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A familiar trope of cognitive science, linguistics, and the philosophy of psychology over the past forty or so years has been the idea of the mind as a modular system-that is, one consisting of functionally specialized subsystems responsible for processing different classes of input, or handling specific cognitive tasks like vision, language, logic, music, and so on. However, one of the major achievements of neuroscience has been the discovery that the brain has incredible powers of renewal and reorganization. This "neuroplasticity," in its various forms, has challenged many of the orthodox conceptions of the mind which originally led cognitive scientists to postulate hardwired mental modules. This book examines how such discoveries have changed the way we think about the structure of the mind. It contends that the mind is more supple than prevailing theories in cognitive science and artificial intelligence acknowledge. The book uses language as a test case. The claim that language is cognitively special has often been understood as the claim that it is underpinned by dedicated-and innate-cognitive mechanisms. Zerilli offers a fresh take on how our linguistic abilities could be domain-general: enabled by a composite of very small and redundant cognitive subsystems, few if any of which are likely to be specialized for language. In arguing for this position, however, the book takes seriously various cases suggesting that language dissociates from other cognitive faculties. Accessibly written, The Adaptable Mind is a fascinating account of neuroplasticity, neural reuse, the modularity of mind, the evolution of language, and faculty psychology.
In today's dynamic and often overwhelming world, "The Overthinking Trap" emerges as an essential guide for those who find themselves caught in the maze of excessive thinking. This book not only unravels the enigma of over-analysis but also offers practical and accessible strategies to overcome this paralyzing habit and achieve a fuller, more satisfying life. From the first page, the reader is introduced to a journey of self-discovery and transformation. The book begins by exploring the roots of overthinking, differentiating between healthy reflection and destructive rumination. Throughout its chapters, the author unfolds a masterful blend of psychological theory and real-life experiences, making the content not only informative but also deeply relatable. As we progress through the book, we confront the multidimensional impacts of overthinking in our lives: from analysis paralysis to the emotional and physical consequences, not to mention how it affects our relationships. This thorough analysis is complemented by a series of practical tools to combat excessive thinking. Mindfulness techniques, cognitive strategies, and the importance of self-care are presented not just as theories but as applicable practices in daily life. The author does not just stop at the problem but also guides the reader towards reconnecting with the present, highlighting the power of now and providing exercises to live in the moment and cultivate gratitude. The transition from reflection to action, and how small steps can lead to significant changes, is a central theme that resonates throughout the book, culminating in a reconstruction of our mental processes towards a growth mindset. "The Overthinking Trap" is not just a book; it is a companion on the journey towards the balance between thought and action. With advanced strategies for mental liberation, the book positions itself as an indispensable resource for those seeking to build mental resilience and live beyond excessive analysis. The book concludes with a powerful and hopeful message, inviting readers to embrace a balanced life, centered in the present, freeing themselves from the chains of overthinking.
"The Adaptable House provides specific design approaches and techniques that facilitate flexible design - both on the inside and out. These principles make it simple to alter a dwelling's layout, demolish partitions or build new ones, upgrade heating systems, and change the locations of staircases."--BOOK JACKET.
Life's obstacles offer two distinct directions: They can push you backward or fuel you forward. The choice is up to you. At 17, Alexa Carlin became CEO of her first company, designing jewelry that made a difference, one bracelet at a time. But at 21, she was induced into a medical coma and given a one-percent chance to live. In Adaptable, she shares the stories of her journey, offering powerful insights into hope, courage, and life's challenges. Written in a heartfelt and authentic tone, Adaptable invites readers to develop a new perspective on their past and current obstacles. The stories, lessons, and action steps that fill each chapter gently guide readers back to their true selves, allowing them to connect deeply to their inner light and shine brightly with their true purpose. Alexa encourages and inspires readers to use their own challenges not as a reason to abandon dreams, but as a springboard from which to thrive.
Philosophers and neuroscientists address central issues in both fields, including morality, action, mental illness, consciousness, perception, and memory. Philosophers and neuroscientists grapple with the same profound questions involving consciousness, perception, behavior, and moral judgment, but only recently have the two disciplines begun to work together. This volume offers fourteen original chapters that address these issues, each written by a team that includes at least one philosopher and one neuroscientist who integrate disciplinary perspectives and reflect the latest research in both fields. Topics include morality, empathy, agency, the self, mental illness, neuroprediction, optogenetics, pain, vision, consciousness, memory, concepts, mind wandering, and the neural basis of psychological categories. The chapters first address basic issues about our social and moral lives: how we decide to act and ought to act toward each other, how we understand each other’s mental states and selves, and how we deal with pressing social problems regarding crime and mental or brain health. The following chapters consider basic issues about our mental lives: how we classify and recall what we experience, how we see and feel objects in the world, how we ponder plans and alternatives, and how our brains make us conscious and create specific mental states.
Compatible with other professional development programs, this model shows how to apply relevant research from educational and cognitive neuroscience to classroom settings through a pedagogical framework. The model's six components are: 1) Establish the emotional connection to learning; 2) Develop the physical learning environment; 3) Design the learning experience; 4) Teach for the mastery of content, skills, and concepts; 5) Teach for the extension and application of knowledge; 6) Evaluate learning. --Book cover.
From the author of How Emotions Are Made, a myth-busting primer on the brain, in the tradition of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
Cybernetics is often thought of as a grim military or industrial science of control. But as Andrew Pickering reveals in this beguiling book, a much more lively and experimental strain of cybernetics can be traced from the 1940s to the present. The Cybernetic Brain explores a largely forgotten group of British thinkers, including Grey Walter, Ross Ashby, Gregory Bateson, R. D. Laing, Stafford Beer, and Gordon Pask, and their singular work in a dazzling array of fields. Psychiatry, engineering, management, politics, music, architecture, education, tantric yoga, the Beats, and the sixties counterculture all come into play as Pickering follows the history of cybernetics’ impact on the world, from contemporary robotics and complexity theory to the Chilean economy under Salvador Allende. What underpins this fascinating history, Pickering contends, is a shared but unconventional vision of the world as ultimately unknowable, a place where genuine novelty is always emerging. And thus, Pickering avers, the history of cybernetics provides us with an imaginative model of open-ended experimentation in stark opposition to the modern urge to achieve domination over nature and each other.
Neuroscientists once believed your brain was essentially "locked down" by adulthood. No new cells. No major changes. If you grew up depressed, angry, sad, aggressive, or nasty, you'd be that way for life. And, as you grew older, there'd be nowhere to go but down, as disease, age, or injury wiped out precious, irreplaceable brain cells. But over the past five, ten, twenty years, all that's changed. Using fMRI and PET scanning technology, neuroscientists can now look deep inside the human brain and they've discovered that it's amazingly flexible, resilient, and plastic. Pictures of the Mind: What the New Neuroscience Tells Us About Who We Are shows you what they've discovered and what it means to all of us. Through author Miriam Boleyn-Fitzgerald’s masterfully written narrative and use stunning imagery, you'll watch human brains healing, growing, and adapting to challenges. You'll gain powerful new insights into the interplay between environment and genetics, begin understanding how people can influence their own intellectual abilities and emotional makeup, and understand the latest stunning discoveries about coma and "locked-in" syndrome. You'll learn about the tantalizing discoveries that may lead to cures for traumatic brain injury, stroke, emotional disorders, PTSD, drug addiction, chronic pain, maybe even Alzheimer's. Boleyn-Fitzgerald shows how these discoveries are transforming our very understanding of the "self", from an essentially static entity to one that can learn and change throughout life and even master the art of happiness.