Being You: A New Science of Consciousness


Anil Seth - 2020
    Somehow, within each of our brains, billions of neurons work to create our conscious experience. How does this happen? Why do we experience life in the first person? After over twenty years researching the brain, world-renowned neuroscientist Anil Seth puts forward a radical new theory of consciousness and self. His unique theory of what it means to 'be you' challenges our understanding of perception and reality and it turns what you thought you knew about yourself on its head.'Awe-inspiring and humane.' NEW STATESMAN (Books of the Year)'Fascinating.' FINANCIAL TIMES (Books of the Year)'Profound.' GUARDIAN (Books of the Year)'Brilliant.' CLAIRE TOMALIN, NEW YORK TIMES'Outstanding.' PSYCHOLOGY TODAY 'Amazing . . . a brilliant read.'RUSSELL BRAND'Beautifully written, crystal clear, deeply insightful.'DAVID EAGLEMAN, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author of Livewired'Offers us new cause for astonishment and wonder.'ANNAKA HARRIS, author of Conscious'A fascinating book. A joy to read.'NIGEL WARBURTON'Truly compelling.'PROFESSOR KARL FRISTON, Universty College London'A wonderfully accessible and comprehensive account.'SEAN CARROLL, author of Something Deeply Hidden

Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge


Terence McKenna - 1992
    Illustrated.

The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World


David Eagleman - 2017
    Anthony Brandt and David Eagleman rifle through the inventions of human society like paleontologists ransacking the fossil record. Exploring examples from Apollo 13 to Pablo Picasso, they seek to answer the question: what lies at the heart of humanity's ability--and drive--to create? If you took a snapshot of any animal species' behavior, from apes to barnacles, and contrasted it with the same species 10,000 years ago, they'd all be carrying on pretty much as usual (and if they aren't, it's likely due to human influence). Humanity, on the other hand, would be nearly unrecognizable. Above all else, our drive to create is what makes us unique among all living things. Yet where does this all creation, innovation, and change come from? Why us? And if we better understand this -cognitive software-, can we harness it more responsibly to improve our lives, schools, businesses and institutions? Brandt and Eagleman examine hundreds of examples of human creativity through dramatic storytelling and stunning images in this beautiful, full-color volume. By drawing out what creative acts have in common and viewing them through the lens of cutting-edge neuroscience, they uncover the essential elements of this critical human ability, and encourage a more creative future for all of us.

Into the Silent Land: Travels in Neuropsychology


Paul Broks - 2003
    Broks fuses classic cases of neuropsychology with the his own case studies, philosophical debate, and thought provoking riffs and meditations on the nature of neurological impairments and dysfunctions.

Unmasking the Face: A Guide to Recognizing Emotions from Facial Clues


Paul Ekman - 1975
    The authors of UNMASKING THE FACE explain how to identify these basic emotions correctly and how to tell when people try to mask, simulate, or neutralize them. It features several practical exercises that help actors, teachers, salesmen, counselors, nurses, law-enforcement personnel and physicians -- and everyone else who deals with people -- to become adept, perceptive readers of the facial expressions of emotions.

Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are


Joseph E. LeDoux - 2002
    In 1996 Joseph LeDoux's "The Emotional Brain" presented a revelatory examination of the biological bases of our emotions and memories. Now, the world-renowned expert on the brain has produced with a groundbreaking work that tells a more profound story: how the little spaces between the neurons-the brain's synapses--are the channels through which we think, act, imagine, feel, and remember. Synapses encode the essence of personality, enabling each of us to function as a distinctive, integrated individual from moment to moment. Exploring the functioning of memory, the synaptic basis of mental illness and drug addiction, and the mechanism of self-awareness, "Synaptic Self" is a provocative and mind-expanding work that is destined to become a classic.

What Is Life? with Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches


Erwin Schrödinger - 1944
    The book was based on a course of public lectures delivered by Schrödinger in February 1943 at Trinity College, Dublin. Schrödinger's lecture focused on one important question: "how can the events in space and time which take place within the spatial boundary of a living organism be accounted for by physics and chemistry?" In the book, Schrödinger introduced the idea of an "aperiodic crystal" that contained genetic information in its configuration of covalent chemical bonds. In the 1950s, this idea stimulated enthusiasm for discovering the genetic molecule and would give both Francis Crick and James Watson initial inspiration in their research.

Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked


Adam Alter - 2017
    We obsess over our emails, Instagram likes, and Facebook feeds; we binge on TV episodes and YouTube videos; we work longer hours each year; and we spend an average of three hours each day using our smartphones. Half of us would rather suffer a broken bone than a broken phone, and Millennial kids spend so much time in front of screens that they struggle to interact with real, live humans. In this revolutionary book, Adam Alter, a professor of psychology and marketing at NYU, tracks the rise of behavioral addiction, and explains why so many of today's products are irresistible. Though these miraculous products melt the miles that separate people across the globe, their extraordinary and sometimes damaging magnetism is no accident. The companies that design these products tweak them over time until they become almost impossible to resist. By reverse engineering behavioral addiction, Alter explains how we can harness addictive products for the good—to improve how we communicate with each other, spend and save our money, and set boundaries between work and play—and how we can mitigate their most damaging effects on our well-being, and the health and happiness of our children.

