Books by Gary Marcus

A renowned neuroscientist with no musical talent investigates what it takes to make musicOn the eve of his fortieth birthday, renowned cognitive scientist Gary Marcus decided to fulfil a lifelong dream and learn to play the guitar. He had tried many times before failing miserably. This time, he decided to use the tools of his trade to see if he might suceed. On his quest he jams with twelve-year-olds and takes master classes with guitar gods. A groundbreaking exploration of the allure of music, Guitar Zero is also an empowering case for the minds ability to grow throughout life.

A 'kluge' is an engineering term for a makeshift solution, an inelegant construction that somehow works. This is Gary Marcus's analogy for the way the human mind has evolved. Arguing against a whole tradition that praises our human minds as the most perfect result of evolution, Marcus shows how imperfect and ill-adapted our brains really are.