynopsisNeuroscientist and psychologist Michael Graziano puts forward a ground-breaking new theory of the origin of consciousness.Trade Review"Graziano’s attention schema theory marks a milestone by offering a plausible, mechanistic answer to the hard problem [of consciousness]." -- Aaron Schurger - Science"Rethinking Consciousness is a very accessible work of science popularisation. There’s limited jargon and Graziano guides the reader with numerous pop culture references and helpful analogies." -- Prospect
£12.34
WW Norton & Co The Intelligence Trap
Book SynopsisA “startling, provocative and potently useful” (James McConnachie, Times UK) examination of the stupid things intelligent people do.Trade Review"Essential reading for anyone who wants to think more clearly." -- Rolf Dobelli, author of The Art of Thinking Clearly"Clearly, we need to find new and better ways to teach critical thinking and measure good judgement. Reading David Robson’s book would be a good place to start." -- Emily Bobrow - Wall Street Journal"Impressively accessible, with engaging storytelling, depth of discussion, and counterintuitive conclusions." -- Aron K. Barbey - Science"I loved The Intelligence Trap. As fun to read as it is fascinating, it celebrates the power of humility and curiosity. Everyone, especially intelligent people, should read this brilliant and important book." -- Anna Rosling Rönnlund, coauthor of Factfulness"The Intelligence Trap is a ceaselessly fascinating book written by one of our most consistently superb science writers. Its counterintuitive argument, that intelligence is no inoculation against wrongness, explains so much about the fractious and baffling times in which we live." -- Will Storr, author of Selfie"The Intelligence Trap is a ceaselessly fascinating book written by one of our most consistently superb science writers. Its counter-intuitive argument, that intelligence is no inoculation against wrongness, explains so much about the fractious and baffling times in which we live." -- Will Storr, author of Selfie"A fascinating and enjoyable investigation of what intelligence is and isn’t, by one of the most exciting new voices in science writing. This thought-provoking and brilliantly researched guide to achieving true wisdom shows us how to be smarter—and how to protect ourselves from the cleverest fools." -- Gaia Vance, author of Adventures in the Anthropocene
£12.99
Random House USA Inc Survival of the Friendliest
Book SynopsisA powerful new theory of human nature suggests that our secret to success as a species is our uniquefriendliness?Brilliant, eye-opening, and absolutely inspiring?and a riveting read. Hare and Woods have written the perfect book for our time.??Cass R. Sunstein, author ofHow Change Happensand co-author ofNudge For most of the approximately 300,000 years that Homo sapiens have existed, we have shared the planet with at least four other types of humans. All of these were smart, strong, and inventive. But around 50,000 years ago, Homo sapiens made a cognitive leap that gave us an edge over other species. What happened? Since Charles Darwin wrote about ?evolutionary fitness,? the idea of fitness has been confused with physical strength, tactical brilliance, and aggression. In fact, what made us evolutionarily fit was a remarkable kind of friendliness, a virtuosic ability to coordinate and communicate with others that allowed us to achieve all the cultural and technical marvels in human history. Advancing what they call the ?self-domestication theory,? Brian Hare, professor in the department of evolutionary anthropology and the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at Duke University and his wife, Vanessa Woods, a research scientist and award-winning journalist, shed light on the mysterious leap in human cognition that allowed Homo sapiens to thrive. But this gift for friendliness came at a cost. Just as a mother bear is most dangerous around her cubs, we are at our most dangerous when someone we love is threatened by an ?outsider.? The threatening outsider is demoted to sub-human, fair game for our worst instincts. Hare?s groundbreaking research, developed in close coordination with Richard Wrangham and Michael Tomasello, giants in the field of cognitive evolution, reveals that the same traits that make us the most tolerant species on the planet also make us the cruelest. Survival of the Friendliest offers us a new way to look at our cultural as well as cognitive evolution and sends a clear message: In order to survive and even to flourish, we need to expand our definition of who belongs.