A False Report: A True Story of Rape in America


T. Christian Miller - 2018
    Within days police, and even those closest to Marie, became suspicious of her story. The police swiftly pivoted and began investigating Marie. Confronted with inconsistencies in her story and the doubts of others, Marie broke down and said her story was a lie--a bid for attention. Police charged Marie with false reporting, and she was branded a liar.More than two years later, Colorado detective Stacy Galbraith was assigned to investigate a case of sexual assault. Describing the crime to her husband that night, Galbraith learned that the case bore an eerie resemblance to a rape that had taken place months earlier in a nearby town. She joined forces with the detective on that case, Edna Hendershot, and the two soon discovered they were dealing with a serial rapist: a man who photographed his victims, threatening to release the images online, and whose calculated steps to erase all physical evidence suggested he might be a soldier or a cop. Through meticulous police work the detectives would eventually connect the rapist to other attacks in Colorado--and beyond.Based on investigative files and extensive interviews with the principals, A False Report/i>is a serpentine tale of doubt, lies, and a hunt for justice, unveiling the disturbing truth of how sexual assault is investigated today - and the long history of skepticism toward rape victims.

Serial Killers


Brian Innes - 2006
    Each chapter provides a biography of one killer, describing the formative experiences that turned them into monsters, their hidden lives and gruesome crimes. It explains how each was caught, including descriptions of psychological profiles and crime investigation procedures, and their ultimate fate. Timelines and victim panels detail their atrocities and horrific death tolls. Dramatic black and white photography shows each killer at their sinister worst.

Unspeakable Acts: True Tales of Crime, Murder, Deceit, and Obsession


Sarah Weinman - 2020
    With podcasts like My Favorite Murder and In the Dark, bestsellers like I’ll Be Gone in the Dark and Furious Hours, and TV hits like American Crime Story and Wild Wild Country, the cultural appetite for stories of real people doing terrible things is insatiable.Acclaimed author of The Real Lolita and editor of Women Crime Writers: Eight Suspense Novels of the 1940s & 50s (Library of America) and Troubled Daughters, Twisted Wives (Penguin), Sarah Weinman brings together an exemplary collection of recent true crime tales. She culls together some of the most refreshing and exciting contemporary journalists and chroniclers of crime working today.  Michelle Dean’s “Dee Dee Wanted Her Daughter To Be Sick” went viral when it first published and is the basis for the TV show The Act and Pamela Colloff’s “The Reckoning,” is the gold standard for forensic journalism.  There are 13 pieces in all and as a collection, they showcase writing about true crime across the broadest possible spectrum, while also reflecting what makes crime stories so transfixing and irresistible to the modern reader.

Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought


Pascal Boyer - 2001
    And Man Creates God tells readers, for the first time, what religious feeling is really about, what it consists of, and how it originates. It is a beautifully written, very accessible book by an anthropologist who is highly respected on both sides of the Atlantic. As a scientific explanation for religious feeling, it is sure to arouse controversy.

Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect with Others


Marco Iacoboni - 2008
    But until recently, scientists didn’t understand what in the brain makes it possible. This has all changed in the last decade. Marco Iacoboni, a leading neuroscientist whose work has been covered in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Wall Street Journal, explains the groundbreaking research into mirror neurons, the “smart cells” in our brain that allow us to understand others. From imitation to morality, from learning to addiction, from political affiliations to consumer choices, mirror neurons seem to have properties that are relevant to all these aspects of social cognition. As The New York Times reports: “The discovery is shaking up numerous scientific disciplines, shifting the understanding of culture, empathy, philosophy, language, imitation, autism and psychotherapy.”  Mirroring People is the first book for the general reader on this revolutionary new science.

