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Smellosophy: What the Nose Tells the Mind
A pioneering exploration of olfaction that upsets settled notions of how the brain translates sensory information.
Decades of cognition research have shown that external stimuli "spark" neural patterns in particular regions of the brain. This has fostered a view of the brain as a space that we can map: here the brain responds to faces, there it perceives a sensation in your left hand. But it turns out that the sense of smell--only recently attracting broader attention in neuroscience--doesn't work this way. A. S. Barwich asks a deceptively simple question: What does the nose tell the brain, and how does the brain understand it?
Barwich interviews experts in neuroscience, psychology, chemistry, and perfumery in an effort to understand the biological mechanics and myriad meanings of odors. She argues that it is time to stop recycling ideas based on the paradigm of vision for the olfactory system. Scents are often fickle and boundless in comparison with visual images, and they do not line up with well-defined neural regions. Although olfaction remains a puzzle, Barwich proposes that what we know suggests the brain acts not only like a map but also as a measuring device, one that senses and processes simple and complex odors.
Accounting for the sense of smell upsets theories of perception philosophers have developed. In their place, Smellosophy articulates a new model for understanding how the brain represents sensory information.
Decades of cognition research have shown that external stimuli "spark" neural patterns in particular regions of the brain. This has fostered a view of the brain as a space that we can map: here the brain responds to faces, there it perceives a sensation in your left hand. But it turns out that the sense of smell--only recently attracting broader attention in neuroscience--doesn't work this way. A. S. Barwich asks a deceptively simple question: What does the nose tell the brain, and how does the brain understand it?
Barwich interviews experts in neuroscience, psychology, chemistry, and perfumery in an effort to understand the biological mechanics and myriad meanings of odors. She argues that it is time to stop recycling ideas based on the paradigm of vision for the olfactory system. Scents are often fickle and boundless in comparison with visual images, and they do not line up with well-defined neural regions. Although olfaction remains a puzzle, Barwich proposes that what we know suggests the brain acts not only like a map but also as a measuring device, one that senses and processes simple and complex odors.
Accounting for the sense of smell upsets theories of perception philosophers have developed. In their place, Smellosophy articulates a new model for understanding how the brain represents sensory information.
352 pages, Hardcover
Published July 14, 2020
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568 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 11, 2020
Leave it to a scientist/philosopher to write a book plumbing the workings of one of our senses, and produce a book stripped of every last vestige of sensuality.
I'll grant, it's thoroughly argued that the methods brain scientists have used to define and understand smell have been shoddy, lacking in specificity, and too reliant upon the language and measurements of vision. I'm persuaded.
But can we not have one sentence about the mystery of smell, how it connects to memory, and how it moves or inspires or repels us? Can we not have one small narrative, a story about a perfume or spice?
Lacking that narrative, this book is impossible to finish. We have no idea where we're going. Chapter appears after chapter with little sense that it is building toward something.
Perhaps an academic researching this topic will find the book valauble. I skimmed the latter half, but in truth I stopped on page 104.
I'll grant, it's thoroughly argued that the methods brain scientists have used to define and understand smell have been shoddy, lacking in specificity, and too reliant upon the language and measurements of vision. I'm persuaded.
But can we not have one sentence about the mystery of smell, how it connects to memory, and how it moves or inspires or repels us? Can we not have one small narrative, a story about a perfume or spice?
Lacking that narrative, this book is impossible to finish. We have no idea where we're going. Chapter appears after chapter with little sense that it is building toward something.
Perhaps an academic researching this topic will find the book valauble. I skimmed the latter half, but in truth I stopped on page 104.
April 27, 2021
What a rich and fascinating subject. I was very excited about reading this book but unfortunately cannot offer a higher rating because I found so much of the content to be inaccessible to a layperson. If the author set out to write a popular science book, she did not do justice to the mission. If it was meant to be the exclusive preserve of those well-versed in medical terminology, the goal should have been more explicit (and I could have saved some time and perhaps read something else instead!).
Here is an example of a passage from this book, picked at random (page 204): "The mitral cells, named after their similarly to a bishop's hat, pick up the signal from the receptor neurone and fast-forward it to several areas in olfactory cortex. Next to the cortical amygdala, enthorninal cortex, and olfactory tubercle, the majority of axons of these mitral cells project to the so-called piriform cortex, the largest domain of the olfactory cortex, which connects to several neighboring cortical regions also beyond the olfactory system." I don't know what any of these terms mean, and I am none the wiser after reading this book, which is full of jargon like this on every page.