£15.20
Penguin Putnam Inc The Emotional Life of Your Brain How Its Unique
Book SynopsisWhat is your emotional fingerprint? Why are some people so quick to recover from setbacks? Why are some so attuned to others that they seem psychic? Why are some people always up and others always down? In his thirty-year quest to answer these questions, pioneering neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson discovered that each of us has an Emotional Style, composed of Resilience, Outlook, Social Intuition, Self-Awareness, Sensitivity to Context, and Attention. Where we fall on these six continuums determines our own “emotional fingerprint.” Sharing Dr. Davidson’s fascinating case histories and experiments, The Emotional Life of Your Brain offers a new model for treating conditions like autism and depression as it empowers us all to better understand ourselves—and live more meaningful lives.Trade Review"Whether he is measuring neural activity in the laboratory or climbing the Himalayas to meet the Dalai Lama, Davidson is an inveterate explorer who has spent a lifetime probing the deep mystery of human feeling. Don't miss this smart and lively book by the world's foremost expert on emotion and the brain."—Daniel Gilbert, Ph.D., author of Stumbling on Happiness"The Emotional Life of Your Brain is an eye-opener, replete with breakthrough research that will change the way you see yourself and everyone you know. Richard Davidson and Sharon Begley make a star team: cutting-edge findings formulated in a delightful, can't-put-it-down read. I loved this book."—Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., bestselling author of Emotional Intelligence"What a gift from the world's leading neuroscientist who works on what makes life worth living. This is a must-read for everyone who is interested in positive psychology."—Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., author of Learned Optimism
£14.45
Cambridge University Press The Cambridge Handbook of Artificial Intelligence
Book SynopsisArtificial intelligence, or AI, is a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding, modeling, and creating intelligence of various forms. It is a critical branch of cognitive science, and its influence is increasingly being felt in other areas, including the humanities. AI applications are transforming the way we interact with each other and with our environment, and work in artificially modeling intelligence is offering new insights into the human mind and revealing new forms mentality can take. This volume of original essays presents the state of the art in AI, surveying the foundations of the discipline, major theories of mental architecture, the principal areas of research, and extensions of AI such as artificial life. With a focus on theory rather than technical and applied issues, the volume will be valuable not only to people working in AI, but also to those in other disciplines wanting an authoritative and up-to-date introduction to the field.Table of ContentsIntroduction Keith Frankish and William M. Ramsey; Part I. Foundations: 1. History, motivations, and core themes Stan Franklin; 2. Philosophical foundations Konstantine Arkoudas and Selmer Bringsjord; 3. Philosophical challenges William S. Robinson; Part II. Architectures: 4. GOFAI Margaret A. Boden; 5. Connectionism and neural networks Ron Sun; 6. Dynamical systems and embedded cognition Randall D. Beer; Part III. Dimensions: 7. Learning David Danks; 8. Perception and computer vision Markus Vincze, Sven Wachsmuth and Gerhard Sagerer; 9. Reasoning and decision making Eyal Amir; 10. Language and communication Yorick Wilks; 11. Actions and agents Eduardo Alonso; 12. Artificial emotions and machine consciousness Matthias Scheutz; Part IV. Extensions: 13. Robotics Phil Husbands; 14. Artificial life Mark A. Bedau; 15. The ethics of artificial intelligence Nick Bostrom and Eliezer Yudkowsky.
£26.99
Faber & Faber Why We Remember
Book Synopsis'Radically new and engaging.' MATTHEW WALKER'Not only will every reader remember better afterward, they'll also never forget this life-changing book.' SIDDHARTHA MUKHERJEE'Ranganath turns much of what we think we know about memory on its head.' DANIEL J.
