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Even as you read these words, a tiny portion of your brain is physically changing. New connections are being sprouted—a circuit that will create a stab of recognition if you encounter the words again. That is one of the theories of memory presented in this intriguing and splendidly readable book, which distills three researchers' inquiries into the processes that enable us to recognize a face that has aged ten years or remember a melody for decades. Ranging from experiments performed on the "wetware" of the brain to attempts to re-create human cognition in computers, In the Palaces of Memory is science writing at its most exciting.
Even as you read these words, a tiny portion of your brain is physically changing. New connections are being sprouted—a circuit that will create a stab of recognition if you encounter the words again. That is one of the theories of memory presented in this intriguing and splendidly readable book, which distills three researchers' inquiries into the processes that enable us to recognize a face that has aged ten years or remember a melody for decades. Ranging from experiments performed on the "wetware" of the brain to attempts to re-create human cognition in computers, In the Palaces of Memory is science writing at its most exciting.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
About the Author-
George Johnson writes regularly about science for the New York Times. He has also written for National Geographic, Slate, Discover, Scientific American, Wired, and the Atlantic, and his work has been included in The Best American Science Writing. A former Alicia Patterson fellow, he has received awards from PEN and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and his books were twice finalists for the Royal Society’s book prize. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Reviews-
March 2, 1992 This elegantly written investigation of the memory-storing process includes reports from biologist Gary Lynch, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Leon Cooper and philosopher Patricia Churchland. Illustrated.
January 1, 1991 How does the brain create memories? It seems that under the impact of experience, the brain actually changes its structure, filing away patterns of newly connected neurons for future recollection. But the exact mechanisms remain a mystery. Johnson ( Machinery of the Mind ) focuses on three experts who attack this enigma from the vantage of their different disciplines. Biologists Gary Lynch puts forth a controversial hypothesis which holds that the breakup of a single type of molecule inside cerebral neurons makes possible memory formation. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Leon Cooper uses computer simulations to show that memory is inseparable from perception and logic. Philosopher Patricia Churchland depicts the brain as a ``Rube Goldberg machine,'' an assemblage of evolutionary tricks for translating sensory data into mental constructs--memories--that help ensure survival. This elegantly written report is science on the cutting edge--messy, intuitive and exciting.
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