The Mind: Leading Scientists Explore the Brain, Memory, Personality, and Happiness

by John Brockman

"Theway Brockman interlaces essays about research on the frontiers of science withones on artistic vision, education, psychology and economics is sure to buzzany brain." —Chicago Sun-Times on This WillChange Everything
Markingthe debut of a hard-hitting new series from Edge.org and Harper Perennial,editor John Brockman delivers a cutting-edge master class covering everythingyou need to know about The Mind. With original contributions by theworld’s leading thinkers and scientists, including Steven Pinker, George Lakoff, Philip Zimbardo, V. S. Ramachandran, and others, The Mind offers aconsciousness-expanding primer on a fundamental topic. Unparalleled in scope,depth, insight and quality, Edge.org’s The Mind isnot to be missed.

Genres: Psychology, Science, Nonfiction, Neuroscience, Essays, Brain

288 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

John Brockman is an American literary agent and author specializing in scientific literature. He established the Edge Foundation, an organization that brings together leading edge thinkers across a broad range of scientific and technical fields.

He is author and editor of several books, including: The Third Culture (1995); The Greatest Inventions of the Past 2000 Years (2000); The Next Fifty Years (2002) and The New Humanists (2003).

He has the distinction of being the only person to have been profiled on Page One of the "Science Times" (1997) and the "Arts & Leisure" (1966), both supplements of The New York Times.

Reviews

[Vikrama Dhiman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had particularly low expectations from this book. Interviews and essays in response to questions can come up either great or total duds. The previous book from the author 'This Will Make You Smarter' was a disappointment. This one is not quite so and there are cognitive biases at play here. First, the book has three back to back excellent chapters towards the second half:
Chapter 13: The Assortative Mating Theory - talks about sex and 'seemingly' male/ female hormones and how they impact the mental health of the offspring - fascinating
Chapter 14: Toxo, The Parasite that is Manipulating Human Behavior - excellent chapter again on how a little-known parasite found only in the gut of the cat can make you less timid by cutting the dendrites in neurons from the fear part of your brain (in rats it does more, it makes them sexually attracted to cat urine - making the parasite-laden mouse likely to be eaten by the cat and likely to get back to its home - cats gut). I am definitely not having cats as pets after reading this.
Chapter 15: Amazing Babies. Babies are a hot topic these days. Everyone wants to learn about them to construct learning machines. Unfortunately, it seems quite clear that babies are way smarter than machines are currently. Whether it is stats or numbers, babies have innate skills that we are still discovering. Also learned about the second aspect of Turing Test - given the same information as a human baby, can a computer learn 'as well' and 'as much' as a human being?

Bunch of chapters at the start are from rather boastful 'scientists' and make for clumsy reading. There are definitely gems littered across the interviews and essays though.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and I am giving a generous 4 out of 5 stars.

[Andy]

I really enjoy Edge books. Check out edge.org for a list of published books and current scientific discussions, if interested.

“Any situation that makes you anonymous and gives permission for aggression will bring out the beast in most people.” - You Can’t Be a Sweet Cucumber in a Vinegar Barrel, Philip Zimbardo, Psychologist, Stanford University

[Javier Maldonado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primera lectura del año y una muy estimulante en términos intelectuales. Puros rockstars de la psicología (de esa que en Chile se estudia poco because pseudociencias *mira de reojo a los psicoanalistas*) presentando sus más recientes investigaciones y descubrimientos. Encontré el libro de casualidad mientras miraba otras cosas en una librería y cuando vi los nombres de Pinker, Haidt y Sapolsky (entre otros) en la contraportada fue imposible no comprarlo. Una muy buena decisión.

[Bruce Mackenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read this in 2012, a year after it was published. I have come to love all of the books of this type put out by edge.org, and editor John Brockman. While this early entry is still interesting, the longer and less focused essays and interviews detract from the overall effect. Still definitely worth reading.

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some bits slipped by me not being a neuroscientist or anything like that, but on the whole, fascinating!

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it. Concise and thought provoking essays and interviews by some of the more interesting and creative players in the neuroscience, philosophy and psych scene (e.g. Pinker, Haidt and Lakoff, LeDoux, Dehaen). Some of the essays were better than others, but over all, great stuff. I think of Brockman's books (and edge.org) as a sampler platter. You get to try a little something from a bunch of really cool thinkers and see if any of them capture your attention enough to investigate their work in more depth. My "must read" list grew by about six books based on what I read in The Mind, for instance; I'm going to read Dehaen's Number Sense and Lakoff's Philosophy Of The Flesh next because both of their essays were so dang good. I think I might grab another Brockman book too (probably Culture). My only apprehension in picking up another edge.org compilation is the inevitable overwhelm you feel afterwords, trying to figure out what rad book you want to read next. Quality problem right? BTW does Brockman have a cool gig or what? He's like the Hugh Hefner of nerds.

[Ninakix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I'm a sucker for this kind of book. And the editing here is particularly good - it's composed of a bunch of chapters, some written essays but a large majority are actually interviews. They are conducted in such a way that you don't need prior knowledge of the subject matter, but give a real flavor for how various experts are thinking about the brain. It's not just an array of the different sciences and perspectives of the brain, but also how various researchers came to their perspective, not just from a scientific viewpoint, but also personally. It also does a good job laying out the debates that are happening among those studying the brain, with each of a variety of perspectives represented. Highly recommended.

[Yogodot · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read more recent entries in Brockman's series, essays that are far more concise, informative and inspiring than the rambling lectures and pseudo-interviews featured in this collection; I found this material clumsy and disappointing, even though I greatly esteem the authors of the first two contributions: Steven Pinker and George Lakoff. At some point in the history of edge.org publications a competent editor took charge of submissions, but it was subsequent to this volume.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book kind of exhilarating, to realize how well developed our understanding of the brain and mind has become. Not every essay is equally interesting, but overall, a great collection. (Note that these essays may well already be available on the edge.org website, but I was happy to have them in book form.)

[عبدالرحمن عقاب · Rating 3 out of 5]

هذا الكتاب أكثر تخصصا وتحديدا من باقي كتب edge للصحافي بروكمان.
في مجمله مفيد ونافع. يتحدث فيه المشاركون المتخصصون اهتماماً وبحثا في مجال العقل عن آخر مشاريعهم وأبحاثهم وما يشغلهم. لكنه وبسبب تشعب تخصصات المشاركين الثماني عشر يشعر القاريء بالإرباك.
ولتعدد الكتاب تعددت مستويات المكتوب من حيث الأهمية ووضوح الفكرة وحسن العرض.

[Dr. E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for both the neuroscientist and the curious. The interviews read like friendly, yet scholarly and upbeat conversations and the essays provide noble attempts at explaining the all-elusive mind.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a few of these Edge / John Brockman books now: leading researchers, authors, et al, write short essays on a particular topic. They're all interesting & worthwhile but this one seemed particularly good. Scientists actually can give sorta answers to 'what is consciousness?'

[Víctor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting readings in psychology, neuroscience, and congnitive sciences. Worth reading to keep update with the advances in these fields.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems I am not a fan of John Brockman's work. Your mileage may vary.

[Rojine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative.
Helpful for my research.

[Clarissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essays about the brain, or possibly talks written down. Some were better than others, but most were interesting.