"A profound intriguing and compelling guide to the intricacies of the human brain." —Oliver Sacks In this landmark work, V. S. Ramachandran investigates strange, unforgettable cases—from patients who believe they are dead to sufferers of phantom limb syndrome. With a storyteller’s eye for compelling case studies and a researcher’s flair for new approaches to age-old questions, Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in brain science, including language, creativity, and consciousness.
V. S. Ramachandran is the director of the Center for Brain and Cognition and a Distinguished Professor with the Psychology Department and Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego. He lives in Del Mar, California.
Table of Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xxiii
Introduction No Mere Ape 3
Chapter 1 Phantom Limbs and Plastic Brains 24
Chapter 2 Seeing and Knowing 41
Chapter 3 Loud Colors and Hot Babes: Synesthesia 75
Chapter 4 The Neurons that Shaped Civilization 117
Chapter 5 Where is Steven? The Riddle of Autism 136
Chapter 6 The Power of Babble: The Evolution of Language 153
Chapter 7 Beauty and the Brain: The Emergence of Aesthetics 192
Chapter 8 The Artful Brain: Universal Laws 218
Chapter 9 An Ape With a Soul: How Introspection Evolved 245
Epilogue 289
Glossary 294
Notes 306
Bibliography 327
Illustration Credits 340
Index 342
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