Tell tale brain
Over the recent long weekend, worked through a 2011book by
V. Ramachandran called – the telltale brain: unlocking the mystery of human nature.
The book is written in a conversational style and peppered
with the author’s wry humour and story telling. Some of the case studies
presented are from Ramachandran’s work with patients who have had neurological
trauma or illnesses. Therefore, the book mirrors some of the techniques used in
other books and over viewed in previous blogs.
Tell-tale brain consists of an introduction and nine
chapters. Each chapter deals with an aspect of brain function and provide
laypersons’ guides to contemporary understanding of neurophysiology and
neuropsychology.
The introduction details the rationale for Ramachandran’s
writing approach. In short, a need for a lay person’s book that does not ‘talk
down’ to the intelligent reader but has sufficient substance to intrigue and
inform.
Chapter 1 covers an aspect forming the foundation of
Ramachandran’s work on ‘phantom limbs’. Neurological explanations for why some
amputees still ‘feel’ their detached limb with a plausible reason for sensory
regions to still be networked and accessible when parts of the brain in
proximity to the detached bit are activated.
The second chapter summarise current understandings on
seeing and knowing. Providing for an extension of the concepts discussed in the
previous chapter.
Chapters 3 and 5 cover the interesting phenomenon of
‘synesthesia’, the ability to ‘see’ in colour or feel or taste numbers or music
and the challenges presented by autism. A good overview, especially on autism
and why and how savants develop.
The fourth chapter discusses the ‘neurons that shaped
civilisation’. A precursor to the next chapter on language. Discusses how
neurons have evolved to allow for social interactions. Therefore, takes on an
evolutionary psychology / neurological stance. Importance of 'mirror neurons' and their role in human empathic processes discussed.
Chapter 6 delves into the evolution of language. How the
brain works to allow us to learn languages. What is innate in us to allow
language to develop and the role and contribution of ‘nurture’ – the socio-cultural
dimension.
The topic of aesthetics is covered in chapter 7 with the
authors’ ‘universal laws’ of how humans gauge ‘beauty’ and other forms of
qualia discussed in chapter 8. Perhaps the weakest chapters in the book as
Ramachandran argues for the neurological roots of art appreciation and our need
to find balance and patterns to deal
with the complex audio visual sensory world we live in.
The last (and important) chapter provides food for thought on the topic
of ‘how introspection evolved’. A summary on edge makes for good reading plus extensive summary and discussion from this blog on this last chapter 'an ape with a soul'.
A glossary is provided along with notes pertinent to each
chapter along with a bibliography and index.
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