Phantom limbs and more...
The Brain and the Mind...fascinating.
Everyday we go about our tasks without asking how and why we do the things we do...we worry about the speed and amount of memory our computers have. We ask if our computers can do certain tasks efficiently. We worry too much about the brands of computer that we need to buy..Lenovo..Compaq..Acer...but have we ever asked ourselves how the biggest computer of them all..the Human Brain, works? Have we ever tried to find out the intricacies and the complexities surrounding the nueral networks in our brain?
Recently I was reading a book by V S Ramachandran, 'Phantoms in the Brain' (based on reviews, I thought it will be a truly engaging book, but I was disullusioned) about phantom limbs and how our brains percieve pain and other sensations even on amputated parts of our body. There are people who have had thier hands amputated, but can still feel pain and other sensory perceptions on the hand and fingers that are no more there. The book by V S Ramachandran made me think and use the grey cells a lil on the mysteries of the working of our brain, which was a wonderful experience ( my train of thoughts..not the book ). Coincidentally the latest edition of Frontline featured an interview with him that piqued my interest in learning more about Ramachandran's works. I was browsing thru his site when I found a link about a new book called 'Curious Minds- How a child becomes a scientist' edited with an introduction byJohn Brockman. I need to get my hands on that one. Learn more about the contributers to the book.
By the way, V.S. RAMACHANDRAN is the Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition and professor with the Psychology Department and the Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego, and Adjunct Professor of Biology at the Salk Institute. You can read his bio here.
Everyday we go about our tasks without asking how and why we do the things we do...we worry about the speed and amount of memory our computers have. We ask if our computers can do certain tasks efficiently. We worry too much about the brands of computer that we need to buy..Lenovo..Compaq..Acer...but have we ever asked ourselves how the biggest computer of them all..the Human Brain, works? Have we ever tried to find out the intricacies and the complexities surrounding the nueral networks in our brain?
Recently I was reading a book by V S Ramachandran, 'Phantoms in the Brain' (based on reviews, I thought it will be a truly engaging book, but I was disullusioned) about phantom limbs and how our brains percieve pain and other sensations even on amputated parts of our body. There are people who have had thier hands amputated, but can still feel pain and other sensory perceptions on the hand and fingers that are no more there. The book by V S Ramachandran made me think and use the grey cells a lil on the mysteries of the working of our brain, which was a wonderful experience ( my train of thoughts..not the book ). Coincidentally the latest edition of Frontline featured an interview with him that piqued my interest in learning more about Ramachandran's works. I was browsing thru his site when I found a link about a new book called 'Curious Minds- How a child becomes a scientist' edited with an introduction byJohn Brockman. I need to get my hands on that one. Learn more about the contributers to the book.
By the way, V.S. RAMACHANDRAN is the Director of the Center for Brain and Cognition and professor with the Psychology Department and the Neurosciences Program at the University of California, San Diego, and Adjunct Professor of Biology at the Salk Institute. You can read his bio here.
posted by ReadnRyte | 4/04/2006 06:11:00 AM
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