Book Description

Reviews (10)

Outstanding book
An incredible book and very historical in nature. I would refer to the previous reviews of this book in the light of their individual statements. The reviewers helped me in the purchasing of this book, also Yates, and her research on the art of memory does not disappoint me. In fact, this book has taken me in many different directions regarding memory: Loci, mnemonics, mnemotechnics, history, mysticism, magic, mathematics, Egyptology, alchemy. This book is very special because of the implications that a "art of memory" has on our history, and I believe in our future. This book is not the easiest of reading material (I am no history buff) but is a spectacular read.

An excellent exploration of a forgotten art
If you are fascinated by history or by scholarship throughout recorded time, you should enjoy this book. Francis Yates has created a detailed examination of memory techniques and their evolution over the course of generations. Beginning in ancient Greece and continuing through the Middle Ages, Yates shows how the art of remembering began as a sort of parlor trick and developed into an important skill in both religion and the occult. The influence from both individuals and cultures is described in a scholarly (yet not annoyingly so) way. While this book is not for everyone, its intended audience should be delighted.
NOTE: This book is not a "how-to" manual for memory. It provides only a very general description of memory methods and is instead an exploration of the history of the art.
An excellent companion piece to this book is _The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci_. Both books were listed in the acknowledgements of Thomas Harris' _Hannibal_.

An arduous, fruitless journey into trivia and occultism...
Yates has produced what may be the most scholarly historical work on memory. And, like most pedantry, it takes a Herculean effort to finish it-and perhaps an even greater effort not to feel short-changed by the experience. Although the work was initially a fascinating and erudite tour through the history of early Greek and Roman culture, it then degraded into a detailed history of the occult.

At 400 pages, _The_Art_of_Memory_ promises to be a very thorough account of the finer points of mnemotechnics, otherwise known as the art of memory. However, if the reader is approaching this work with an agenda of obtaining anything other than a *very* thorough history lesson, don't bother. There is precious little of practical use in this tome, and the paucity of technique that does exist is presented in an exclusively in a historical context.

The preface frames up a genuinely interesting but ultimately misleading agenda for readers. While it promises to explore the art from a historical perspective, it promises that the "exploration of it must include more than the history of its techniques." Regrettably, all that the reader is served is a history of the key figures and their works-in short, nothing other than the history of techniques. In reviewing my copious notes, taken during my reading, I find little of substance in the book. Indeed, there are no techniques explained in any useful detail at all, and there is nothing whatsoever for the reader to practically apply from these thinkers.

I came to this work fascinated by powerful mnemonic systems that can be employed for any subject matter, concepts such as "memory palaces" and "memory theaters." I left this work with only a grasp of where these arts began (at least historically) and a sense of the depths to which this art sank. For after the art of memory left the able hands of Aristotle and Cicero, it degraded into occultism of one form or another-and this is, sadly, where Yates expends all of her energy.

The book traces the formal lineage of mnemotechnics through key figures in history. From the ancient Greek orator Simonides to The Philosopher Aristotle, we see the Greek influences on the art. In the Roman era, the author relies (almost entirely) on Cicero to explain the lineage. From the Romans, we enter a very dark period whose only bright spot is Quintillian in the first century A.D.

The Middle Ages brings us to Thomas Aquinas and his teacher Alberus Magnus. From there we move through Petrarch and into the Renaissance. Although there are numerous figures discussed in the Renaissance (roughly two thirds of the book), the singular characteristic of these Renaissance thinkers is that they all appear to be alchemists of some variety or another.

Understandably, most of these thinkers were religionists of one variety or another leading up through the Middle Ages. While religious orders were the only home to scholarly pursuits during this era, this does not explain Yates' bizarre and unswerving focus on the occult use of memory. This is an especially strange focus indeed considering that it is in the Renaissance that the scientific method as the single unifying force in man's ability to explain the universe.

Instead of carrying through to modern times, the book ends in the early Renaissance. Thus, the reader is left with the impression that the "true" art of memory is dead because objective thinkers require rational frameworks in which to operate. The absurdity of this is quite ironic. For if there is anything that could make sense of the rambling, mystical attempts of the early Renaissance quacks lauded by Yates, it would be an objective view of where they fell short and where they were possibly onto something useful. However, the closest we come to this perspective is in the author's articulation that these thinkers seemed to be very close to some "universal secret" that would have unlocked man's ability to see the universe as it really is. The author makes no attempt to explain further, claiming only that the inability of modern readers to solve this secret is the byproduct of being unable to locate lost texts from these inventive and insightful souls.

Throughout the author's painfully detailed investigation of these early Renaissance occultists, I became intensely bored at the appalling complexity and utter silliness of the methods employed in these "arts." Indeed, it was hard not to laugh outright at many of these characters, for their attempts seemed little else that child's play or witchcraft.

