The Genius Engine: Where Memory, Reason, Passion, Violence, and Creativity Intersect in the Human Brain

by Kathleen Stein

Overview

Embarking on a spellbinding journey to the frontiers of neuroscience, acclaimed science editor and writer Kathleen Stein takes an enthralling in-depth look at the prefrontal cortex, the site of our working memory, impulse control, reason, perception, decision making, and emotional processing—all the things that comprise our human genius.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780470086889
Publisher:	Trade Paper Press
Publication date:	05/04/2007
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	802 KB

About the Author

KATHLEEN STEIN has written about science and technology for more than twenty years and was Omni's neuroscience editor for more than a decade. She has also written for the New York Times, Biotechnology Newswatch, and UPI, and has taught literature and writing at the college level at Rutgers.

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments.

Brain Maps and Matrices Diagram.

Introduction.

1. Memory: The DNA of Consciousness.

2. Reason: Logic, Laughter, and Looking Within.

3. Passion: In Cold Blood?

4. Violence: Morality and the Minds of the Killers.

5. Creativity: Art as a Window into the Brain.

6. Silicon Minds: The Rise of Machine Genius.

Notes.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

As neuroscientists refine their understanding of how the human brain works, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been shown to play a powerful role. As the brain's "central executive," the PFC is responsible for handling all kinds of thought processes, from sorting through short-term memories to understanding jokes. Stein, the former neuroscience editor for Omni, uses interviews with a wide array of brain researchers as the foundation for her overview, explaining the significance of their research. While the ramifications of each line of study-establishing the PFC's role in everything from emotional intelligence to the suppression of violence-are significant, Stein has difficulty bringing them all together into a dynamic, involving story. And while she does provide a few pictures of the prefrontal and cerebral cortices at the beginning of the book, the lack of illustrations in the text makes it harder to understand the relationships among the areas of the brain she discusses. The science is solid, but the account lacks the welcoming quality of recent works by other brain specialists such as Steven Johnson and John Horgan. (Feb.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

As neuroscientists refine their understanding of how the human brain works, the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been shown to play a powerful role. As the brain's ""central executive,"" the PFC is responsible for handling all kinds of thought processes, from sorting through short-term memories to understanding jokes.Stein, the former neuroscience editor for Omni, uses interviews with a wide array of brain researchers as the foundation for her overview, explaining the significance of their research. While the ramifications of each line of study—establishing the PFC's role in everything from emotional intelligence to the suppression of violence—are significant, Stein has difficulty bringing them all together into a dynamic, involving story. And while she does provide a few pictures of the prefrontal and cerebral cortices at the beginning of the book, the lack of illustrations in the text makes it harder to understand the relationships among the areas of the brain she discusses. The science is solid, but the account lacks the welcoming quality of recent works by other brain specialists such as Steven Johnson and John Horgan. (Feb.) (Publishers Weekly, November 27, 2006)

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