Does Your Brain Need You? An Introduction to Neuroscience and Consciousness

Does Your Brain Need You? An Introduction to Neuroscience and Consciousness

PDF Does Your Brain Need You? An Introduction to Neuroscience and Consciousness Download

  • Author: Clemens Lode
  • Publisher: Clemens Lode Verlag e.K.
  • ISBN: 3945586429
  • Category : Psychology
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 248

This book is about the "neuroscience of you" and the mind-body connection. Starting with the evolution of awareness, the book will explain the theory of mind and how it relates to our ability to recognize ourselves in the mirror. In the second part, the book will discuss the philosophy of consciousness and how we could create consciousness with artificial intelligence. Who is this for? What is it about? What will it do for me? This book is for anyone interested in the inner mechanisms that make up "you", your consciousness, your perception of self, and your awareness. While it raises significant philosophic and scientific questions, it is an introductory book and can be read and understood by anyone new to the topic. The book explains how our brain evolved over millions of years, what damage to our brain can do to our conscious experience of the world, and how we could recreate human consciousness in a mechanical system. For you, the reader, the book will provide you with a new perspective on free will, consciousness, and philosophy. Imagine one of our ancestors in the distant past, sitting near a lake, lost in thought. She looks into the water and sees her reflection. Then, for the first time in the evolutionary history of humans, the question is asked, "What is this experience I have of myself?" Unbeknownst to her, that question would vex humanity through modern times. Today, there is again an entity looking into a proverbial lake and examining its reflection: while artificial intelligence is still in its infancy, it is on the verge of recognizing itself and asking the same question, "Who am I?" The closer we come to a machine that seems to be as intelligent as a human being, the more we start to worry about our own subjective experience. If a computer eventually becomes indistinguishable from us, what makes humans special? What is our role in the universe if we are so similar to a computer program? Does your brain need "you" at all? In this book, I will examine, from the ground up, questions about consciousness. Many steps toward the understanding of the self will tell you nothing about the self—until your right hemisphere connects everything into one idea as you understand the concept. Such an insight is also called an epiphany. Using a brain scanner, we can actually observe someone having an epiphany when the brain's right hemisphere suddenly buzzes with activity. While the left hemisphere deals with concrete entities, the right hemisphere helps with looking for alternative meanings. For example, the left hemisphere might identify a "bank" as a financial institution, while the right hemisphere also considers it to be the edge of a river ("riverbank"). In the Old Indo-Aryan language Sanskrit, an epiphany leading you to the answer about who you are is called "bodhi," which literally means "awakening" or "enlightenment." Similarly, the name "Buddha" means the "Awakened One" or the "Enlightened One." A similar idea can be found in Zen Buddhism as Satori which corresponds to a very sudden insight. This book shows some of the steps leading to Satori, combining the insights of philosophers and scientists into a new idea of what the "self" means. With this knowledge, we can better reflect on our own values and act according to reality rather than just blindly following someone else's beliefs. My goal with the book is to give you an introduction to neuroscience that is not scattered into different parts. I aim to focus on helping you to answer the following questions: What is the self? Does your brain even need a "self"? Is there a consciousness beyond the body? What is this seemingly mysterious subjective experience we share? How can we think, dream, plan, feel, and make decisions?


Act

Act

PDF Act Download

  • Author: Clemens Lode
  • Publisher: Clemens Lode Verlag E.K.
  • ISBN: 9783945586235
  • Category :
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 282

Being a hero means standing up to false heroes. To gain this ability, we need to have a good grasp of the nature of the universe and to be able to understand our minds. This book is an introduction to the most current research in neurobiology and consciousness. It is easy to read, uses numerous examples, and introduces concepts from the ground up. After reading the book, you will be able to explain what it means to be conscious. The book's goal is to give an introduction to neuroscience focused on consciousness. It addresses the following questions: - What is the self?- Does the brain even need a "self"?- What is this seemingly mysterious subjective experience we share?- How can we think, dream, plan, feel, and make decisions?The first part of the book discusses the evolutionary history of primates' brains using real-life examples. The second part builds a flowchart of consciousness (the so-called "loop of consciousness"). It concludes that consciousness must be an umbrella term for many of our brain's abilities: - Sense data: Sense data is registered and pre-processed in the brain.- Attention: The ability of the brain to focus on particular sense data using neural competition.- Awareness: Contents of the working memory, including information of "what," "where," and "who."- Attention schema: The ability to access the working memory to use it to update the prefrontal cortex's models and use those models to suppress or promote individual actions.- Awareness schema: The ability of the brain to manipulate awareness to think about alternative scenarios. The working memory is used to manipulate future loops of consciousness.- Philosophy: Abstract knowledge about awareness, enhancing the brain's ability to create habits and strategies to adapt the id.What would lead a computer scientist and project manager to turn to philosophy for answers? Clemens Lode has a passion for solving problems by applying ideas from nature. In his examination into what could give lifeless machines a "heart," he found that the answer requires a holistic examination of the world.Becoming a hero requires gaining an understanding of what the greatest minds of history have pondered. Philosophy for Heroes summarizes their wisdom and connects it with the modern world.What would lead a computer scientist and project manager to turn to philosophy for answers? Clemens Lode has a passion for solving problems by applying ideas from nature. In his examination into what could give lifeless machines a "heart," he found that the answer requires a holistic examination of the world.With his book series Philosophy for Heroes, Lode bridges the gap between science, philosophy, psychology, and ultimately leadership. In this, the third of a five-book series, he takes the reader on a journey through topics at the forefront of science. How did humans evolve? How can we make decisions? What is consciousness, and why do we think it is within our heads? How could we give machines a human-like consciousness?


