A Very Short Tour of the Mind: 21 Short Walks Around the Human Brain

by Michael C. Corballis, Derek Shetterly (Reading)

What gives the human brain the creative ability that defines us all as individuals? Although the silicon version is hard on its heels, the brain remains the most remarkable computer in existence. Leading us through cognitive theory, neuroscience and Darwinian evolution with his trademark wit and wisdom, Michael Corballis explains what we know-and don't know-about our minds. How do we know if we're really the top dogs in brain power? Does our creativity stem solely from the right brain? From language to standing upright, composing music to bull, he uncovers our most common misconceptions and the fascinating habits and abilities that make us human.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Psychology, Audiobook, Neuroscience, Brain, Biology

Audio

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were a few interesting facts but mostly I didn't learn anything new, and a couple of things he brings up are outdated as per the latest literature. Overall I'm unimpressed; I mainly picked up the book because of Steven Pinker's glowing review on the cover. Damnit, Pinker, you let me down.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most of the material in this series of short essays (easily digestible in one sitting) was familiar to me, but Corballis has a gift for conversational explanation with some opinion thrown in, so this was fun.

Perhaps my favorite part was his essay on why walking on two legs may have fostered the smartest animals on the planet (that being us). It's not just that it freed our hands to gesture (and he thinks our language evolved from gesture) and make tools and carry things, but bipedalism meant women could not carry children for as long as most mammals (otherwise they'd never be able to walk), which means the children are born relatively prematurely, which means their brains continue to develop during the helpless stage of infancy, which increases learning and social bonding, and voila, a homo sapiens advantage!

Also fun: his analysis of the difference between lying and bullshit, his reflections on why the brain's functions are asymmetrical, and the intriguing idea that when we learn written language, our right brains produce a mirror image of all the letters we learn in the left brain, helping to explain the frequent letter reversals in children learning to write.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The spiral of manipulation, increasing intelligence and effective communication, all stemming from bipedalism, makes us what we are today - a dominant, manipulative, dangerous species, albeit one capable of acts of altruism and goodwill that may save us from self-immolation. We might ponder the fact that there have been some twenty hominin species identified as having existed since the split from the chimpanzee line, but only one remains - us. Nevertheless, the present-day plight of our nearest relatives, the chimpanzees and the bonobos, is altogether more dire. Be thankful, but perhaps also feel a little guilty, that we persevered with our two-leggedness and eventually achieved dominance over our knuckle walking cousins."

Michael C. Corballis

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too short. I enjoy a good overview or "tour" but this was too glancing and superficial. I had originally been interested in reading Corballis's new book, The Wandering Mind, which I had heard something good about, somewhere. But this book was available, and now looking at the index for the new book I see that The Wandering Mind seems to cover all the same material, only fleshed out.

The attempts at humor fell flat. And I was bewildered by the brief explanation of split-brain experiments originating in the treatment of epileptic patients - Corballis never mentions Gazzaniga, the cognitive neuroscientist whose name comes up in every single other book on brain research I've ever read (I learned that name in high school!). I think there are big rivalries in brain research and I gathered from reading his memoir that Gazzaniga thinks pretty highly of himself. Maybe others' don't.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

#NonfictionNovember2016
One of the most brilliant last paragraphs I've encountered so far:
Unfortunately, bullshit is everywhere. Robert Conquest in his poem “A Grouchy Good Night to the Academic Year” gives this warning:
"Then alas for the next generation,
For the pots fairly crackle with thorn.
Where psychology meets education
A terrible bullshit is born."
And remember, that the book you've just finished listening to was written by a phycologist with a long involvement in education.

BAM!

[Desirée]

Tanganyika laughter epidemic

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Humorous read chock-a-block with interesting neuroscience facts. I liked that each bit was only 4-5 very small pages long, fit my attention span at the time. Docked one star because his discussion of linguistics was a bit, uh. Kinda makes me wonder what else he wrote that doesn't sound kosher to experts in that particular field, but eh, I enjoyed the book.

[Troy Blackford · Rating 4 out of 5]

A diverting collection of 21 article-length surface-examinations of various mental phenomenon. 'Very short' is right there in the title, so if you know that you're getting yourself into something like this, and won't be disappointed in the truthfulness of the title, you'll certainly enjoy yourself. Wide-ranging topics all centered around cognition, perception, language, and other mental activity.

[Taryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 I thought this would be more interesting than it was. It was too short and I could have done without the first 5 chapters. It didn't really talk about the mind until chapter 6.

[P Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

good, not great

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

No citations? What is this, amateur hour?