£13.49
Random House USA Inc Forgetting The Benefits of Not Remembering
Book Synopsis“Fascinating and useful . . . The distinguished memory researcher Scott A. Small explains why forgetfulness is not only normal but also beneficial.”—Walter Isaacson, bestselling author of The Code Breaker and Leonardo da VinciWho wouldn’t want a better memory? Dr. Scott Small has dedicated his career to understanding why memory forsakes us. As director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at Columbia University, he focuses largely on patients who experience pathological forgetting, and it is in contrast to their suffering that normal forgetting, which we experience every day, appears in sharp relief. Until recently, most everyone—memory scientists included—believed that forgetting served no purpose. But new research in psychology, neurobiology, medicine, and computer science tells a different story. Forgetting is not a failure of our minds. It’s not even a benign glitch. It is, in fac
£19.55
Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale The Scarcity Brain
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£18.40
Random House USA Inc The Secret Life of Secrets
Book Synopsis“If you’ve ever wondered why we keep secrets and what motivates us to spill them, look no further. Michael Slepian has spent the past decade studying the psychology of secrets, and is ready to reveal his findings to the world.”—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again “The Secret Life of Secrets gracefully blends engaging stories with compelling science.”—Sonja Lyubomirsky, University of California professor and author of The How of Happiness Think of a secret that you’re keeping from others. It shouldn’t take long; behavioral scientist Michael Slepian finds that, on average, we are keeping as many as thirteen secrets at any given time. His research involving more than 50,000 participants from around the world shows that the most common secrets include lies we’ve told, ambitions, addictions, mental health challenges, hidden relationships
£21.00
Random House USA Inc Defy
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£22.50
Diversified Publishing Defy
£20.95
Harvard University Press Minding the Climate
Book SynopsisThe human brain evolved to prioritize short-term rewards over long-term goals. But while this adaptation served our ancestors well, it is maladaptive in the face of a slow-moving climate crisis. Luckily, brains can adjust. Ann-Christine Duhaime explores how we can reframe what we find rewarding to counteract climate change.Trade ReviewA fascinating book. Dr. Duhaime reveals that the vexed nature of the human brain complicates our response to our greatest crisis. By linking neuroscience and environmental studies, this book offers key insight into how we might leverage our brains to fight climate change. -- Bill McKibben, author of Falter and The End of NatureA unique look at how to meaningfully address catastrophic climate change…Duhaime’s original angle sets her work apart from the pack, and she easily translates complex neurology for nonspecialists. Climate-minded readers will find this full of insight. * Publishers Weekly *Duhaime covers many issues in a thoughtful way, including the gap between people’s stated intentions to perform pro-environmental behaviors and whether they actually do so; the limits of survey-based research about attitudes, beliefs, and behavior versus seldom-done field studies; and all the ways in which reward is pertinent for behavioral change. She succeeds in suggesting that neuroscience is indirectly relevant to understanding our current climate predicament. -- Adam R. Aron * Science *Surprising…Using insights provided by research at the intersection of neuroscience, environmental sciences and a number of other fields, Minding the Climate invites us to think about what a ‘sustainable brain’ might look like and how to achieve it. * New Books Network *Minding the Climate is a groundbreaking work on how we might leverage our brains to fight climate change. -- Sudhirendar Sharma * The Hindu *Original, thoughtful, and inspiring. Dr. Duhaime explains how our brains seek rewards, and if we take the time to understand how and why this affects our behavior, we will be able to live healthier lives—for ourselves and for our environment. -- Peter Sterling, author of What Is Health?Minding the Climate provides key insights on how the physiology of the human brain shapes our capacity to address the existential threat of climate change. This work is essential if we are to