Simply The Brain

Simply The Brain

PDF Simply The Brain Download

  • Author: DK
  • Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd
  • ISBN: 0241617979
  • Category : Science
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 162

The human brain is a most remarkable organ, but how well do we really understand the way it works? Discover more about what goes on in your head with this guide to the brain and the mind, based on the latest neuroscience research. What is a brain and what is the mind? Do you only use 10% of your brain? Why do some people hear colour? Simply The Brain explores everything that goes on in the brain when you think, feel, and perceive the world around you. If you simply want a jargon-free reference to the mind and the brain, this essential guide includes everything you need to understand the basics quickly and easily. Covering more than 90 key ideas from neurons and nerves to forming memories and brain implants, each pared-back entry explains the concept more clearly than ever before. Combining bold, elegant graphics with easy-to-understand text, Simply The Brain is the perfect introduction to the subject for those who are short of time but hungry for knowledge.


The Biology of Mind

The Biology of Mind

PDF The Biology of Mind Download

  • Author: M. Deric Bownds
  • Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
  • ISBN:
  • Category : Medical
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 380

This new book makes state-of-the-art research on the human mind accessible and exciting for a wide variety of readers. It covers the evolution of mind, examines the transitions from primate through early hominid to modern human intelligence, and reviews modern experimental studies of the brain structures and mechanisms that underlie vision, emotions, language, memory, and learning.


Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction

Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction

PDF Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction Download

  • Author: Susan Blackmore
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press
  • ISBN: 0192805851
  • Category : Medical
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 161

A lively introduction that combines the perspectives of philosophy, psychology and neuroscience - written by the top name in the field, Susan Blackmore.


Even Better Books with LaTeX the Agile Way in 2023

Even Better Books with LaTeX the Agile Way in 2023

PDF Even Better Books with LaTeX the Agile Way in 2023 Download

  • Author: Clemens Lode
  • Publisher: Clemens Lode Verlag e.K.
  • ISBN: 3945586631
  • Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 236

Take control of your self-publishing journey. Updated for the latest versions of LaTeX and Overleaf, with new strategies to optimize your workflow, captivate your target audience and enhance your book’s visual appeal. ----------- Even Better Books with LaTeX the Agile Way in 2023 provides an in-depth exploration of contemporary book writing and marketing. Digital platforms like Amazon, Google, and Leanpub have reshaped the publication process. This book offers pragmatic strategies for using LaTeX and Overleaf to overcome challenges in the self-publishing landscape. Understanding that crafting a high-quality book requires attention to a specific readership, we discuss how to establish rapport with potential readers in the initial stages of writing. We highlight the concept of releasing early work portions to enhance the book's quality and enable a shift to promising ideas. We delve into how contemporary project management methods can redefine your writing process. By breaking your work into “user stories,” content can be repurposed for marketing, turning logical book sections into preview materials for blogs, newsletters, and more. Even Better Books with LaTeX the Agile Way in 2023 is designed for seasoned authors wishing to enhance their workflow and new writers seeking to navigate self-publishing. The book will help you understand and adapt to the modern publishing landscape's fluctuations with aplomb. ----------- Bundled with this book is a template that will give you a head start in your publishing process. In fact, this very book was produced with the same template. You can check out the template here: https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/book-template-for-amazon-kdp-and-google-play-e-book-and-pdf/dypgzfzmhnmc If you are already proficient in LaTeX and project management, you can go straight ahead and use the template! Likewise, if you are looking for detailed explanations of each command, there are more comprehensive books and online resources available. This book is for beginners. ----------- What would lead a computer scientist to write about publishing books with LaTeX? Clemens Lode has a passion for clean design and streamlined workflows in software projects. The same methods can be applied to publishing and typesetting. In this book, he explains the provided book template—file by file—so that you can adapt it to your needs and concentrate on actually writing and marketing the book. Even Better Books with LaTeX the Agile Way in 2023 covers the entire publishing process from your initial concept to marketing your book on Amazon, Google, or Leanpub. The focus of this book is to organize your book's ideas, chapters, files, images, and formatting, as well as to guide you through the process of uploading your book to a publisher. Table of Contents: Part 1: The Agile Way Great Expectations Incorporate Books into Your Professional Career Starting a New Book What to Keep and What to Remove Selecting Personas How to Organize Your Ideas How to Organize Your Ideas (Fiction Books) The Rules of Your Book How to Optimize the Work Process How to Get Early Feedback from Readers Part 2: LaTeX Comparison of Word and LaTeX Generate Your First E-book Filling the Template LaTeX Basics Bibliography and Citations Index Creation Template Management Polishing for Print Polishing for E-book Release Publishing on Amazon KDP How to Create Cover Graphics Publishing on Google Play Publishing on Leanpub Writing a Series TeX4ht Configuration