Whether discussing the Memory Theatre of Guilio Camillo or the ridiculous rantings of Ramon Lull or Giordano Bruno, the reader must work hard not to snicker at these goofy attempts to treat memory as the Philosopher's Stone. The book carries us through the magical rantings of Peter Ramus and Robert Fludd, detailing their political motivations and prodigious publishing records in excruciating detail. Finally, the book simply ends, without the benefit of a unifying message or even a satisfactory attempt at a summary statement-as if the author were so tired of looking up minutiae that she simply submitted whatever she had to the publishers. For perhaps the first time since the preface, the reader is in step with the author; it was a sheer relief to put this book behind me.

Amazing
This is reasonably hard going, as all Yates books are, but it really a great read. Complex and deep. Something to open your eyes to a older (and forgotten) world.

A Classic
A unique and detailed historical account of the Art of Memory. This one is a "keeper." ... Read more

Book Description

The study of conscious experience has seen remarkable strides in the last ten years, reflecting important technological breakthroughs and the enormous efforts of researchers in disciplines as varied as neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy. Although still embroiled in debate, scientists are now beginning to find common ground in their understanding of consciousness, which may pave the way for a unified explanation of how and why we experience and understand the world around us.Written by eminent psychologist Bernard J. Baars, Inside the Theater of Consciousness: The Workspace of the Mind brings us to the frontlines of this exciting discipline, offering the general reader a fascinating overview of how top scientists currently understand the processes underlying conscious experience.

Combining psychology with brain science, Baars brilliantly brings his subject to life with a metaphor that has been used to understand consciousness since the time of Aristotle--the mind as theater.Here consciousness is seen as a "stage" on which our sensations, perceptions, thoughts, and feelings play to a vast, silent audience (the immensely complicated inner-workings of the brain's unconscious processes). Behind the scenes, silent context operators shape conscious experience; they include implicit expectations, self systems, and scene setters. Using this framework, Baars presents compelling evidence that human consciousness rides on top of biologically ancient mechanisms. In humans it manifests itself in inner speech, imagery, perception, and voluntary control of thought and action. Topics like hypnosis, absorbed states of mind, adaptation to trauma, and the human propensity to project expectations on uncertainty, all fit into the expanded theater metaphor.

As Baars explores our present understanding of the mind, he takes us to the top laboratories around the world, where we witness some of the field's most exciting breakthroughs and discoveries. (For instance, Baars recounts one extraordinary sequence of experiments, in which state-of-the-art PET scans--reproduced here in full color--capture in fascinating, graphic detail how brain activity changes as people learn how to play the computer game Tetris.) And throughout the book, Baars has sprinkled numerous and often highly amusing on-the-spot demonstrations that illuminate the ideas under discussion.

Understanding consciousness is perhaps the most difficult puzzle facing the sciences today.In the Theater of Consciousness offers an invaluable introduction to the field, brilliantly weaving together the various theories that have emerged as scientists continue their quest to uncover the profound mysteries of the mind--and of human nature itself. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Seminal work.
I think it is fair to say that Baar's global workspace model is the most influential cognitive model of consciousness out there. The theoretical work is simply outstanding. Few would today contest the main idea behind the model -that the function of consciousness is to broadcast information to separate functional modules all arround the brain-. Some recent papers by Baars, available on line, summarize all the emirical evidence that has appeared the last decade in favour of the model. Baars is currently at the neurosciences institute, headed by Gerald Edelman, and it is no surprise his latest views seem to include reentrant connectivity and Edelman and Tononis concept of complexity. However, although this is clearly a step forward, it is far from being a THE answer consciousness studies is looking for. Baars himself sees a gap between the cognitive model and the neurophysiological machanisms involved. He has presented the ERTAS model, but it is not clear how it has stood to recent neuroscience. I'm not saying i'ts been falsified, but it has been deprived of supremacy. However, the global workspace is still a brilliant contribution to the study of consciousness. Some philosophical nuances are still roaming, however. There is no qualia in the theather, and it is not clear how the audience could be conscious..how would they enjoy the show?.

Baars delves in to the theater theory in a practical way.
Baars allows any reader to follow his tour through the theater theory of consciousness in an easy readable approach. He makes sure the reader has adequate examples of real life events and situations in order to better understand an interesting theory. Where does the human species go from here?

In the tradition of William James
What is consciousness? Or at least how does it work? Historically, the last individual to seriously address these questions was the great American philosopher William James, who in his seminal tome 'Principles of Psychology' (1890) outlined the essentials of a fairly comprehensive 'stream of consciousness' theory. But for most of the twentieth century the hard-problem of consciousness was either studiously avoided or redefined as something else. But in recent years with the demise of Behaviorism and its repressive dogma, groups calling themselves Cognitivist Psychologists have emerged who are resurrecting the pioneering work begun by James over 100 years ago. For serious readers interested in 'getting their feet wet' in the relatively new field of Cognitivism, Dr. Bernard Baars' highly readable book 'In the Theater of Consciousness' would serve as an excellent introduction. I have to rate it 5 STARS. Also, if this book whets your appetite for more, you may want to consider Baars' more rigorous 'A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness' where his global workspace theory is more fully developed.