have any hope of surviving as a species and preserving a habitable planet for future generations. -- Brad Campbell, President, Conservation Law FoundationFor decades climate science has been ignored, undermined, and denounced. Dr. Duhaime takes us deep into the brain to understand why we fail to do what is in our and the planet’s best interest. This is an important book. -- Rachel Kyte, Dean, Fletcher School, Tufts UniversityWhile our brains are motivated by short-term incentives and immediate satisfaction loops, we can change the ways we think about the threat of global warming and, consequently, spark our collective sense of urgency and action. Minding the Climate presents a groundbreaking look at how to do that. -- John Judge, President and CEO, Trustees of Reservations, and author of The Outdoor CitizenA beautifully written look into why changing behavior in response to the climate crisis is so challenging. Like the great neurosurgeon she is, Dr. Duhaime methodically and carefully unpacks the fascinating evolutionary roots of human decision-making, why that decision-making so often falters in the face of modern threats, and how to use that understanding to guide future action. Highly recommended! -- Howard Frumkin, Senior Vice President, Trust for Public Land
£25.46
Harvard University Press Learning to Imagine
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
£25.46
Harvard University Press The Four Realms of Existence
Book SynopsisJoseph LeDoux argues that ideas like the self are increasingly barriers to discovery and understanding. He offers a new framework, theorizing four realms of existence—bodily, neural, cognitive, and conscious. Together, these four realms operate continuously as an “ensemble of being” to make humans who and what we are.Trade ReviewLeDoux’s aim is to provide a new theory of being human by dividing our evolutionary past into four realms: biological at the bottom, then neurobiological, cognitive and conscious…Along the way are excellent accounts of the evolution of brain structures and cognitive abilities. -- Susan Blackmore * New Scientist *[LeDoux] suggests that there are four basic varieties of life on Earth: biological, neurobiological, cognitive and conscious. The book provides an in-depth description of these realms (I found the cognitive one especially thought-provoking) and describes how they evolved. -- Liad Mudrik * Nature *A rigorously scientific yet eminently readable exploration of what it means to be human…[LeDoux] delves into complex notions of personality and the self, the construction of internal narratives, and memory, elegantly making the case for the emergent properties of the mind without recourse to an undetectable soul or reducing the complexity of human existence to merely physical factors. The result is a finely wrought, thought-provoking feast for the mind. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Joseph LeDoux is one of the most influential researchers and engaging writers in contemporary neuroscience. In The Four Realms of Existence, LeDoux takes the reader on an eye-opening journey into some of the most profound mysteries of mind and brain. Full of provocative ideas and startling insights, this captivating book is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding the basis of human experience. -- Daniel L. Schacter, author of The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and RemembersJoe LeDoux is a leading light in the neuroscience of consciousness, and his new book is fascinating, engaging, and provocative. He proposes that consciousness is a kind of story that the brain tells itself, and he backs up this intriguing proposal with a wealth of evidence, including many discoveries of his own. Well worth reading. -- Anil Seth, author of Being You: A New Science of ConsciousnessLeDoux is a deep and synthetic thinker, aiming to advance our understanding of the mind in a way that is consistent with our best science and philosophy. His encyclopedic mastery of evolutionary biology, neurobiology, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, and the philosophy of mind allows him to build a theory of mind that does justice to the theory of evolution. A terrific book! -- Owen Flanagan, author of How to Do Things with EmotionsOne of our great scientific storytellers, Joe LeDoux deftly exposes the insufficiencies of current understandings of self and personality to capture the totality of who and what a person is in this fascinating and deeply researched book on what it means to be human. -- Daniel J. Levitin, author of The Organized Mind and Successful Aging
