Description
Book SynopsisFrom simple reflexes to complex movements, all animal behavior is governed by a nervous system. But what kind of government is ita dictatorship or a democracy? Ari Berkowitz explains the variety of structures and strategies that control behavior, while providing an overview of thought-provoking debates and cutting-edge research.
Trade Review[A] chummy yet dizzying state-of-the-art tour of behavioral neurobiology. -- Simon Ings * New Scientist *
This book would be incredibly useful for students just embarking on a career in neurophysiology, or for any student of science who is interested in the history of neural thought. It presents the experimental evidence that led to our present-day understanding of many neuroethological concepts such as command neurons, efference copy, neuronal networks, neuronal multifunctionality, the ubiquitous role of inhibition, and others. -- Peter Narins, University of California, Los Angeles
Governing Behavior provides an accessible and engaging review of modern theories of neuroethology. Berkowitz presents an account of the experiments behind the theories that is at once clear, concise, scholarly, and entertaining. His overarching analogy between nervous systems and governments works—and helps the reader to grasp the fundamental concepts of autonomy and partnership that characterize neural circuits. -- Leslie Tolbert, University of Arizona
