Bodily Sensibility: Intelligent Action

by Jay Schulkin

Overview

Although we usually identify our abilities to reason, to adapt to situations, and to solve problems with the mind, recent research has shown that we should not, in fact, detach these abilities from the body. This work provides an integrative framework for understanding how these abilities are affected by visceral reactions. Schulkin presents provocative neuroscientific research demonstrating that thought is not on one side and bodily sensibility on the other; from a biological point of view, they are integrated. Schulkin further argues that this integration has important implications for judgements about art and music, moral sensibilities, attraction and revulsion, and our perpetual inclination to explain ourselves and our surroundings.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195348743
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/08/2004
Series:	Series in Affective Science
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Lexile:	1210L (what's this?)
File size:	2 MB

Editorial Reviews

3 Stars from Doody

Reviewer: Celso Agner, MD, MS, MSc (Michigan Neurology Partners)
Description: Books that delve into the intricacies of the human mind are fascinating as they reflect the nature of the extensive study of the brain, an organ that has fascinated scientists for many centuries.
Purpose: The purpose of this book is to provide an integration of basic science and the development of the mind. Although a widely held presumption, few books are able to correlate basic neuroscience with human behavior. This book is an additional source for psychologists and neurologists dealing with the intricacies of the human brain. However, I don't think this one is strictly necessary, as other books have dealt well with the topic, including classic neuroscience books that provide the connection between neuroscience, neurology, and psychology.
Audience: The audience is neurologists and neuropsychologists interested in the interaction between science and medicine.
Features: This is a short book organized informally to present different aspects of human social interaction and manifestation. There are not many pictures but they end up reflecting aspects of the emotional interaction of human beings. The concept is not new and has been explored multiple times previously. The presentation may be slightly different, although not original enough to justify the purchase of this book for a medical library. It may be useful, however, for psychology libraries.
Assessment: This book is appropriate for neuropsychological libraries or physicians with an interest in disturbances of the mind. However, it does not have much of a direct clinical application.

Doody's Review Service

"A stunning book, incisive and wide-ranging. It provides a portait of how brains integrate cognition and emotion at every level, from brainstem to cortex. Weaving together brain science, physiology, psychology, and philosophy, Schulkin covers topics from basic to affective reactions to music appreciation and moral emotions. Mind and neuroscience are combined here in a provocatively original meditation filled with deep insights."—Kent Berridge, Professor of Psychology, University of Michigan

"Schulkin deftly blends philosophical pragmatism, psychology, and brain research into a compelling portrait of the relation between body, behavior, and mind. It covers not only emotions and drives, but also mortality and social relations. Bodily Sensibility is scholarly, but also a great read."—Joseph LeDoux, Henry and Lucy Moses Professor of Science at NYU, and author of The Emotional Brain and Synaptic Self

From the Publisher