£22.46
Harvard University Press Religion as MakeBelieve
Book SynopsisDrawing on a range of hard evidence, Neil Van Leeuwen shows that the psychological mechanisms underlying religious belief are the same as those enabling imaginative play. He argues that we should therefore understand religious belief as a form of make-believe that people use to define their group identity and express the values sacred to them.Trade ReviewThis brilliant and controversial book reframes our understanding of faith. Van Leeuwen captures the complex nature of faith commitments accurately and with deft philosophical insight. He sees what people do—not what they think they do. -- T. M. Luhrmann, author of How God Becomes Real: Kindling the Presence of Invisible OthersThis is an important and richly stimulating book, perhaps the most important on the science of religion for a decade or more. It is required reading for philosophers of mind and religion, for those who work on the psychology of religion, and for all thoughtful people who care about the role of faith in public life. -- Neil Levy, author of Bad Beliefs: Why They Happen to Good PeopleNeil Van Leeuwen takes readers on a journey from children’s playgrounds to cave art, from imaginary friends to ghosts and gods, drawing on philosophy, psychology, and anthropology to mount a provocative argument that will delight some readers and vex others, but offer a worthwhile adventure for all. -- Tania Lombrozo, Princeton UniversityThis is a bold and persuasive effort to show that religious beliefs should not be conflated with straightforward factual beliefs. The argument is vigorous and combative. It will provoke lively and helpful discussion, especially among scholars of religion and philosophers willing to venture beyond standard analyses of belief. -- Paul L. Harris, author of Child Psychology in Twelve QuestionsMaintaining that religious beliefs and factual beliefs about the everyday world constitute different cognitive attitudes, Neil Van Leeuwen advances a theory that deftly integrates critical findings and insights from philosophy, cognitive science, anthropology, and history. This wonderful book glistens with careful argumentation, splendid clarity, consistent fairness, striking erudition, and what, ultimately, is remarkable wisdom. -- Robert N. McCauley, author of Why Religion is Natural and Science is NotA groundbreaking book that makes a substantial contribution to the scientific study of religion. Van Leeuwen’s distinction between factual beliefs and religious credences will help us make sense of some of the thorniest puzzles in the field. -- Jonathan Lanman, Queen’s University Belfast
£32.26
Princeton University Press The War of the Sexes
Book SynopsisMen and women became experts at influencing one another to achieve their cooperative ends, but also became trapped in strategies of manipulation and deception in pursuit of sex and partnership. Drawing on biology, sociology, anthropology, and economics, this book shows that conflict between the sexes is, paradoxically, the product of cooperation.Trade ReviewOne of Financial Times (FT.com) Best Economics Books of 2013 "[A] witty, informative and cogent new book."--Jonathan Ree, Guardian "Seabright zooms out and across history in an accessible mix of scholarly prose and chatty anecdote to explain why inequalities and disagreements persist beyond potty-training... Turning to today, Seabright investigates everything from the effects of technology on gender-bias, to the various benefits of tallness, talent, and charm in the workplace."--PublishersWeekly.com "Throughout the book, Seabright is terrific company--entertaining and convincing."--John Whitfield, Nature "Right off the bat, I can say that this book should not be collecting dust on your shelf... [I]s War of the Sexes a challenging and interesting read? Undoubtedly so."--Sander Van Der Linden, LSE Politics and Policy blog "The War of the Sexes is a fascinating read. I love its interdisciplinarity."--Diane Coyle, The Enlightened Economist "Seabright, an economist familiar with evolutionary modelling, synthesises several disciplines in asking what our evolutionary heritage teaches us about men's and women's rights and roles in the modern labour market. Judicious in bringing Darwinism to bear on contemporary mores, he avoids the vulgar reductionism that often plagues this kind of popular science."--Camilla Power, Times Higher Education "Seabright is unusual among economists in being a thoroughgoing Darwinian, and in this fascinating book he takes an evolutionary perspective to explore why there are still inequalities in economic power between men and women."--Jon Wainwright, SkepticTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Part One Prehistory Chapter 1: Introduction 3 Chapter 2: Sex and Salesmanship 27 Chapter 3: Seduction and the Emotions 40 Chapter 4: Social Primates 60 Part Two Today Chapter 5: Testing for Talent 93 Chapter 6: What Do Women Want? 111 Chapter 7: Coalitions of the Willing 126 Chapter 8: The Scarcity of Charm 141 Chapter 9: The Tender War 157 Notes 183 References 211 Index 233