How consciousness works (and why)
Baars explains the structure of consciousness in highly readable, involving, accurate, and scientifically deep terms. (Amazing but true!) His book is laced with exercises that demonstrate the phenomena he is explaining in entertaining and often surprising ways. His analysis is just about the only comprehensive functional account of consciousness. This is a must read for anyone interested in scientific understanding of the mind ... Read more

Book Description

Each edition of this classic reference has proved to be a benchmark in the developing field of cognitive neuroscience. The third edition of The Cognitive Neurosciences continues to chart new directions in the study of the biologic underpinnings of complex cognition -- the relationship between the structural and physiological mechanisms of the nervous system and the psychological reality of the mind. Every chapter is new and each section has new participants. Features of the third edition include research that maps biological changes directly to cognitive changes; a new and integrated view of sensory systems and perceptual processes; the presentation of new developments in plasticity; recent research on the cognitive neuroscience of false memory, which reveals the constructive nature of memory retrieval; and new topics in the neuroscientific study of emotion, including the "social brain." The new final section, "Perspectives and New Directions," discusses a wide variety of topics that point toward the future of this vibrant and exciting field. ... Read more

Book Description

With a systematic approach to critical thinking, this volume begins with issues concerning words, examines techniques for evaluating explanations and arguments, and concludes by applying all the skills to reading essays and writing argumentative essays. With examples and exercises that show the scope to which critical thinking skills can and should be applied, this volume recognizes the difference in learning styles with a reader friendly approach.The volume addresses the use of language arguments, checking the evidence through observations, testimony and values and obligations, categorical syllogisms, propositional arguments, inductive arguments, fallacies and large-scale applications.For individuals interested in an exhaustive treatment of critical thinking and writing. ... Read more

Book Description

"Mitchel Resnick's book is one of the very few in the field of computing with an interdisciplinary discourse that can reach beyond the technical community to philsoophers, psychologists, and historians and sociologists of science." -- Sherry Turkle, Professor, Program in Science, Technology, and Society, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Resnick's work provides a rare glimpse of what I am sure will become a new paradigm for research in education." -- Seymour Papert

How does a bird flock keep its movements so graceful and synchronized? Most people assume that the bird in front leads and the others follow. In fact, bird flocks don't have leaders: they are organized without an organizer, coordinated without a coordinator. And a surprising number of other systems, from termite colonies to traffic jams to economic systems, work the same decentralized way. Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams describes innovative new computational tools that can qhelp people (even young children) explore the workings of such systems--and help them move beyond the centralized mindset.

For a copy of the StarLogo software described in this book, please visit the StarLogo website. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A fascinating topic, but may leave you wanting more
I picked up this book while browsing the Computer Science section. The first line on the back cover drew me in: "How does a bird flock keep its movements so graceful and synchronized?" Unfortunately, this question (and others similar) was never really answered in the book. Rather than an intellectual or philosophical discussion of how organized behaviors develop from non-centrally-controlled systems in real life, the book seems to focus on why it happens in simplified computer simulations. The book is really about looking at organized behaviors from a decentralized perspective - using computer simulations to aid in this perspective. (Termite mounds, for example, aren't created by a "seed or lead" termite, they're in fact created by the behaviors common to individual termites, and the interaction of those termites with the environment, as is demonstrated in a simplified computer simulation.)

The book focuses a great deal on workings of the StarLogo programming language, which is not included but is downloadable (more on this later). The programming language allows users to simulate massively parallel systems. The book includes many code samples, programming notes and descriptions of how the simulations progress at run time. Discussions of resulting organized behaviors lie almost completely within the scope of the software simulations, but are very interesting nonetheless (although it will likely leave you wanting more). After only the first simulation (regarding slime mold), I found myself at the computer to download the software. Which brings me to my next point...

You won't find the software at the location specified by the book. It appears that the original StarLogo language was written for the Mac, and was renamed MacStarLogo. (Substitute "macstarlogo" for "~starlogo" in the URL to find the software.) When you get to the Download page, you'll be able to download the software for PC and UNIX as well as for Mac. The PC version (and version 1.1 for Mac, I assume) seems to use a newer or upgraded set of commands, so you'll have some difficulty getting the code in the book to run. The new Java-based interface, though, is very cool - it allows you to place buttons, sliders and other tools to control the simulation and dynamically interact with the program in real time. Excellent for exploring these microworlds!!!

The book also discusses a lot about the author's interactions with children while developing StarLogo programs. I found these discussions very interesting, but they seemed to focus on how we like to perceive organized behaviors as centrally controlled (versus individually controlled). As a result, much of the book was about why a non-centralized perspective is important rather than how organization is actually formed from non-centralized communities.

