saralynnburnett's review against another edition
4.0
I adore these neurology books - they never fail to fascinate me and make me want to spend the rest of my life wearing a helmet. The brain is such a unique thing! David Eagleman spoke to the faculty at my school over the summer, mostly about things that were not covered in this book (synesthesia and dyslexia).
Incognito takes a look at how our brain constructs vision, how thoughts are generated by parts of the brain that we have no conscious access to and how useful routines are burned into neural circuitry how and once they're there we no longer have access to them (this explains why when people ask me how to swim, I really can't figure out how to tell them, I can just do it). He also looks at how minds contain multitudes, and this was one of the most fascinating parts of the book- how simple changes in your brain, or drastic ones, completely alter who you are... and this led to the best part of the book: neural rights, and how not all brains are created equally. Eagleman presents a convincing case on how criminal sentences should be based on neural plasticity because when it comes to actions, motives, and other such things, free will doesn't really exist.
Incognito takes a look at how our brain constructs vision, how thoughts are generated by parts of the brain that we have no conscious access to and how useful routines are burned into neural circuitry how and once they're there we no longer have access to them (this explains why when people ask me how to swim, I really can't figure out how to tell them, I can just do it). He also looks at how minds contain multitudes, and this was one of the most fascinating parts of the book- how simple changes in your brain, or drastic ones, completely alter who you are... and this led to the best part of the book: neural rights, and how not all brains are created equally. Eagleman presents a convincing case on how criminal sentences should be based on neural plasticity because when it comes to actions, motives, and other such things, free will doesn't really exist.
samcastro's review against another edition
2.0
A lighthearted book for the shallow end of the pool. A lot of it is regurgitated material that doesn't explore concepts very deeply.
I suppose it's a good introduction to readers who may have a passing interest in pop-neuroscience but don't skew scientific.
Better reading on the subject, also written very understandably, are books by VS Ramachandran. He goes into much greater detail while remaining accessible. Although he has a rock-star neuroscientist quality that may be off-putting to some, better reads can be had with his work.
I suppose it's a good introduction to readers who may have a passing interest in pop-neuroscience but don't skew scientific.
Better reading on the subject, also written very understandably, are books by VS Ramachandran. He goes into much greater detail while remaining accessible. Although he has a rock-star neuroscientist quality that may be off-putting to some, better reads can be had with his work.
tabithar's review against another edition
2.0
This book pretends to be science but is mostly magic (slight of hand). While there are some interesting bits to this book, it is easily 2/3 preachy, condescending, political agenda. There is a vague attempt at the end of saying, oh I didn't mean to come off quite so preachy and I'm actually not as overly confident about this as I come across...but I'd be impressed if many readers made it to those last few sentences. Additionally, I observed there were a couple of representations of well known scientific information which was erroneously stated, which left me wondering about the parts with which I was unfamiliar.
Summary: Read something else. I can't get the time back but you can.
Summary: Read something else. I can't get the time back but you can.
blueskygreentreesyellowsun's review against another edition
This book felt like visiting the science center when I was in 6th grade: the vase/face image, zigzag illusions, and discussion of the blind spot in everyone's field of vision.
ennoreads's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating look at who we are, what controls our actions and what our inner existence - what the "I" - is built on from a neuroscientific viewpoint. Eagleman examines how we fabricate and produce the Self, the person we are. He provides us with an honest and unblinking look at uncomfortable questions about identity itself and provides mind blowingly daring observations of the thing we call Us.
mark_lm's review against another edition
3.0
Good review of this stuff. One of those books with optical illusions that explains why you are little better than a monkey with pants on, and have no free will. The author's interviews on the BBC's Start the Week were quite good, also - available as a podcast.
mark_han_77's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting read. Want to know more about your brain, personality etc and how you are basically just a highly evolved collection of subsystems? This is for you.