Books in the Mind/Brain/Behavior Initiative series

Humphries offers an explanation of why consciousness makes compelling evolutionary sense. From sensations that probably began in bodily expression to evolutionary advantages of a conscious self, he tracks the "hard problem" of consciousness to its source and its solution, one in which the very hardness of the problem may make all the difference.

As neuroscientific research shows, even the immediate sensation of pain is shaped by psychological state and interpretation. Many individuals and cultures find meaning, particularly religious meaning, even in chronic and inexplicable pain. This interdisciplinary book includes not only essays but also discussions among a wide range of specialists.

Changeux confronts an ancient philosophical problem: can we know the world as it really is? Drawing on new findings on the psychophysiology of perception and judgment in primates, and on the cultural history of science, he makes a case for scientific progress and argues that it forms the basis for a coherent and universal theory of human rights.

Do drug addicts have an illness, or is the addiction under their control? Should they be treated as patients or as criminals? Challenging the conventional wisdom, the authors draw on recent debate in law, public policy, medicine, and biopsychology to show that these standard dichotomies are themselves false.

The scientific research literature on memory is enormous, yet no single book has focused on the complex interrelationships of memory and belief. This book brings together scholars from neuroscience, cognitive psychology, literature, and medicine to discuss such provocative issues as "false memories," retrospective biases, and implicit memory.

A stellar lineup of international cognitive scientists, philosophers, and artists make a case that the brain is multilingual. Among topics discussed are the learning of second languages, recovering language after brain damage, sign language, mental imagery, representations of motor activity, and the perception and representation of space.