Here is an example of a passage from this book, picked at random (page 204): "The mitral cells, named after their similarly to a bishop's hat, pick up the signal from the receptor neurone and fast-forward it to several areas in olfactory cortex. Next to the cortical amygdala, enthorninal cortex, and olfactory tubercle, the majority of axons of these mitral cells project to the so-called piriform cortex, the largest domain of the olfactory cortex, which connects to several neighboring cortical regions also beyond the olfactory system." I don't know what any of these terms mean, and I am none the wiser after reading this book, which is full of jargon like this on every page.
March 14, 2021
Out of your five senses; which would you be willing to give up? Multiple surveys have found that most people answer with, ‘smell’. Believe it or not, smell is actually a crucial part of orienting yourself in time and space and is the force behind taste. Without smell, you have no taste! Thinking twice about giving it up? Despite its importance, olfaction is a relatively recently explored sense with much left to still discover and learn; but scientists are certainly on the fast track constantly revealing new facets. A.D. Barwich offers readers a wide scope look at what the nose knows in, “Smellosophy”.
If the merits of a book are judged upon the credibility and expertise within the subject field of the author; then “Smellosophy” is leading the pack. Barwich is a prestigious expert in the study of olfaction, philosophy, cognitive science and history; bringing academia to her writing and making “Smellosophy” the ‘real deal’. Barwich’s aim with “Smellosophy” is to bring readers an exhaustive discussion of olfaction broken down into four main themes: history, philosophy, neuroscience and psychology with an emphasis on the exploration of scientific experimentation and data.
If this causes you to sense (pun) that “Smellosophy” is ‘heavy’ reading; then you are correct. Barwich’s “Smellosophy” is not for the faint of heart and it serves as a functional science piece dense with field jargon, technique and method thus eschewing the pop-science/pop-psychology flow that would draw a wider reading audience. Don’t give up on “Smellosophy”, though: it is worth any struggle.
Despite the reading difficulties of a highly technical piece; “Smellosophy” has some very intoxicating moments where Barwich uses a smooth, logical narrative with a concise voice. Readers gain a valuable introduction/background to the field, a look at where the science began and where it is headed. There are quite a few ‘Ah-ha!’ moments to be had. “Smellosophy” entertains with its social history angle but remains heavy-hitting with its scientific reporting.
Barwich, aside from her own educational and career background; is clearly passionate about the sense of smell on a personal level. This comes through in every sentence of “Smellosophy” and adds to the big-picture view.
“Smellosophy” does suffer from some major weaknesses such as repetition and lack of clarification. There are many lengthy discussions on specific topics that Barwich seemingly doubles-back and changes her opinion later-on; distracting reader attention and makes it difficult to grasp the material. This is especially true in the second half of “Smellosophy” which focuses on the neuroscience, chemistry and biology of smell. Even as a reader of numerous neuroscience texts; “Smellosophy” was still often over my head and difficult to understand. “Smellosophy” is clearly for the tenacious, science-based researchers/readers and not for the ‘Average Joe’ who would experience quite some confusion with “Smellosophy”. To aid in lightening this load, Barwich occasionally draws on humor and pulls one-liner jokes resulting in a more approachable text.
Disappointedly, “Smellosophy” explores the advances and experimentations in the olfaction field instead of Barwich conducting these studies, first-hand. “Smellosophy” would have been stronger with such a viewpoint.
Barwich concludes “Smellosophy” with a summary wrap-up of the olfaction field and the book content, itself. This serves as a strong finality that answers most questions regarding the sense of smell. “Smellosophy” is thickened with illustrations/graphics, a list of the fellow experts interviewed for “Smellosophy” (complete with dates and medium used), a source list and notes.
“Smellosophy” is an extensive, well-formulated text that blends psychology, philosophy, social history and neuroscience together to entertain and educate readers. It’s primary weakness is that it is too academic being difficult to understand from a lay man’s view and is therefore not suggested for the average reader (in fact – if I didn’t have some prior knowledge of neuroscience, I would give this three-stars opposed to four as it is certainly not meant for novices). That said, “Smellosophy” is recommended for heavy neuroscience readers and those with an interest in olfaction. It is simply advised to be patient and read slowly in order to fully decipher and retain “Smellosophy”.
The irony was not lost on me that I have bibliosmia and was constantly sniffing the delicious pages of “Smellosophy”.