£18.00
Princeton University Press The War of the Sexes
Book SynopsisAs countless love songs, movies, and self-help books attest, men and women have long sought different things. The result? Seemingly inevitable conflict. Drawing on biology, sociology, anthropology, and economics, this title shows that conflict between the sexes is, paradoxically, the product of cooperation.Trade ReviewOne of Financial Times (FT.com) Best Economics Books of 2013 "[A] witty, informative and cogent new book."--Jonathan Ree, Guardian "Seabright zooms out and across history in an accessible mix of scholarly prose and chatty anecdote to explain why inequalities and disagreements persist beyond potty-training... Turning to today, Seabright investigates everything from the effects of technology on gender-bias, to the various benefits of tallness, talent, and charm in the workplace."--PublishersWeekly.com "Throughout the book, Seabright is terrific company--entertaining and convincing."--John Whitfield, Nature "Right off the bat, I can say that this book should not be collecting dust on your shelf... [I]s War of the Sexes a challenging and interesting read? Undoubtedly so."--Sander Van Der Linden, LSE Politics and Policy blog "The War of the Sexes is a fascinating read. I love its interdisciplinarity."--Diane Coyle, The Enlightened Economist "Seabright, an economist familiar with evolutionary modelling, synthesises several disciplines in asking what our evolutionary heritage teaches us about men's and women's rights and roles in the modern labour market. Judicious in bringing Darwinism to bear on contemporary mores, he avoids the vulgar reductionism that often plagues this kind of popular science."--Camilla Power, Times Higher Education "Seabright is unusual among economists in being a thoroughgoing Darwinian, and in this fascinating book he takes an evolutionary perspective to explore why there are still inequalities in economic power between men and women."--Jon Wainwright, SkepticTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Part One Prehistory Chapter 1: Introduction 3 Chapter 2: Sex and Salesmanship 27 Chapter 3: Seduction and the Emotions 40 Chapter 4: Social Primates 60 Part Two Today Chapter 5: Testing for Talent 93 Chapter 6: What Do Women Want? 111 Chapter 7: Coalitions of the Willing 126 Chapter 8: The Scarcity of Charm 141 Chapter 9: The Tender War 157 Notes 183 References 211 Index 233
£18.00
Princeton University Press Ethical Life
Book SynopsisThe human propensity to take an ethical stance toward oneself and others is found in every known society, yet we also know that values taken for granted in one society can contradict those in another. Does ethical life arise from human nature itself? Is it a universal human trait? Or is it a product of one's cultural and historical context? Webb KeTrade Review"A book that masterfully interweaves insights from philosophy and the natural and social sciences."--Max Hayward, Times Literary Supplement "This far-reaching discussion of ethical life and moral systems by anthropologist Keane aspires to combine the traditions of what he calls 'natural history' with those of 'social history'... This rich and original study will certainly fascinate anyone with an intellectual interest in morality and ethics."--Choice "Ethical Life is an extraordinary book. It is broad in its scope, careful and reflective in its elaboration of a theoretical vocabulary, it deals with basic issues for the humanities and the social sciences and manages to produce genuine and thought-provoking new insights."--Ethical Theory and Moral Practice "An extraordinary achievement that deserves a wide readership way beyond anthropology. In short, Keane has given social scientists a theoretically informed way in which to approach ethics as an empirical phenomenon and he has provided scholars usually working within moral philosophy new challenges with his invitation to think of ethics as socially engrained--all the way down."