Overall it is a very interesting and well-organized book. Only three stars because (1) it wasn't what I expected - perhaps the subtitle would have been more descriptive as "analyzing simple computer simulations where organized behavior results from systems with no centralized control," but I guess that would have been too wordy. And, (2) the software was not easy to find, and it was not fully compatible with the code in the book. (A version of the software compatible with the code in the book shoud be made available - even if it's since been upgraded.) And finally, (3) the book seems to be rushed toward the end. (The last chapter, for example, where the author "looks ahead" is only two pages long.)

Overall, it's a great book, and it inspires a lot of thinking, but it left me wanting a bit more...

interesting, but describes an old version of the software
This is a book describing the research of a team at MIT using a version of the educational language "Logo". Running in a simple graphical environment which supports multiple parallel operation of code in the same shared space. Write a few lines of code for an "ant", then let 1000 of them loose. The current version of this "StarLogo" system is written in Java, and available as a free download for anyone to play with.

The use of Logo is both a strength and a weakness of the approach. The strength is that the code is concise and easy to understand. The weakness is that there is only one source of the software, and anyone wishing to try it is limited to the available download. This would not be such a limitation if the book described the same version, but unfortunately things have moved on a lot since the book was written, and few (if any) of the examples will work without alteration.

As well as the development of the StarLogo system, the book covers experiments in emergent behaviour. Typical sections include how parameter and environment changes can affect the growth and development of simulated ant colonies, and a theoretical basis for those "phantom traffic jams" we have all experienced.

This book is certainly interesting if you are interested in developing parallel software simulations, or if you are interested in marginal computer languages, but don't expect the code to work without effort.

Invention - on all levels
This book provided the motivating force to write my first, and last, review for Amazon.com.

Over the past 5 years since my first reading Mitchel Resnick's Turtles Turmites and Traffic Jams, the book has come up on numerous occasions related to several topics, two of which most basically:

1) Writing style - Resnick's clear, well-researched, simple yet profound style. His background as journalist and inventor enables TT&T to walk a new line between source material and criticism.

2) Content - Resnick's theoretical application of emergent behavior to education is robust; his practical educational tools (starlogo and later, mindstorms) are a fundamentally clear and wondrous collapsing of idea into artifact.

I will include this book with few others in my life bibliography.

The title promised more
Maybe my rating is unfair but I expected a little deeper treatment of the topics mentioned in the title. Perhaps the title should give an indication that it is a broad treatment for the layman. It is a good book for an advanced high school reader or college freshman Most of the personal explorations of the author's musings required the use of a program that would have been only fair to include with the book or made accessible via the Net.

Grad student review
I'm a beginning grad student in the Computer Science department of the University of Virginia and read this book in the interest of Swarm Computing, AI, and general research in computational and complex systems. My reaction to the book is that it is informative for someone looking to expand their computer science teaching curriculum on a High school level but it is by no means even a starting off point for the study of Artificial Intelligence and intelligent systems on a graduate level. I could definitely see applications for an undergraduate curriculum but all in all it was limited to a case study of several students (mostly in K-12) who have worked with the Author. The students use a language that the Author designed to get a better fundamental understanding of systems whose function is described by an interaction between many individual agents. The purpose of the book, the language, and these case studies is to educate about distributed software and how complex systems and patterns can be programmed and understood through agent based complex systems as opposed to centrally controlled systems. ... Read more

Book Description

The original small-press edition of Calling the Circle has become one of the key resources for the rapidly-growing "circle" movement. This newly revised edition brings Christina Baldwin's groundbreaking work to an even broader audience ranging from women's spirituality groups to corporate development teams.

50,000 years ago, women and men gathered around campfires to decide the key issues in their lives. Today, groups everywhere are discovering a new form of this ancient ritual for communication, mutual support, teamwork, and social change. Now, in a book as consciousness-changing as Riane Eisler's The Chalice and the Blade or Peter Senge's The Fifth Discipline, Christina Baldwin offers this powerful new tool to everyone who longs for a community based on honesty, equality, and spiritual integrity.

In this simple, profound practice, participants sit in a circle, pass a talking piece from person to person, and speak and listen from the heart. Christina Baldwin gives detailed instructions and suggestions for getting started, setting goals, and solving disagreements safely and respectfully. She also offers inspiring examples of circles in action: a women's spirituality group, a father and son in crisis, a PTA group that averts a school strike and a work project team that accesses a new level of creativity and caring. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

a book whose time has come
This book has been waiting for us to get ready to do something really different-- speak honestly and heartfully and listen compassionately. I've been looking for some way to help elicit the level of conversation that is missing all around us, and calling the circle is an essential tool that needs to come back into the mainstream. Baldwin's book is not the only one out there, but it's a classic, and when you look at her website she's been walking her talk a long time...PeerSpirit is what she calls her circle methodology-- it's highly adaptable. Try this at home. Then try it at work. Then try it in your neighborhood. We will surprise each other with who we really are!