Biological Anthropology: An Evolutionary Perspective


Barbara J. King - 2002
    King (William and Mary University) delves into the story of how, why, where, and when we became human. These lectures will help you understand the forces that have shaped, and continue to shape, our species. "An evolutionary perspective on human behavior," notes Dr. King, "results in more than just knowledge about dates and sites when and where specific evolutionary milestones likely occurred." "It is also a window on the past and future of our species. An entirely new way of thinking comes into focus when we consider the human species within an evolutionary perspective."A Century of ScholarshipWhile covering these subjects in this 24-lecture series, Dr. King synthesizes the best that more than a century of scientific scholarship has to offer across a variety of disciplines. Biological anthropologists study primate anatomy and behavior both to understand evolution and to learn more about our common ancestor. Biological anthropologists are joined by molecular anthropologists to better understand hominids by studying fossils, ancient skeletal remains, and lifestyle information such as cave art and stone tools. Case Studies that Clarify Evolution and Its Power Dr. King begins by explaining key mechanisms through which evolution functions, citing famous and definitive case studies that demonstrate these forces. In one such landmark study, for example, biologists Peter and Rosemary Grant returned to the Galapagos Islands more than 100 years after Darwin's first voyage to conduct research on island finches. In 1977, a drought-induced scarcity of soft, edible seeds brought forth in the very next generation a population of finches with larger, stronger beaks capable of crushing larger, tougher seeds. Extraordinarily, in 1985, heavy rains produced a surplus of softer seeds, and natural selection produced a succeeding generation of the smaller-beaked variety. Evolution had occurred in two different directions within a decade. This "natural selection" is the theoretical tool of evolution, which helps us make sense of these facts. Why Evolution Remains Important to Us Today Perhaps the greatest measure of this theory's power is its relevance to our lives today. - Did you know that the gene which causes sickle cell anemia must be inherited from both parents to cause the disease but the disease does not occur when only a single gene is inherited? - Or that the single gene, in fact, affords protection from malaria? Or that race, a category so securely ingrained in our consciousness, is practically meaningless in biological terms? - Or how to evaluate the claim that a gene can be responsible for a certain personality trait? A Glimpse Into Our Selected Primate Heritage With an understanding of the basic mechanisms of evolutionary change in hand, the course looks at how our ancient primate ancestors adapted. Consider the anatomical features we share with monkeys, great apes, and other primates. Our large brains, grasping hands, and forward-facing eyes allowing us to perceive depth are critical to the way we function in the world. Yet the fossil record tells us that some 70 million years ago these distinctive primate features did not exist. What caused the first primates to emerge from existing mammalian populations? One proposed solution was that the appearance of insects living in the lower canopies of trees offered a plentiful food resource to those species adapted to procure it. Could depth perception and grasping ability have provided an advantage here, and hence been naturally selected? This is the function of biological anthropology: confronting the facts, then suggesting and testing possibilities. A Course as Much About the Present as the PastWith so much of evolutionary history taken up with the past, the insights gained in these lectures may tempt you to add questions of your own: - Is human evolution still a force in today's world? Hasn't our modern, mobile culture rendered evolution irrelevant? - In fact, human evolution is a stronger force than ever, interacting with human culture in complex ways. Issues such as obesity, AIDS, and genetics are all discussed. And you may well find these lectures opening your eyes to the extraordinary ways in which the biological power of natural selection is still at work in the world today. Course Lecture Titles1. What is Biological Anthropology? 2. How Evolution Works 3. The Debate Over Evolution 4. Matter Arising—New Species 5. Prosimians, Monkeys, and Apes 6. Monkey and Ape Social Behavior 7. The Mind of the Great Ape 8. Models for Human Ancestors? 9. Introducing the Hominids 10. Lucy and Company 11. Stones and Bones 12. Out of Africa 13. Who Were the Neandertals? 14. Did Hunting Make Us Human? 15. The Prehistory of Gender 16. Modern Human Anatomy and Behavior 17. On the Origins of Homo sapiens 18. Language 19. Do Human Races Exist? 20. Modern Human Variation 21. Body Fat, Diet, and Obesity 22. The Body and Mind Evolving 23. Tyranny of the Gene? 24. Evolution and Our Future

Mental Combat: The Sports Psychology Secrets You Can Use to Dominate Any Event!


Phil Pierce - 2015
    The problem is that many of these techniques are kept secret and other guides are heavy and full of jargon. So how can you use the simple power of Sports Psychology techniques to revolutionize your performance today? Clearly you need more than just a system, you need the right kind of system. Not just the science behind mental strength but a super-simple, step-by-step guide to unlocking the power of your brain. As a bestselling author, martial arts and fitness coach, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some of the best experts around the world. With input from top instructors and researchers I discovered easy tactics that can be effortlessly used by everyone. From fitness fans, runners and gym athletes to combat styles like boxing, MMA, and martial arts. Even the busy office worker can dominate any competitive or stressful event in minutes! This is “Mental Combat”... and once applied to your training it quickly revolutionizes performance – every time! What Is Mental Combat? Mental Combat is a simple, easy set of tactics for unlocking the full power of your brain and body. Moreover, it gives you the proven scientific benefits of Sports Psychology without needing to understand the complex history and theories. Whilst traditional guides can be heavy and difficult to follow, Mental Combat is a simple, tactical approach. Perfect for martial artists, fitness fans, gym enthusiasts and even the busy office worker! Stressful, nerve-wracking events become a walk in the park when transformed using the right techniques. A busy and cluttered mind becomes laser focused. Would you like to know the quickest and easiest way to experience the incredible benefits of mental training? The Easy New Way To Get Started with Mental Training Inside “Mental Combat” you’ll discover… How to “psych-out” an opponent. “Mind Hacks” for instant, rock-solid confidence and cool. Powerful motivation and concentration skills. Revealed: the body position to banish nerves quickly and easily. The truth behind meditation. (and why it’s easier than you think). How to unlock the power of your brain for any event. The secret to managing victory, like a pro. The secret to handling defeat… and coming back stronger. How you can use Sports Psychology tactics even if you don’t do sports! And much more! Want To See For Yourself How Mental Combat Can Transform Your Performance? Click and grab your copy of Mental Combat now to see you’ve been missing! To say thanks for checking out this book you can claim your free guide: “3 Steps to Explosive Power” FREE from my website. Just visit: www.BlackBeltFit.