--Klaus Hoeyer, Ethical Theory and Moral PracticeTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Part One Natures Introduction Ethical Affordances, Awareness, and Actions 3 Some Questions about Ethical Life 6 Defining Ethics and Morality 16 Awareness and Reflexivity 21 Ethical Affordances 27 Overview of the Book 32 Chapter 1 Psychologies of Ethics 39 Seeking Ethical Foundations 39 How Psychologists Define Ethics and Morality 40 Empathy and Altruism 46 Self and Other 48 Mind Reading 51 Psychology's Challenge to Ethical Awareness 54 Moral Emotions and Normative Judgments 58 Third-Person Perspective 63 Making Things Explicit 67 Ethical Affordances in Psychology 70 Part Two Interactions Chapter 2 Selves and Others 77 Giving Accounts 77 Intersubjectivity 79 Intention-Seeking 83 Conversational Inferences 86 Shared Reality 88 Regard for One Another 93 A Semiotics of Character 96 Ethical Vulnerability 99 Chapter 3 Problematizing Interaction 110 Dignity and Respect 110 Variations on Intersubjectivity 117 Underdetermined Emotions, Specific Concepts 122 The Opacity of Other Minds 124 Interiority 126 One's Own Thoughts 128 Local Themes, Affordances Everywhere 130 Chapter 4 Ethical Types 133 Moral Breakdown? 133 Self-Awareness and Other People 136 Standing before the Law 140 The Inner Clash of Ethical Voices 143 Dysfluency and Ethical Conflict 146 Disciplining the Clash of Voices 148 Typifying Character Explicitly 151 Ethical Figures and Types 153 Defining the Situation 156 Interaction as Affordance 160 Part Three Histories Chapter 5 Awareness and Change 167 Shifting Stances 167 Ethical Progress? 172 The Social Production of Ethical Problems 180 Abolitionism 184 Consciousness-Raising 187 From Personal Experiences to Analytical Categories 190 Reconstructing Ethical Feelings 194 Chapter 6 Making Morality in Religion 199 Ethical Life and Morality Systems 199 Historical Objects 201 Taking Ethics in Hand 203 Ethics as Piety 206 Habitual Ethics 207 The God's-Eye Point of View 208 Entextualization and Sacred Truth 211 Abstraction and Struggle 214 Chapter 7 Making Morality in Political Revolution 216 The Ethical Attack on Religion 216 Ethical Sources of Vietnamese Revolutionary Thought 218 Everyday Ethics, Everyday Oppression 221 Revolutionary Ethics 223 Reforming Social Interaction 228 The Various Fates of Ethical Revolution 233 History's Affordances 237 Conclusion 241 Affordances, Awareness, Agency 241 Human Rights 248 Humanitarianism 256 First-, Second-, and Third-Person Positions 259 Bibliography 263 Index 281
£29.75
Princeton University Press On Task
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the PROSE Award in Popular Science and Mathematics, Association of American Publishers""How billions of neurons come together to turn thought into action is astounding in itself, but cognitive neuroscientist David Badre takes this to new levels in his book."---Amy Barrett, BBC Science Focus Magazine"On Task is a stimulating, enjoyable read for anyone interested in brain function, particularly if you want to understand how researchers are attempting to unravel some of the biggest mysteries of them all: how humans think, how they are successful when confronted with new challenges and how prefrontal cortex might contribute to that success."---Masud Husain, Brain"Badre provides a thorough and engaging introduction to the history of the study of cognitive control, and an overview of new developments from the last 20 years."---Zsuzsa Kaldy, Current Biology"I would definitely recommend On Task to anyone who is interested in metacognition and understanding how your brain makes decisions."---Leslie Hamachi, Chemistry World
£21.25
Princeton University Press Hard to Break
Book SynopsisTrade Review"As he explores why humans evolved to be so habit-driven, Poldrack considers dopamine, which is crucial in forming habits for its impacts on brain plasticity; questions the efficacy of mindfulness (now a 'billion-dollar industry'); and covers the formation of addictions, which he calls 'habits gone bad.' Poldrack's study is strongest when he describes experiments on interrupting habit formation on a cellular level, which can potentially help one shed such undesirable behaviors as smoking and overeating. . . . This is a worthy intellectual adventure, one that’s well articulated for readers looking for rigorous study." * Publishers Weekly *
£18.00
Princeton University Press What Makes Us Smart
Book Synopsis
£27.00
Princeton University Press The Illusionist Brain
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
£19.80