If the merits of a book are judged upon the credibility and expertise within the subject field of the author; then “Smellosophy” is leading the pack. Barwich is a prestigious expert in the study of olfaction, philosophy, cognitive science and history; bringing academia to her writing and making “Smellosophy” the ‘real deal’. Barwich’s aim with “Smellosophy” is to bring readers an exhaustive discussion of olfaction broken down into four main themes: history, philosophy, neuroscience and psychology with an emphasis on the exploration of scientific experimentation and data.
If this causes you to sense (pun) that “Smellosophy” is ‘heavy’ reading; then you are correct. Barwich’s “Smellosophy” is not for the faint of heart and it serves as a functional science piece dense with field jargon, technique and method thus eschewing the pop-science/pop-psychology flow that would draw a wider reading audience. Don’t give up on “Smellosophy”, though: it is worth any struggle.
Despite the reading difficulties of a highly technical piece; “Smellosophy” has some very intoxicating moments where Barwich uses a smooth, logical narrative with a concise voice. Readers gain a valuable introduction/background to the field, a look at where the science began and where it is headed. There are quite a few ‘Ah-ha!’ moments to be had. “Smellosophy” entertains with its social history angle but remains heavy-hitting with its scientific reporting.
Barwich, aside from her own educational and career background; is clearly passionate about the sense of smell on a personal level. This comes through in every sentence of “Smellosophy” and adds to the big-picture view.
“Smellosophy” does suffer from some major weaknesses such as repetition and lack of clarification. There are many lengthy discussions on specific topics that Barwich seemingly doubles-back and changes her opinion later-on; distracting reader attention and makes it difficult to grasp the material. This is especially true in the second half of “Smellosophy” which focuses on the neuroscience, chemistry and biology of smell. Even as a reader of numerous neuroscience texts; “Smellosophy” was still often over my head and difficult to understand. “Smellosophy” is clearly for the tenacious, science-based researchers/readers and not for the ‘Average Joe’ who would experience quite some confusion with “Smellosophy”. To aid in lightening this load, Barwich occasionally draws on humor and pulls one-liner jokes resulting in a more approachable text.
Disappointedly, “Smellosophy” explores the advances and experimentations in the olfaction field instead of Barwich conducting these studies, first-hand. “Smellosophy” would have been stronger with such a viewpoint.
Barwich concludes “Smellosophy” with a summary wrap-up of the olfaction field and the book content, itself. This serves as a strong finality that answers most questions regarding the sense of smell. “Smellosophy” is thickened with illustrations/graphics, a list of the fellow experts interviewed for “Smellosophy” (complete with dates and medium used), a source list and notes.
“Smellosophy” is an extensive, well-formulated text that blends psychology, philosophy, social history and neuroscience together to entertain and educate readers. It’s primary weakness is that it is too academic being difficult to understand from a lay man’s view and is therefore not suggested for the average reader (in fact – if I didn’t have some prior knowledge of neuroscience, I would give this three-stars opposed to four as it is certainly not meant for novices). That said, “Smellosophy” is recommended for heavy neuroscience readers and those with an interest in olfaction. It is simply advised to be patient and read slowly in order to fully decipher and retain “Smellosophy”.
The irony was not lost on me that I have bibliosmia and was constantly sniffing the delicious pages of “Smellosophy”.
April 25, 2023
A highly technical discussion of odours, the reception of smells and how the brain detects, analyses and recognises complex smells. The author frequently draws analogies with sight, sound and other senses. There are also analogies with the olfactory system in both other animals and insects. The best bit in the book for me was the section near the end where a sommelier described what he was smelling in a wine, invoking, for example, smells reminiscent of opening a tube of new tennis balls or rubber tubing! I wanted to like this book, which I read as an audiobook, but found it too technical, in both content and language, to properly absorb aurally.
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July 12, 2023Okay, I don't use GR for "work" and I read this book for "work." But I think it seems like a book which would be interesting for people who are not philosophers (of science or otherwise). And it probably would be, but it has, imo, a big structural problem. The argument is just not clear while you are reading it! There is really no signposting until the final two chapters, which is, I think, where you find all of Barwich's positive argument. The positive argument is SUPER interesting, and maybe if you're into history of science the other parts of the book would be interesting, too? But the book doesn't replace signposting with narrative, even though there's a pretty obvious progressive narrative ("we used to think x, now we think y").