The Brain

The Brain

PDF The Brain Download

  • Author: David Eagleman
  • Publisher: Canongate Books
  • ISBN: 1782116591
  • Category : Science
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 274

'This is the story of how your life shapes your brain, and how your brain shapes your life.' Join renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman on a whistle-stop tour of the inner cosmos. It's a journey that will take you into the world of extreme sports, criminal justice, genocide, brain surgery, robotics, and the search for immortality. On the way, amidst the infinitely dense tangle of brain cells and their trillions of connections, something emerges that you might not have expected to see: you.


A Day in the Life of the Brain

A Day in the Life of the Brain

PDF A Day in the Life of the Brain Download

  • Author: Susan Greenfield
  • Publisher: Allen Lane
  • ISBN: 9780141985046
  • Category : Brain
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 273

"Each of us has a unique, subjective inner world, one that we can never share directly with anyone else. But how does a tangle of brain cells conjure up this experience? Despite the remarkable progress that has been made in understanding the brain, consciousness still poses one of the greatest challenges to science. In this groundbreaking book, world-renowned neuroscientist Susan Greenfield illuminates the mystery of consciousness as she traces a single day in the life of the brain - from being awoken by an alarm to walking the dog, working in an open plan office to dreaming. Greenfield concludes that the answer to the enigma of consciousness may be found in neuronal assemblies - a process that her Oxford lab, along with others around the world, is investigating. Drawing on this pioneering research and on diverse findings from physics, philosophy and psychology, A Day in the Life of the Braingives us a bold new way of understanding who we are."


The Brain: A Very Short Introduction

The Brain: A Very Short Introduction

PDF The Brain: A Very Short Introduction Download

  • Author: Michael O'Shea
  • Publisher: OUP Oxford
  • ISBN: 0191578355
  • Category : Medical
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 149

How does the brain work? How different is a human brain from other creatures' brains? Is the human brain still evolving? In this fascinating book, Michael O'Shea provides a non-technical introduction to the main issues and findings in current brain research, and gives a sense of how neuroscience addresses questions about the relationship between the brain and the mind. Chapters tackle subjects such as brain processes, perception, memory, motor control and the causes of 'altered mental states'. A final section discusses possible future developments in neuroscience, touching on artificial intelligence, gene therapy, the importance of the Human Genome Project, drugs by design, and transplants. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.


Neuroscience For Dummies

Neuroscience For Dummies

PDF Neuroscience For Dummies Download

  • Author: Frank Amthor
  • Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
  • ISBN: 1394171218
  • Category : Science
  • Languages : en
  • Pages : 423

A fascinating look at what’s rattling around in your skull Neuroscience For Dummies introduces you to the mind-boggling study of the human brain. It tracks to the content of a typical introductory neuroscience class at the college level —and it’s perfect for anyone curious about what makes us tick. New technologies and an explosion of research have completely transformed our understanding of memory, depression, the mind-body connection, learning, and genetics. This updated edition—still in classic, beginner-friendly Dummies style—covers the latest research advances and technologies in the field of neuroscience. Put some knowledge about the brain into your brain. Grasp the basic concepts and applications of neuroscience Understand the brain’s structure and function Explore how the brain impacts memory, learning, and emotions Discover how the brain is connected with other physical systems For students and general readers alike, Neuroscience For Dummies is a great way to understand what’s going on inside our heads.