Monthly Archives: January 2009

We Are Connections

Nature online has a fascinating article by science writer Jonah Lehrer about brain biologist Jeff Lichtman, whose ambition it is to map every connection in the human brain.   If this remarkably complex feat could ever be accomplished–and it appears many years in the offing if … Continue reading

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Filed under About Neuroscience

John Updike: Conjuring from the Mind’s Eye

This week the world lost one of its greatest writers — the passing of John Updike is a loss to the world of letters that can never be filled. At the same time, his artistic influence–among the most significant of any from … Continue reading

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Filed under Tributes to Great Minds

Monkey See, Monkey Persuaded

It has been called one of the greatest commercials ever made — the 1971 Chief Iron Eyes Cody anti-litter advertisement created by the Marsteller ad agency for Keep America Beautiful.  As the camera pans across a littered landscape, Chief Iron … Continue reading

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Filed under About Perception, Books and Ideas

Searching for Useful Metaphors of the Mind

In 1930, Freud was awarded the Goethe Prize for Literature. His masterful use of metaphor, a talent that set him apart from many of this contemporaries, was a major consideration in the awarding of the prize.  Quoting Jonathan Edelson, Though Freud was a superb … Continue reading

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Filed under About Neuroscience, Books and Ideas

Putting the Memory Back in Memoir

This past weekend CBS Sunday Morning ran a piece on the credibility of memoir, featuring author Augusten Burroughs.  The gist of the report was that the last several years have seen a spike in published memoir sales and a parallel … Continue reading

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Filed under About Perception

Talking About the Science of Sex and Love: An Interview with Author Jena Pincott

Here’s a quick pop quiz: who makes more money, hookers on birth control or off?  During difficult economic conditions, are Playboy Playmates generally older or younger, heavier or thinner?  Why are men attracted to larger breasts?  And do gentlemen really … Continue reading

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Filed under About Sexuality, Interviews

Weekly Noggin Raisers 7

Jonah Lehrer’s latest book, How We Decide, has hit the shelves.  If you like The Frontal Cortex, this book is a must read. The joy of learning continues to receive insightful attention at Mind Hacks Does disbelief in free will increase … Continue reading

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Filed under Noggin Raisers