She has tenure, and rightly, so I feel okay saying this: I have never been more annoyed by the way quotes are introduced. In my entire life. I hate it.
But those last two chapters are so interesting! Why was this a book and not an interesting article about that stuff! No more philosophy books!!!!!!
She has tenure, and rightly, so I feel okay saying this: I have never been more annoyed by the way quotes are introduced. In my entire life. I hate it.
But those last two chapters are so interesting! Why was this a book and not an interesting article about that stuff! No more philosophy books!!!!!!
December 24, 2022
I liked this book, and I think probably it doesn't deserve to have as low a rating as it has on Goodreads, but I don't think it's the most well-put-together example of what this could be. The main theses of the book were a bit hard to tease out from some of the very detailed information about experiments that established what we know about smell.
I think the author was trying to convince us that smell is an interesting sense that we under-value, which is maybe true, but at some point she laments the fact that some large fraction of people would be rather give up their sense of smell than their smartphone, and I found that even after reading this book, I am in that camp. The main reason is that, in the modern world, a smartphone is way more useful than a sense of smell — most of our food is ridiculously clean, we don't have to evade any predators, and our sense of smell is not terribly useful for accomplishing practical things. This doesn't mean I'm not interested in having a sense of smell — I think smell dramatically enriches our lives — but I see it as more of a luxury than a smartphone, which lets me capture images of my children, communicate with people all over the world, navigate to new places with ease, summon help in an emergency, etc.
That said, despite the fact that I am not all-in on smell, one of my enduring interests is the human sensorium, and I'm very interested in the way different senses work, how they relate to each other and to the mind, and how they might be expanded or adjusted. The fact that Barwich ended up starting a smell research lab after writing this book is something I totally sympathize with, since I also want to run out there and start doing sensory research. I hope she discovers a ton of interesting stuff.
(If I'm being honest, I have bumped this up from a 3 to a 4 because I think the current GR rating of 3.48 is on the low side, and I don't want to drive it even lower, but normally I would give this book a 3).
3.5 of 5 stars
I think the author was trying to convince us that smell is an interesting sense that we under-value, which is maybe true, but at some point she laments the fact that some large fraction of people would be rather give up their sense of smell than their smartphone, and I found that even after reading this book, I am in that camp. The main reason is that, in the modern world, a smartphone is way more useful than a sense of smell — most of our food is ridiculously clean, we don't have to evade any predators, and our sense of smell is not terribly useful for accomplishing practical things. This doesn't mean I'm not interested in having a sense of smell — I think smell dramatically enriches our lives — but I see it as more of a luxury than a smartphone, which lets me capture images of my children, communicate with people all over the world, navigate to new places with ease, summon help in an emergency, etc.
That said, despite the fact that I am not all-in on smell, one of my enduring interests is the human sensorium, and I'm very interested in the way different senses work, how they relate to each other and to the mind, and how they might be expanded or adjusted. The fact that Barwich ended up starting a smell research lab after writing this book is something I totally sympathize with, since I also want to run out there and start doing sensory research. I hope she discovers a ton of interesting stuff.
(If I'm being honest, I have bumped this up from a 3 to a 4 because I think the current GR rating of 3.48 is on the low side, and I don't want to drive it even lower, but normally I would give this book a 3).
3.5 of 5 stars
August 12, 2020
This book, while primarily targeted at academic (or very curious, or people for whom smell is a part of work) audiences, has a lot to offer:
- a complete description of what we know about smell and how we came to learn about it, including a history of how smell has been theorized since Antiquity;
- a study of how research is made, how the incorporation of new tools from adjacent fields can introduce new framings, and even if these are not successful, discard unhelpful hypothesis;
- an explanation of how experts (sommelier etc) develop their abilities;
- and let's say a 'thought-experiment' to neuroscientists and philosophers.
It is easy to read, although it would have benefited from explanatory figures in the first chapters.
- a complete description of what we know about smell and how we came to learn about it, including a history of how smell has been theorized since Antiquity;
- a study of how research is made, how the incorporation of new tools from adjacent fields can introduce new framings, and even if these are not successful, discard unhelpful hypothesis;
- an explanation of how experts (sommelier etc) develop their abilities;
- and let's say a 'thought-experiment' to neuroscientists and philosophers.
It is easy to read, although it would have benefited from explanatory figures in the first chapters.
April 10, 2021
I tried.
I tried by hardback.
I tried by audiobook.
The book combines two of my interests, the effects of smell and of philosophy.