What the world needs now!
This is a book for our times. Christina provides a much needed paradigm - a new container within which human interaction can happen in a spirit of respect and tolerance. It is an important answer for anyone who has ever wondered how to be a peace maker in their own lives and in the world. I have used what Christina teaches, and it enhances every interaction all the way from talks with my spouse to large organizational meetings. It is useful at every level of life. It is beautifully written, and it leaves you with highly useful tools in your hand and hope in your heart.

Calling the Circle: The First and Future culture
Christina Baldwin's Calling the Circle is a book that offers information critical to our survival as a human community. How do we break through our cultural barriers and relearn how to treat one another with respect and honor the collective wisdom that we so desperately need at this time in our history? Read this book to find a proven methodology, a way of being together that, when practiced allows us to connect on a heart level, to honor and understand one another even though we may disagree. We need this information now more than ever.

Lovely Bookl
This was simply a lovely book I recommend it to everyone

It Works! From individuals into a community of sharing.
The Council of Grandmothers Planning Committee for the Annual Gathering of October 1999 in Oracle, Arizona made a commitment to use Christina Baldwins "Calling The Circle", along with "A Guide to Peerspirit Circle" by Christina Baldwin and Ann Linnea as the foundation of their Gathering. Creating a center for safety, placing our sacred objects, using a talking piece to lovingly speak our truths, the importance of the timekeeper, using a bell to go within, the self monitoring, and the listening, really listening, worked and it was rewarding and magical! The evaluations of these women on their small circles of 12 to 13 along with the large circles of 50 include words such as "supportive, empowering, want to continue them in my other life, very harmonious, non-ego dominated, very compassionate group, good as a teaching tool for this kind of process." I recommend Christinas' Circle book for any organization, corporation, school or group, any age and all ages, male and female. It successfully brought women who had never met before to a level of sharing, working and bonding, previously not realized at our Gatherings. Thank you Christina and Ann! Judy O'Leary, The Weaver, Council of Grandmothers. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Anyone who designs anything to be used by humans--from physical objects to computer programs to conceptual tools--must read this book, and it isan equally tremendous read for anyone who has to use anything created by another human. It could forever change how you experience and interact with your physical surroundings, open your eyes to the perversity of bad design andthe desirability of good design, and raise your expectations about how things should be designed. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

A must read for programmers and engineers alike!
Norman does an excellent job of showing the reader that interface design is not simple a matter of putting a handle or some buttons on something. His in depth analysis of not only which interfaces are good or bad but why is an interesting and educational read for anyone who must create objects, devices, or interfaces that a person will interact with. The language is easy to understand and not heavily technical but still remains interesting. His examples are not specific to computer interfaces but to many different kinds of devices - telephones, light switches, etc. An excellent book for readers of any level - student or teacher, from junior high on up.

THE Book for Designers
If you are interested in the field of design or are currently within it, this is the book to read. Donald Norman's information readily applies to all different types of design: software, hardware, industrial, and more. I am a software designer (user interface design and usability predominantly) and Norman's work has really formed the building blocks of the way I do my job. Norman's explanation of conceptual models alone is worth the price of this book.

Before going anywhere else and reading any specific design books (such as Alan Cooper for software...great book too), read this book.

See The Psychology of Everyday Things
Take a look at the The Psychology of Everyday Things (the hardcover edition of this book). They changed the title for the paperback edition.

Mind altering book.
If you design anything you will want to read this book. Even if you don't design what physically appears to a persons eye you want to read this. It is an amazing book which really changes your view of everything. After you read the first chapter of this book you'll start viewing the world differently. You'll start questioning why your VCR is like so, or why your DVD player is not like you think it should be. It is a fun book to read and a worthy one.

super interesting
great for artists, designers, programmers, architects, actually pretty much anyone who has an interest in they way things work, creative process, and design.
This challenges the notion of lazy design, and goes against the issue of designing things the same way becuase that's the way it's always been done. Rewinds the design process and starts over. Shows design flubs and goes through the thought process and the intentions behind them. VERY interesting book, love the photographs and diagrams. ... Read more

Book Description

In a complex and uncertain world, humans and animals make decisions under the constraints of limited knowledge, resources, and time. Yet models of rational decision making in economics, cognitive science, biology, and other fields largely ignore these real constraints and instead assume agents with perfect information and unlimited time. About forty years ago, Herbert Simon challenged this view with his notion of "bounded rationality." Today, bounded rationality has become a fashionable term used for disparate views of reasoning.

This book promotes bounded rationality as the key to understanding how real people make decisions. Using the concept of an "adaptive toolbox," a repertoire of fast and frugal rules for decision making under uncertainty, it attempts to impose more order and coherence on the idea of bounded rationality. The contributors view bounded rationality neither as optimization under constraints nor as the study of people?s reasoning fallacies. The strategies in the adaptive toolbox dispense with optimization and, for the most part, with calculations of probabilities and utilities. The book extends the concept of bounded rationality from cognitive tools to emotions; it analyzes social norms, imitation, and other cultural tools as rational strategies; and it shows how smart heuristics can exploit the structure of environments. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

State of the Art on Behavioral Choice Theory
Suppose we wanted to predict how an expert billiards player would hit a certain shot. We would measure the angles and distances, get the coefficients of elasticity of the balls and the bumpers, and we would solve a set of differential equations. But is that how the billiards player figures out what to do? Of course not! We don't know exactly what he would do, but if the authors of this book had their way, we'd give up on the differential equations (optimization theory) and find the "fast and frugal heuristic" actually used by the billiards player.

This book is the product of a conference of experts in the field. It includes wonderful contributions by the editors and their coworkers on how decisions are actually made, and argues persuasively that fast and frugal is almost as good as full optimization, and at much lower cost.

But the volume is a lot broader than that. It includes contributions on the role of emotions in decision-making (Dan Fessler), learning in animal societies (Keven Laland) and social insects (Thomas Seeley), and a lot of material on the role of culture in human societies (Boyd, Richerson, McCabe, Smith, Henrich, and others). This is important new material, very up to date.

Gigerenzter and Selten go to great lengths to cast aspersions on the old-fashioned "optimization subject to constraints" perspective, but their arguments are not persuasive. They make a category error: they maintain that models that use optimization assume that the agents the models describe use optimization. This is just silly. Just as the billiards player does not solve differential equations, decision-makers do not do complete optimization, even though we may use such models to describe their behavior.

The editors believe that optimization subject to constraints is dead in behavioral theory, but they're dead wrong. That's in fact what they are doing, but they prefer to call it "bounded rationality."

Finally, I should note that the work of Eduardo Zambrano (look up his home page) shows that the SEU (Subjective Expected Utility model---the enemy of all bounded rationalers) actually is behaviorally universal, in the sense that one can always find a set of Bayesian priors for which an observed set of behaviors is optimal.

But don't let these petty methodological issues get you down. The book is a great collection by the authors of major work in behavioral theory. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bandura's brain is not Spanish
Contrary to what "Reader from California" says, Bandura's native language is not Spanish, though much of his work has been translated into Spanish and other languages. He was born and grew up in northern Manitoba.

Bandura is the brain
I've not read this particular book, but I recommend Bandura for anyone who really wants to give her/his cerebral cortex a workout. At times his writing is very dense and obtuse in translation (I find him only a little easier to follow in his native Spanish), but the connexions he makes are always worthy of full consideration. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Ambitious and elegant, this book builds a bridge between evolutionary theory and cultural psychology. Michael Tomasello is one of the very few people to have done systematic research on the cognitive capacities of both nonhuman primates and human children. The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition identifies what the differences are, and suggests where they might have come from. Tomasello argues that the roots of the human capacity for symbol-based culture, and the kind of psychological development that takes place within it, are based in a cluster of uniquely human cognitive capacities that emerge early in human ontogeny. These include capacities for sharing attention with other persons; for understanding that others have intentions of their own; and for imitating, not just what someone else does, but what someone else has intended to do. In his discussions of language, symbolic representation, and cognitive development, Tomasello describes with authority and ingenuity the "ratchet effect" of these capacities working over evolutionary and historical time to create the kind of cultural artifacts and settings within which each new generation of children develops. He also proposes a novel hypothesis, based on processes of social cognition and cultural evolution, about what makes the cognitive representations of humans different from those of other primates. Lucid, erudite, and passionate, The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition will be essential reading for developmental psychology, animal behavior, and cultural psychology. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Essential Ingredient
This is the best account of cognitive development in human beings I've read, and as a psychoanalyst I've read quite a few. Tomasello focuses on the essential difference between human children and our closest relatives among the great apes. This is the ability to imagine that another creature has a mind with intentions and with plans to fulfill those intentions. From this capability follows the human infant's unique capacity to track the behavior of adults and to reconstruct their thoughts and intentions from their observed actions. Apes can make accurate predictions by watching what other apes do. They can emulate those actions in a general way, but they cannot imagine what the other ape is trying to do, or that there might in fact be other ways of doing whatever that is. As Tomasello shows, without a model of the other creature's intentions,it is impossible to appreciate and imitate the fine details of his actions. It is also impossible to build a cumulative model that relates one set of actions with another to form a larger scheme of mental activity.

Tomasello shows how the entire structure of shared ideas and artifacts that we call culture rests on this uniquely human cogitive achievement. His descriptions of the steps and stages in the evolving interaction between the child and its caretakers make this progressive development crystal clear. His account of languge acquisition is unusually good. He shows, for example, that words do not simply label objects but identify them through the particular aspects they display in a variety of meaningful contexts. Language introduces perspective, allowing the infant to see the world without the exclusive bias of his own immediate needs.

Tomasello's writing doesn't waste any words, but maintains a tone of empathy and understanding that makes the book a pleasure to read. I think it will prove invaluable to any educator or clinician concerned with understanding the receptivity to learning of either children or adults.

Convincing and provocative work
Tomasello's work convincingly elucidates the roles of attention and intention discovery amongst infants in the acquisition of language. He enables us to dispense with ideas of linguistic modules, of "innateness" with respect to human speech acquisition. The key, in his thesis, is the human awareness of intention, and it's the emergence of this in infants at around 9 months which provides the basis for language comprehension (ultimately). A very enjoyable and persuasive text - strongly recommended to anyone interested in the origins of human language (on a species and individual basis). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good for novice
The last Corey book which I have read is Theory and Practice of Conseling and Psychology. I was very impressed by it.

I find that this book is quite different from Theory and Practice of Conseling and Psychology. In simple terms, this book is not very technical, and is very shallow in many respect. Definitely not a book which I would recommend if you are interested in studying Counseling and Psychology, in which case I would recommend you to purchase Theory and Practice of Conseling and Psychology instead.

However if you are a teenager and would like to know more about yourslef, this book may not be a bad choice.

Awesome
This is a great book for someone trying to "find" themselves. It helps you reach inside of yourself to find the answers for questions that you have, but you don't want to ask anyone else because you're embarassed. It'll be a great book to read after five years and see how you have changed and grown. I'd suggest keeping a notebook to record your responses to the questions asked in the book and compare the answers after re-reading it a couple years later. ... Read more

Book Description

In this book, J. Allan Hobson offers a new understanding of altered states of consciousness based on knowledge of how our brain chemistry is balanced when we are awake and how that balance shifts when we fall asleep and dream. He draws on recent research that enables us to explain how psychedelic drugs work to disturb that balance and how similar imbalances may cause depression and schizophrenia. He also draws on work that expands our understanding of how certain drugs can correct imbalances and restore the brain's natural equilibrium.

Hobson explains the chemical balance concept in terms of what we know about the regulation of normal states of consciousness over the course of the day by brain chemicals called neuromodulators. He presents striking confirmation of the principle that every drug that has transformative effects on consciousness interacts with the brain's own consciousness-altering chemicals. In the section called "The Medical Drugstore," Hobson describes drugs used to counteract anxiety and insomnia, to raise and lower mood, and to eliminate or diminish the hallucinations and delusions of schizophrenia. He discusses the risks involved in their administration, including the possibility of new disorders caused by indiscriminate long-term use. In "The Recreational Drugstore," Hobson discusses psychedelic drugs, narcotic analgesia, and natural drugs. He also considers the distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate drug use. In the concluding "Psychological Drugstore," he discusses the mind as an agent, not just the mediator, of change, and corrects many erroneous assumptions and practices that hinder the progress of psychoanalysis. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very Big Bite
Having completed my honors thesis on the structure and function of REM sleep, I feel that I know a bit about the subject of dreams. I have read myriad scientific articles by J.A. Hobson and even another of his books, entitled Sleep. I got about 50 pages into this one and realized I still may have bitten off a bit more than I could chew. The audience Hobson was aiming at here must be the scientific community because I found myself skipping paragraphs at a time because of the tedious detail of neuro-pathways and receptor information that Hobson plows through with an expectation that the reader will need little or no introduction or explanation of the complex neuroanatomy and chemistry that he discusses. He is a great writer, but unless you are a neurochemist, I would recommend one of his other books on the topic of dreams and sleep.

Great
Hobson has written yet another very good book on the neurochemical mechanisms of conscious states. Certainly, there is not very much one has not read before on his books like Consciousness, Dream as Delirium or The Chemistry of Consicous States. But still, the book should be read because it cuts into some very deep issues regarding consicousness and neurochemistry, specially with regards to dreaming and sleep research. Now the thing is this book is supposed to be about the action of prescription and recreational drugs, but one gets Hobsons model of conscious states, and only then a little of how it explains the actions of those drugs. THis is not necessarily a bad thing, for models are good foundations for such explorations, but maybe a lot more space should have been given to drugs and their actions in the brain.

Hobsons well known model of conscious states, AIM, standing for activation (high-low), Input output grating (internal or external information sources) and modulation (aminergic or cholinergic) is presented in the book, and is supposed to do the lot of the explanatory work. The model is useful in this sense, but I have doubts about its power to actually explain what consicousness is. Activation seems to determine waking, not consciousness per se, Input determines content, not consicousness per se, and modulation seems to be in the level of processing mode, and not processing itself. IN other words, it is not clear to me neurochemistry is the right level where one can find really interesting causal links, like neural correlates of consciousness. But the reality is that the model is grounded on firm evidence and good science, and does explain many things ABOUT consicousness. It certainly adds important things to the debate.

Another very interesting issue Hobson takes on is on the inadequacy of psychotherapeutic frameworks, of how these are mostly incompatible with modern brain sicence. I must agree almost completely here with him. Hobson also mainly concentrates on nonrephinephrine, serotonin and acetycholine as main players, the first two associated with waking and the last with dreaming. This move seems premature, for there are coutless of neurochemicals that may play also important roles. Nonetheless, these serve as the basis of his dream as delirium hypothesis: that psychosis is similar phenomenally and chemically with normal dreaming states, and thus involves alteration in the aminergic or cholinergic systems of the brain. Dreaming involves chcolinergic activity but in sleep. When such activity is present in waking, psychosis ensues. THis is one of the most plausible and defendable views on psychosis out there. By extension, drugs that cause psychosis, or aleviate it, must affect in some way the aminergic and cholinergic systems of the brain. In this way, Hobson explains the action of drugs, both recreational and clinical. (of course im simplifying. I omit the interactions of the other aspects of the AIM model, I and A. Dreaming and psychosis involve high activation and internal or hallucinatory imputs, for example). So in this ellegant framework Hobson frames the rest of his discussion.

Now if one thing can be said about the style of writing, usually good in HObsons books, is that there seems to be way too small a bibliography. For a book of such lenght and scope, one would expect extensive support in references and evidence coming from various diciplines and labs. In fact, Hobson lists about 10 references and onnly seems to present evidence either compatible with his views and coming from his own lab. This is to me a very bad thing for his book, otherwise a brilliant exposition of a promising thesis. The book is nevertheless a valuable addition to the consicousness litterature, and HObson is one of the main players in the game.

Free your brain-mind
This is an intriguing but ultimately frustrating book from one of the leading luminaries of dream/sleep science. With the central thesis being that altered states of consciousness from psychosis to psychedelic intoxication result from the disintegration of boundaries between normally separate brain-mind states (sleeping and waking), this book itself cannot decide what book-state it wishes to occupy. Too cursory to be a book about the neuro-chemistry of dreaming and consciousness in general, too anecdotal to be an adequate discussion of the multifarious effects of various psycho-active drugs (from Prozac to LSD), and too preliminary to be a manifesto for a neuro-dynamic psychiatry, Hobson would like his book to be all these things. While reading it did inspire me to learn more about the actual mechanics of the brain, I felt again and again that what this book really cried out for was a strong editorial hand. There are too many asides, too little sustained argumentation, and in fact, too many goals for this book to cohere and succeed. Succeed at one, you might ask? Hobson is a standard-bearer for an enlightened, scientific realism, who strives to demystify human experience by demonstrating that all transcendent states (from dreaming to tripping) are grounded in the physical chemistry of the brain and, therefore, do not refer to any metaphysical reality. Although science is a long way from isolating or producing the super-specific consciousness effects that we each experience phenomenologically, Hobson believes, and I concur, that it is only a matter of time. However, while Hobson would like to dissuade people from turning to drugs (either from the pharmacy or from the street) in the pursuit of "personal satisfaction and social success," he fails to make a strong case against psychonautical explorations. The pragmatic utilitarianism that might convince people to avoid risky behaviors like taking cocaine or prozac, itself lacks, by definition, a metaphysical ground that would proscibe such activities absolutely. ... Read more

Book Description

When psychologist Richard E. Nisbett showed an animated underwater scene to his American students, they zeroed in on a big fish swimming among smaller fish. Japanese observers instead commented on the background environment -- and the different "seeings" are a clue to profound cognitive differences between Westerners and East Asians. AsNisbett shows in The Geography of Thought, people think about -- and even see -- the world differently because of differing ecologies, social structures, philosophies, and educational systems that date back to ancient Greece and China. The Geography of Thought documents Professor Nisbett's groundbreaking research in cultural psychology, addressing questions such as:

Book Description

This book is about using the Internet as a teaching tool. It starts with the psychology of the learner and looks at how best to fit technology to the student, rather than the other way around. The authors include leading authorities in many areas of psychology, and the book takes a broad look at learners as people. Thus, it includes a wide range of materials from how the eye "reads" moving graphs on a Web page to how people who have never met face-to-face can interact on the Internet and create "communities" of learners. The book considers many Internet technologies, but focuses on the World Wide Web and new "hybrid" technologies that integrate the Web with other communications technologies. This book is essential to researchers is psychology and education who are interested in learning. It is also used in college and graduate courses in departments of psychology and educational psychology. Teachers and trainers at any level who are using technology in their teaching (or thinking about it) find this book very useful.

Key Features
* Distinguished authors with considerable expertise in their fields
* Broad "intra-disciplinary" perspective on learning and teaching on the Web
* Focus on the Web and emerging Web-based technologies
* Special attention to conducting educational research on-line
* Emphasis on the Social and Psychological Context
* Analyses of effective Web-based learning resources
* Firmly grounded in contemporary psychological research and theory ... Read more