内容简介

Drawing on strange and thought-provoking case studies, an eminent neurologist offers unprecedented insight into the evolution of the uniquely human brain.V. S. Ramachandran is at the forefront of his field-so much so that Richard Dawkins dubbed him the "Marco Polo of neuroscience." Now, in a major new work, Ramachandran sets his sights on the mystery of human uniqueness. Taking us to the frontiers of neurology, he reveals what baffling and extreme case studies can teach us about normal brain function and how it evolved. Synesthesia becomes a window into the brain mechanisms that make some of us more creative than others. And autism—for which Ramachandran opens a new direction for treatment—gives us a glimpse of the aspect of being human that we understand least: self-awareness. Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in neurology with a storyteller's eye for compelling case studies and a researcher's flair for new approaches to age-old questions. Tracing the strange links between neurology and behavior, this book unveils a wealth of clues into the deepest mysteries of the human brain. 15 black-and-white illustrations

作品目录

PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INTRODUCTION NO MERE APE

CHAPTER 1 PHANTOM LIMBS AND PLASTIC BRAINS

CHAPTER 2 SEEING AND KNOWING

CHAPTER 3 LOUD COLORS AND HOT BABES: SYNESTHESIA

CHAPTER 4 THE NEURONS THAT SHAPED CIVILIZATION

CHAPTER 5 WHERE IS STEVEN? THE RIDDLE OF AUTISM

CHAPTER 6 THE POWER OF BABBLE: THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE

CHAPTER 7 BEAUTY AND THE BRAIN: THE EMERGENCE OF AESTHETICS

CHAPTER 8 THE ARTFUL BRAIN: UNIVERSAL LAWS

CHAPTER 9 AN APE WITH A SOUL: HOW INTROSPECTION EVOLVED

EPILOGUE

GLOSSARY

NOTES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ILLUSTRATION CREDITS