I work in for one of the fragrance companies mentioned in this book.
I could not get past Chapter 2.
Up to Chapter 2 at least, this book is a dry, textbook monotone of the history of olfaction and neurology. Topics that I normally find interesting I could not pay attention to. There is no narrative, no driving path that the book takes.
A one star rating from would mean the book is actively flawed, unreadable, etc. A three star rating from me indicates that I would read/listen to the book neutrally if bored. This one gets a two star rating because this book feels lifeless.
I tried by hardback.
I tried by audiobook.
The book combines two of my interests, the effects of smell and of philosophy.
I work in for one of the fragrance companies mentioned in this book.
I could not get past Chapter 2.
Up to Chapter 2 at least, this book is a dry, textbook monotone of the history of olfaction and neurology. Topics that I normally find interesting I could not pay attention to. There is no narrative, no driving path that the book takes.
A one star rating from would mean the book is actively flawed, unreadable, etc. A three star rating from me indicates that I would read/listen to the book neutrally if bored. This one gets a two star rating because this book feels lifeless.
December 13, 2021
I am a big fan of books like this. I love Mary Roach. Recently I enjoyed Sy Montgomery's The Soul of An Octopus. Maybe I had too high expectations from this topic? Maybe I anticipated a sense of humor? I listened to the audiobook and the narrator sounded robotic. At normal speed she delivered rapid-fire studies that sounded like they were verbatim from a peer-reviewed academic journal publication. It's a shame because this book was recommended by a couple of mycologists who taught an online class I attended. They were very passionate instructors so I trusted their suggestion. Unless you're well-versed in chemistry, I don't recommend this book.
November 30, 2020
Smellosohpy has a good amount of information, but I struggle to give it three stars. There are three star books I like and would recommend and there are those I wouldn't.
It could be that I'm remedial when it comes to the science of smell. Or the pacing is not my style. But overall it felt like good information all mixed into a mesh-network of concepts.
Again it could be my inability to see the framework, but it didn't flow well and was difficult to get through. I got much more from World Science Festival videos on the same topic.
It could be that I'm remedial when it comes to the science of smell. Or the pacing is not my style. But overall it felt like good information all mixed into a mesh-network of concepts.
Again it could be my inability to see the framework, but it didn't flow well and was difficult to get through. I got much more from World Science Festival videos on the same topic.
January 19, 2021
A very well written and well researched dive into both the biology and psychology of smell. It definitely passes the sniff test. Wink wink.
I read this for my work as a distiller - and while there was definitely a lot of good information, it was the final handful of chapters that really resonated with what I was looking for. An excellent book, if not sometimes a bit too technical for anyone that isn't 100% up on their neurology.
I read this for my work as a distiller - and while there was definitely a lot of good information, it was the final handful of chapters that really resonated with what I was looking for. An excellent book, if not sometimes a bit too technical for anyone that isn't 100% up on their neurology.
January 23, 2023
This book was neither good or bad. I was transported back to perceptual psychology and realized that the information I gained in an undergraduate class was more than sufficient. I'm not actually interested in this topic. Good that I know that about myself now. I will never read about perceptual psychology again unless it relates directly to consciousness or psychedelics.
Read
November 21, 2023Don't judge this book by it’s cover. What looks like a cheery pop-science look at our most mysterious of senses is in fact wilfully impenetrable, densely scientific and almost entirely humourless. It did help me get to sleep and I learned a couple of things but I can't recommend it and m saddened to miss the book it thought it was going to be.
August 7, 2021
It's a truly important book if you're even remotely related to food because it gives an insight not just about how our nose works (and what we don't know yet) but also how it affects the psychology of your being and obviously eating.
April 7, 2022
This book saved me a lot of money, that I could waste on aromapsychology courses. It gives a perspective of the state-of-art aromarelated science. And you can more or less clear understand what would work and what would not work in applications.
May 16, 2023
Don't get me wrong this is an excellent book and I have learned a lot. It loses 2 stars for mentioning Kuhn's paradigm shifts. I guess in this day and age being a Popperian is reason enough to get cancelled.
October 17, 2020
Fascinating when I could understand it, but frequently too technical for me.
March 1, 2021
A deep book about smell. Its pretty crazy how much we don't know, but this book goes through alot. Its great how it looks at different fields for broader understanding.
December 2, 2021
This book gave me everything I needed for my research in one stop. Full of amazing information, and written with plush and energy.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews