The Biology of Mind: Origins and Structures of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness [Paperback]

M. Deric Bownds (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1891786075 | ISBN-13: 978-1891786075 | Publication Date: June 29, 1999 | Edition: 1st

This new book makes state-of-the-art research on the human mind accessible and exciting for a wide variety of readers. It covers the evolution of mind, examines the transitions from primate through early hominid to modern human intelligence, and reviews modern experimental studies of the brain structures and mechanisms that underlie vision, emotions, language, memory, and learning.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The Biology of Mind is an engaging, multi-disciplinary tour of some of the most exciting areas in comtemporary brain and cognitive science. Appropriate for a wide range of students and general readers, this text considers the evolution of mind and the transition from primate to early hominid to modern intelligence. It also surveys contemporary studies of brain structure and mechanisms that underlie perception, emotions, language, memory, and learning. this new book provides an essential guide to understanding the origins of the human brain and the mysteries of mind and consciousness.

From the pre-publication reviews:
"This book is an unusual blend of material on the biology of mind: not just neuroscience, or just evolution or just philosophy of mind, etc., but rather a balanced mix, a relatively quick and easy way to become oriented...this is just the kind of initial entry point someone outside the field will find useful. I know of nothing that is like this."
—Stephen M. Kosslyn, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University

"This is a broad-ranging and quite successful attempt to provide a coherent and sprightly view of mind and consciousness. The text is an entertaining as well as information-packed introduction to the 'inner world,' energizing the enormous appeal the study of the mind/brain has for so many—those who simply want to know themselves (the goal that made psychology for many years the largest undergraduate major), as well as the prospective basic neuroscientist."
—George Adelman, Editor, Encyclopedia of Neuroscience

About the Author

M. Deric Bownds, Ph.D. is Professor of Molecular Biology and Zoology and Chair of the Department of Zoology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Since receiving his graduate and post-doctoral education at Harvard he has spent 30 years at Wisconsin conducting a highly regarded research program on the molecular basis of vision. This book grew out of a popular undergraduate course on the Madison campus and the author's public lectures on these topics.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (June 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1891786075
• ISBN-13: 978-1891786075
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #136,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good review., January 5, 2002

By 

Carlos Camara "marrorris2" (Monterrey, Mexico) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Biology of Mind: Origins and Structures of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (Paperback)

This book is essentially a review of current neuroscience. It is not at all technical, and very clearly written. It should serve as an introductory text, and it is not intended to be anything more. Do not expect the advancement of controversial theories or cutting edge research. It is all quite fundamental. The focusing in evolution, embodiement, top down and top up approaches, makes it a complete volume, a solid introduction to neuroscience. The consciousness section is not very interesting. It considers somo work by dennett and Llinas, but nothing really original. It is a fun and easy book to read, and unless you are an expert or someone who is very familiar with the field, you should find a lot of useful information.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The ultimate guide to getting inside your head!, September 24, 1999

By 

Jean Hetzel ([e-mail]) (Madison, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Biology of Mind: Origins and Structures of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (Paperback)

Science texts are not all dry, ponderous tomes! You can learn all about the secrets of your grey matter without the aid of cases of Coke!

The Biology of the Mind delves into the weighty subject of examining the intimate working of the human brain and the science behind it while never losing readability. The book is written in a clear prose that is intelligible to all readers, including non-science majors. Basic concepts are reviewed and then built upon in a logical way. Each chapter begins with an outline to prepare you for where you are headed and ends with a comprehensive summary to reviewing all the key ideas presented in that chapter. The questions at the end of each chapter allow you to test what you've learned before you'd really need to prove it on an exam.

The chapters themselves are well organized with topic headings signaling changes in focus and key points appearing in the margins. Clearly captioned illustrations assist in understanding concepts or depict the areas of the brain that are being discussed. Sprinkled throughout the book are a series of fun "self-experiments" that illustrate concepts and provide for some active individual learning. Many of these experiments are very entertaining and call attention to all the tricks our mind plays on us. Should if you become particularly interested in one topic or the other, each chapter ends with a suggested reading list. Even better - for the Web savvy there is an online copy of the book with citations, comments, and other helpful resources.

This is a great text book and a wonderful starting place for anyone who is interested in learning more about the way our brains work, both physically and psychologically. It is a clear, interesting, and sometimes humorous look inside our heads and a great explanation of what we find there. I definitely recommend it either as a self-study book or as a supplement to any number of science and health-profession related classes.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive and brilliant look at our integrated selves., October 14, 1999

By 

Myrna J.Casebolt ([e-mail]) (Madison, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Biology of Mind: Origins and Structures of Mind, Brain, and Consciousness (Paperback)

THE BIOLOGY OF MIND authored by M. Deric Bownds from Madison, Wisconsin takes us on a wonderful journey into realms about thinking and feeling and willing that so many people have written so much about. Who among us has not been drawn to ideas and possibilities about who we are and from whence we come? This book is a bit different from others I have read on this engrossing topic. This one talks with us not at us; Dr. Bownds engages us as we read about perception, vision, language, growth, senses, adaptations, origins, development and, of course, brain and mind and what all that means. There are many self-experiments - excercises that we can do as we read the book that help us understand by direct application that which Dr.Bownds is telling us. I have read the book twice now and am sure to do it again. I, sometimes, just pick THE BIOLOGY OF MIND off my book shelf and just read a chapter that I select at random. I am always struck with Dr. Bownds' ability to bring out and introduce ideas allowing us to assimilate them at our own pace. Oh..and the cover is terrific! Enjoy the read. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.