[Rosewater Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Рік паркана (культурний світ святкує Змію - серед сучасно-прадавніх слов'ян в тренді досить однозначна зелено-дерев'яна радянська спадщина) почався, рік міжпланетного героя епізодичної повітроплавби Еденчулуса XVI завершився Туром мозком в шортах. Рідкий апопатрисхоласт з президентської онлайн-наливайки не супроводжував би кожне торкання дісплею славнозвісним прислівником, найдоцільніша рима для якого при самому міністерському бажанні залишається відверто натужною.
People are generally so intent on watching the players and counting the passes that they fail to notice a person dressed in a gorilla suit walking through the scene. Автор, ім'я чиє приховує у собі не будь-кого, а Елогіма, згадує про експеримент: агнці слідкують за баскетбольним матчем, підраховуючи кількість вдалих передач, виконаних дорослими, сильними, напевно й розумними, якщо довіряти наочній активності потових залоз, самцями, як запевнили організатори експерименту, подібними до всіх зацікавлених у результатах і подальших досягненнях такої корисної галузі науки, людини. Питання: чим відрізняється згадуваний експеримент від наявної війни, як щоранку людей і не змушують навіть рахувати - лише ухвалювати статистику "втрат ворожих" і "локаційних", уподібнених до баскетболістів, які (у позалабораторний час) переховуються від жінок, тільки-но дізнаются, що партнери в (непов'язаній із експериментом, але лабораторній) насолоді налаштовані все ж залишити (автоматично враховану у ролі піддсолідної) дитину?
People fail to notice a strigoi dressed in a hero suite walking through an abandoned cemetery with their names carved into the shattered gravestones. Well, memories are also easily altered and implanted by persuasive questioning. За смаколики люди готові розповсюджувати коміксований космос, оскільки вартість скорочення життя військового на 7 [невживаних інкаше] років складає споконвічні-глікемічні 1000 карбованців.
- Комусь треба оновити андроїд на дзеркальних нейронах. Як так "не встановлювала"?
..
We are born to be specialists, with limitations imposed by culture rather than by unused brain space. Вейтаміна, культурні обмеження (як їх тлумачити у функції протидії необхідності і неминучості міжкультурної комунікації) хіба не є неуживаним простором у всіх інших сенсах надвихісуваного мозку?! Yet our tolerance for bullshit also means that unscrupulous manipulators can hide their lies under the cover of bullshit - national interests included.
В контексті, припустимо далекому від політики, примітним є посилання на Пінкера, хто (Елогім не дасть збрехати) комусь із UBI* вказує, буцім, музичне мислення (вираз\вияв) не варте вивчення, адже являє собою побічний продукт мовлення. Корбалліс не висловлює підтримки, ні, гідно хвали, та серед відгуків на "Тур" ще двічі цитується "мізомузика", ніби пропонуючи зайву аргументацію як не людської, то загальночитацької інтертолерації банелюк з нескінченних снів рябої кобили про Незрівнянного Окуконацококу**.
Доктор Шортбрейн, до речі, притримується теорії виникнення мови не з тваринного гуку (не из животного эя, для моноязыких), а в розвитку мануальної терапії - власне, мова наслідує жестикуляції. Окремі представники цивілізованого конгломерату недосяжної, як сходова кліть, Сімії не схильні виступати проти відповідних ремінісценцій: the retreat of communication into the mouth is an early example of minituarisation, allowing the hands, and indeed the rest of the body, to be put to use in other activities - в контексті чого, асексуалізація (віртуалізація, як компроміс і колаборація) закономірно наслідує мінітюарізації статевих відносин, котрі нерозривно пов'язані з жестикуляцією, звільненою від мовних норм.
Герою дитинець містера Брейнсторма на момент публікації виповнил��сь 75 років. На момент релізу Piper at the Gates of Dawn, ще не доктор, а просто Магістр мистецв в Окленді, упритул наблизився до "христовіку". Що могло статися в проміжку цих елементарних консьюмеристичних явищ, ��о напоумило б освічену людину на зайняття суворої позиції по відношенню до письма, котре є не генетично, а лише культурно уґрунтованою складовою еволюції людства? Grammy Awaits, навзаводи зі Стівеном?

[Kyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

1 Picking Up the Pieces - Intro chapter. Overview of how scientific psychology has progressed from introspection to behaviorism (which focused primarily on animals and behavior rather than the idea of the mind) to the cognitive revolution (which replaced the focused on humans as rediscovery of the mind as a cognitive computational device) to a psychological discovery of the brain (its structures and functions as related to emotions AND thinking).
2 Swollen Heads - Humans see themselves at the top of a hierarchy. We don't have the largest absolute brain size, nor the highest brain-body ratio (2.1% of body weight). But, we have a high encephalization quotient (7.44) which measures how much larger a brain is than compared to the expected size of the brain based upon body size. We also have a high ratio (4.1) of the neocortex to the overall brain size, which indicates our level of higher-order functions such as language, memory, and thinking, and our disposition to form larger group sizes (148 people).
3 On Being Upright - Humans are bipedal, but suffer some disadvantages such as posture problems, hernias, birth pain, sciatica, less efficient and slower movement. The reshaped pelvis means babies are born prematurely so they are more vulnerable for longer. Babies, however, spend more time after birth developing their brains to become larger and are more exposed to social environments during critical periods of development. Bipedalism also freed our hands for tasks such as developing tools, and possibly developing language.
4 Why Italians Gesticulate -Corballis claims that language evolved from manual gestures rather than animal calls, which are stereotyped and fixed. Great Apes have better range of gestures than vocals, and gestures appear more conversational. Humans, with freed hands, are now able to mime tool use and develop technologies, which likely indicates elaborate group structures, language, and grammar. Vocal language is useful when vision is limited and because it expends less energy.
5 Lost Cousins - Neanderthals lived in Europe from 500KYA-30KYA, and went extinct only 20KY after humans arrived. They did not have a developed speech language but still mated with humans so modern day people share between 1-4% of DNA with them. Denisovans also mated with humans 50K-30K and make up 1/20 of Melanesian's genomes today. Humans persist perhaps because of technology, communication, and bonding rituals such as religion and sports.
6 Attention! - Senses and experiences force us to select some details, externally or internally, for mental processing while ignoring others. Attention can blind us to both extraneous and important information, though we can control what we pay attention to, meaning we are not simply at the mercy of our senses. Certain cues such as loud noise, bright lights, etc. will grab our attention to know and respond to potential dangers. We must balance attention to allow prolonged focus and general awareness, as directed by our frontal lobes, though asymmetrically. Brains focus primarily on the right side of space and thus damage to the right may cause hemineglect of their left side. "We are the lopsided ape."
7 On Being Right-Or Not - Left handers only make up 10% of the population, and this figure is proportional across cultures and is weakly genetically inherited. Genes may not determine if a person is left handed, but it may determine if a person is not right handed, meaning left-handed, ambidextrous, mixed handed. Mixed-handers have a slightly elevated risk of disorders relating to brain asymmetry such as language. Our bodies are bilaterally symmetrical but brains would be impeded if they were strictly symmetrical, performing identical functions on either side.
8 Split Brain, Split Mind -
9 About Face
10 My Oath
11 Small Talk
12 Music
13 Remembrance of (some) Things Past
14 About Time
15 Colored Days
16 I Know What You're Thinking
17 Mirror, Mirror on the Brain
18 Laughing Matters
19 Telling from Left to Right
20 The 10 Percent Myth
21 Lies and Bullshit

[Sugarrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very short ! I know it was supposed to be short but just as every chapter was getting good I was left wanting more and felt like things were missing or there could have been more... Anyway still a very good read , I love everything science and this book was not boring and easy to read. I loved the idea of 21 walks through the mind but once again I feel he touched too briefly in many on the interesting subjects.

[Karina Paramitha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy the "tour" and how the book was written with each chapter answering certain questions:

" Why is some of us left-handed?"
"Is there any scientific reason behind swearing?"
"How does music stimulate the brain?"

If you want a crash-course, here you go. But as it is stated in the title, do not expect full deep dive.

[Felipe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly enjoyable, though simple, and thought provoking. Ideally, there would be a little supplemental bibliography of further reading at the end of each chapter to follow up on this (but then perhaps there was in the print version).

[Andrea Kassel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned some interesting things about the brain; but it did not keep my attention like an Oliver Sacks book.

[Heathyr · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I've already heard of everything this book has to offer, is the fault with the book or with me?

[Eric · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. Far too basic for anyone with even minimal background in psychology and familiar with neuroscience.

[Rennie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Random factoids with some interesting ones sprinkled in.

[Jon Mellberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, though it predicates a lot of later certainties by laying an inescapable, evolutionary ground work.

[Jeremy Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is ok but offers to brief of a tour of complicated topics. I think the author could have cut the number of topics by half or a third, and explored those to the same total page length.

[D. Darko · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really entertaining read, made me laugh, and also reflect on my own psychology. Good stuff!

[J.B. Siewers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hey, it is what it says it is.

[Phylwil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well it was very short but also informative.

[Al Maki]

A collection of newspaper articles.

[Mohamed Awad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful, easy, entertaining, interesting and informative.

[Chelsea Pakau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Little mini facts and takes about the brain, an easy speed read of facts.

[Ann Straight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick but interesting read about various functions of the mind. References made to other books to expand on these ideas.

[Vanezza Joongz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have learned a lot.