The Private Life of the Brain: Emotions, Consciousness, and the Secret Life of the Self

by Susan A. Greenfield

"Drawing on many different sources-the effects of neurological disorders and injuries, the actions of drugs, the character of thought in dreams, in schizophrenia, in reverie, and in childhood-Susan Greenfield has given us a synthesis which is challenging, original, readable, and personal."-Oliver Sacks How does the human brain produce your private world?

In this groundbreaking exploration, neuroscientist and author Susan Greenfield demystifies the private life of the brain. She examines the physical basis of our emotions and searches for the answer to one of the most enduring mysteries in modern science: How does the brain create a unique, subjective experience for each one of us?

Utilizing cutting-edge research and compelling personal anecdotes, Greenfield reveals that emotions, triggered by individual life experiences, are the very foundation upon which our brains build our unique minds. In this absorbing, lyrical exploration, Dr. Greenfield presents a provocative new theory that provides an illuminating glimpse into the human brain and reveals the astonishing essence of who we are.

"This is one of those rare books that can make a reader happy to have been led to think."-Booklist

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Science, Neuroscience, Popular Science, Medicine, Biology

258 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2000

About the author

Greenfield is Professor of Synaptic Pharmacology at Lincoln College, Oxford. On 1 February 2006, she was installed as Chancellor of Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Until 8 January 2010, she was director of the Royal Institution of Great Britain

Reviews

[H.A. Leuschel]

'We are not fixed entities, certainly not as we grow up, but neither once we live as adults from one year to the next, and even from one day to the next.'
Neuroscientist Susan Greenfield is exploring what happens when we are conscious, become self-conscious and to what extent this is never a fixed state of mind. Through many interesting themes (childhood development, addiction, depression), she suggests an explanation about how our unique sense of self is created. It's very well written and very enjoyable to read!

[Dave Minehan]

(Original, Feb 2022)
This book felt just a little out of reach, I hope I can pick it up again once I've metabolized it a little.

There are strands of incredible metaphor about a whole new way to picture the brain, the mind, and the self. It provides a balanced neuroscience understanding of our sensory world, and our internal world, and our ego and our community.

It does feel a little scientifically dense for me (through no fault of its own, and I would resent it if it were dumbed down to my level).

This may be the end of my brain/ego/self reading journey for a minute. Needs time to be digested.

(Review 2, Apr 2023)
I've finished it again, I had spent too much time talking "about" the book that my summary had overtaken the content, so I had to read it again.

It's a brilliant Grand Theory, the idea that our fears and pleasures and ID and Ego and depression and anxiety all exist on the same spectrum, based on the scale of Neuronal Constellations across and interconnected and indivisible brain.

The issue is that grand theories require grand evidence, and (as Greenfield admits) we don't yet have the imaging acuity to prove any of it.

Also (perhaps thankfully?) it doesn't offer any insight into what to do about any of the unpleasantness that can come with Neuronal Constellations that are out of scale. So you're left just pondering "is this book correct, and if it is, is it applicable to me, and if it is, can I change anything and how").

But, at the end of the day, it's a great grand metaphor and I want everyone to read PLOTB so we can discuss!

[Aneta Jackowska-Musiol]

The author's attempt to explain how conciousness is represented in our brain made me marvell on how perfectly God has created us. Noticing a light requires a compatible work of 10.000.000 neurons in our brain that cooperate with each other with a speed of 10.000 cm per second. It is enough to remove a fluid-filled microtubules from a cell and this process would slow down to one meter per 50 years!

[Naomi]

Jesus, people in 2001 really thought that autistic people don’t possess theory of mind? I thought that kind of claptrap went out with the Ark.

[Jennifer]

The author has a really interesting theory around the importance of emotion to consciousness and the functioning of the brain. However in this book she fails to make it either interesting or readable.

It was only written in 2000 but the dismissive labelling and nature of the way she writes about common mental health conditions or addictions made it feel much older. Given her theory of the importance of emotion, it is strange that this book feels so divorced from contact with anything resembling something as messy and unscientific as a feeling. In fact you’d be forgiven for wondering if things would improve if the author actually met a human.

[Darron]

I agree that it's a tough read at times, but overall found it to be a very interesting and thought provoking book. Has certainly equipped me with a better understanding of the workings of the brain and it's myriad of chemical, electrical and cellular processes/interactions. Susan's model of consciousness and emotions is heavily based on research and comes across as being at the forefront of books covering neuroscience. Whether this is your field of interest or not it's certainly worth reading

[Gael]

Easy to grasp. Very interesting.

[Sonal]

Enjoyed every bit, very enlightening, pleased to know why somethings happen

[Sara Rihane]

Overall the chapters could’ve been shorter (the book is still very short though), as the point was sort of repeated over and over again. While the author tried to bring more and more evidence for her theory with each chapter, and it was well put (the theory is great as well), I still felt like it was a bit hard to get through considering how short the book is in the first place. So 5/5 for the theory and evidence, 3/5 for the writing.

