Description
Book SynopsisIf we lose our memories, are we still ourselves? Is identity merely a collection of electrical impulses? What separates us from animals, or from computers? From Plato to
Westworld, these questions have fascinated and befuddled philosophers, artists, and scientists for centuries. In
The Forgetting Machine, neuroscientist Rodrigo Quian Quiroga explains how the mechanics of memory illuminates these discussions, with implications for everything from understanding Alzheimer's disease to the technology of Artificial Intelligence.
You'll also learn about the research behind what Quian Quiroga coined "Jennifer Aniston Neurons," cells in the human brain that are responsible for representing specific concepts, such as recognizing a certain celebrity's face. The discovery of these neurons opens new windows into the workings of human memory.
In this accessible, fascinating look at the science of remembering, discover how we turn perceptions into memories, how language shapes our experiences, and the crucial role forgetting plays in human recollection. You'll see how electricity, chemistry, and abstraction combine to form something more than the human brain, the human mind. And you'll gain surprising insight into what our brains can tell us about who we are.
The Forgetting Machine takes us on a journey through science and science fiction, philosophy and identity, using what we know about how we remember (and forget) to explore the very roots of what makes us human.
Trade Review"Rodrigo Quian Quiroga is one of those rare computational neuroscientists who really knows how to bring complex and abstract concepts to a popular audience. This charming and informative book explains current understanding of how memories are encoded in the brain in elegant prose."
—Alison Abbott, Nature magazine "A noted brain scientist takes the reader on an exciting whirlwind tour of vision and memory. "
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Christof Koch, Chief Scientist and President, Allen Institute for Brain Science, Seattle "If you wish to take a fascinating and memorable journey into the riddles of human perception and memory,
The Forgetting Machine is the gate to enter."
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Yadin Dudai, professor, Weizmann Institute of Science and New York UniversityTable of ContentsChapter 1. How Do We Store Memories? Chapter 2. How Much Do We See? Chapter 3. Does the Eye Really See? Chapter 4. How Much Do We Remember? Chapter 5. Can We Remember More? Chapter 6. Could We Become More Intelligent? Chapter 7. Types of Memory Chapter 8. How Does the Brain Represent Concepts? Chapter 9. Can Androids Feel? Notes Index Acknowledgments About the Author
