neuroscience for dummies

In 1971 I was at a scientific cutting edge with a B.Sc (Hons) in Zoology and personal leanings towards neurology and Primate (including human) Social Behavior. That was 43 years ago. Much has changed in Zoology since then. It has now gone more holistic and shown a marked enthusiasm for multidisciplinary consilience (ref E O Wilson).

My personal interests these days are with how neurology and evolutionary psychology can illuminate the age old existential theme – why are we here? My thinking is that if I can get a handle on the new way of understanding intelligence and consciousness then I can perhaps help to find better ways to be human.

I am particularly impressed by Frank Amthor (2012) “Neuroscience for Dummies”. I find it hard to lay it down. It is accessibly written and presented in five parts:

1. Introducing Your Nervous System
2. Translating the Internal and External World through Your Senses
3. Moving Right Along: Motor Systems
4. Intelligence: The Thinking Brain and Consciousness
5. The Part of Tens

Part 4 is particularly breathtaking. Much developed since the late 60s!

Frank Amthor is a professor of Psychology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he also holds secondary appointments in the UAB Medical School Department of Neurobiology, the School of Optometry, and the Dept. of Biomedical Engineering.

Thanks Frank