Honestly, reading the last chapter would have been enough, it summarizes the whole book very well. Paradoxically, the best part of the book was the appendix! It out the theory in context with other related and unrelated theories, and was, in contrast to the rest of the book, packed with information.

[Aisling]

Emotion and consciousness is a continuum, always with us, however dim. Always transient in depth and form. Emotion IS the most basic form of consciousness - the two are not mutually exclusive. Some emotional experiences are indistinguishable on every level; pleasure fades into fear when stimulation is too fast and too novel. What connects the extreme types of conscious experience discussed is being trapped in the present, like a child, causing sensory explosion of neurons and of the mind. What separates them is still unknown to us with the limits of contemporary imaging techniques, but middle ground - the neural networks and their differing magnitude - may guide us in the right direction.

[Marcus Anderson]

The author makes clear throughout that she is presenting her theory of emotion which is also presented and structured for ease of understanding and clarity of argument. I found this approach invites an open and inquisitive mind which makes the reading experience quite enjoyable. Some prior knowledge of the subject area will make this a much easier read.

[Keegan Barrett]

One of my personal ventures is the discovery of consciousness and figuring what it’s all about. This book gave me a vast array of knowledge in just that. You learn the actual “science” behind the brain and it’s workings and attempts to explains consciousness the best we can come up with.

[Frank Jude]

Nueroscientist Greenfield offers up a hypothesis waiting for more advanced technology to test it. The good news is that it IS falsifiable, so it's scientifically coherent. Central to her thinking is that the brain creates consciousness and the unique sense of a self from the mechanics of neuronal functioning that correlate with emotions. Thus, Greenfield says, emotions are the most basic form of consciousness and determine, ultimately, the depth and or breath (or lack of such) of consciousness. The more intensively we feel, the less sense of self is experienced. This sounds true from experience (think orgasm, drug-induced euphoria, dance etc). Sensorial presence fully embodied in the present moment leaves little space for what Patanjali might call asmita the thought of "I-am-ness" to arise.

Greenfield sounds like a Buddhist when she writes:

"We are not fixed entities, certainly not as we grow up, but neither once we live as adults from one year to the next, and even from one day to the next. Even within a day, within an hour, we are different. All the time, experiences leave their mark and in turn determine how we interpret new experiences.... self consciousness itself is not fixed. According to the idea developed here, it will ebb and flow in inverse relation to emotions, from one moment to the next. Most important of all, then, we cannot expect, or even want, to be in a state of pleasure all the time. Such is the paradox of adult human existence -- the private life of the brain."

[Lise]

I enjoyed the book a lot, but found it a bit difficult to slog through, probably because I don't have any background in neurology at all. The endnotes are very clear and helpful, though, and she lays out her model very clearly.

I'm still a bit confused on the working definition of consciousness, though. If it's purely 'self awareness' then why are dreams considered non conscious? I was also bothered that the quantum association was added, since it seems to be predicated on a pretty wacky strong-coppernican interpretation of quantum theory.

Other than those two points, I enjoyed the book very much.

[Azn]

This book provides a wonderful insight into the brain.
It is a challenging read which will serve to broaden your linguistic capabilities whilst enlightening you about the complexities of the human brain and its interaction with the environment. I recommend it to those who are passionate about neuroscience and overall human emotion.

However, I would have liked for there to be a greater discussion on neuroplasticity, which was only vaguely touched on.

[André Borg]

Fascinating and illuminating account of how the Self is developed, the role of emotions, and how emotions are essentially the building blocks of consciousness. As the Self is developed, the world is riddled with meaning, and as such emotions are dulled - While the repression of the Self, sensations and feelings intensify, as is demonstrated in the book by the child, drug user in the latter case, or depression in the former.

[Luca Campobasso]

Though it was a rather difficult read, because of the author's digression habits, the content was pretty enjoyable and I got many more insights in emotions' inner working. Who is searching for a read dense of information but not too heavy, it is suggested. Also for whom doesn't know anything about this field, because of the lack of too-technical language.

[Pirronne]

not as readable as "a user's guide to the brain," but very interesting. it takes a while to get used to her sophisticated lines of logic, but it's totally worth looking at. just read the user's guide first, i'd say.

[Laura]

I had to read this for one of my classes in college. I really enjoyed reading it. I am glad that there are more than one kind of intelligence, and I don't have to be book smart to be considered intelligent.

[Adrienne]

This took me two attempts and months to get through. Interesting content but I took issue with the language. Especially the lack of person first language. This was published 16 years ago so I would be interested to know if Greenfield would write the book any differently now.

[Tim Dempsey]

Not the most accessible read but interesting. Certainly not a page turner!

[Barbara]

It's been a few years since I read this book. I can't remember the content just my irritation that a scientist should not have collected her ideas better and written less sloppily.

[Dan Martin]

Far too technical for a so-called popular science book. A real struggle. Yawn.

[Alterstuart]

Nice and concise.

[Kdrathbone]

Baroness Susan Greenfield may be one of my favorite new psychology icons.