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I of the Vortex: From Neurons to Self Paperback – March 7, 2002

by Rodolfo R. Llinas (Author)

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A highly original theory of how the mind-brain works, based on the author's study of single neuronal cells.

In I of the Vortex, Rodolfo Llinas, a founding father of modern brain science, presents an original view of the evolution and nature of mind. According to Llinas, the "mindness state" evolved to allow predictive interactions between mobile creatures and their environment. He illustrates the early evolution of mind through a primitive animal called the "sea squirt." The mobile larval form has a brainlike ganglion that receives sensory information about the surrounding environment. As an adult, the sea squirt attaches itself to a stationary object and then digests most of its own brain. This suggests that the nervous system evolved to allow active movement in animals. To move through the environment safely, a creature must anticipate the outcome of each movement on the basis of incoming sensory data. Thus the capacity to predict is most likely the ultimate brain function. One could even say that Self is the centralization of prediction.

At the heart of Llinas's theory is the concept of oscillation. Many neurons possess electrical activity, manifested as oscillating variations in the minute voltages across the cell membrane. On the crests of these oscillations occur larger electrical events that are the basis for neuron-to-neuron communication. Like cicadas chirping in unison, a group of neurons oscillating in phase can resonate with a distant group of neurons. This simultaneity of neuronal activity is the neurobiological root of cognition. Although the internal state that we call the mind is guided by the senses, it is also generated by the oscillations within the brain. Thus, in a certain sense, one could say that reality is not all "out there," but is a kind of virtual reality.

Print length

314 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Bradford Books
Publication date

March 7, 2002
Dimensions

6 x 0.68 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

9780262621632
ISBN-13

978-0262621632
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Anyone interested in new ways of thinking about organization of the brain would do well to give it a look.—Ilya Farber, Nature—

I of the Vortex is an exciting book, full of imagination, fit for the well-educated lay reader.

—Edgar Garcia-Rill, Forum—

Rodolfo Llinas...offers this compelling synthesis of neurology, from the function of the neuron to the workings of the mind.

—Science Books & Films—

Review

Using a lively, discursive writing style, Llinas argues that the self is the center of prediction and arises in the motor systems of the brain. A myriad of neuroscience and comparative physiology facts support the fascinating and provocative hypothesis of this book.

―J. Allan Hobson, Director, Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School

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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0262621630
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bradford Books; Reprint edition (March 7, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780262621632
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0262621632
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.15 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.68 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,118,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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- #1,393 in Neuroscience (Books)
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41 ratings

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Roshini Joseph

Essential reading for the serious student of consciousness and qualia

Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2015

Verified Purchase

For those trying to figure out consciousness and an explanation for the qualia problem (how electrochemical activities in the brain give rise to "raw feels") this book is essential reading. It is truly remarkable how little known this book while "lesser" books are much more popular. The only reason I can think of that accounts for this, is that Llinas, does not use the "syrupy human interest" approach found in books that though less thought provoking are more commercially successful.

For me the book was remarkable for its honest, rigorous approach--Llnas does not shrug away the qualia problem--he does not claim (like many others) to have an explanation for it. Nonetheless, his thoughts on how the brain may be creating a framework within which the solution to the qualia problem lies, is, to put it in one word, remarkable! Just the chapter on qualia was for me, worth the price of admittance.

The other remarkable thing about this book is how Llias idea of consciousness (centralization of voluntary motoricity) does not just give us the evolutionary reason why it arose (to a computer scientist like me, standard explanations for the evolutionary benefits of consciousness just do not cut it, I do believe a non-conscious entity can, in theory, do all that humans do and more!). Also, this centralization of voluntary motoricity matches with uncanny exactness, the state of "pure consciousness" described in ancient literature such as the Vedanta's Mandukya Upanishad.

It is a pity this book (and Dr. Llinas) haven't attained the "rock star" status that other lesser neuroscientists seem to have reached--I accidentally stumbled on his book, and I thank my stars that I read it!

14 people found this helpful

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barryb

into the ocean

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2012

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according to Llinas, the dialectical reverberation between the thalamus and the association nuclei of the cortex at 40 Hz, establishes the "conscious" self or "selfness". there is no non-biological substrate that exists for establishing the self. this is pure Darwinism in the strict sense. his examples come from the ocean because that is where experiments by Nature still exist to be examined. In particular he is interested in the sea squirt and the shark. they both are creatures that develop brains based on the need for "movement". the human brain is all about movement. it should be understood that he is not addressing "self-consciousness", just "consciousness" of the self. As he says, his philosophy stops at Kant ; with a-priori categories that are hypothetically and experimentally carried out in a dialectic with empirical experience to define the sub-categories. There is no "speculative " thought. Things end with Kant. I disagree with his premiss and his conclusions , because I do believe that we do form semantic models in the brain and that sometimes this drives us beyond the empirical dialectic. but I "loved" this book. I consider it a treasure of discovery. It sent me off on additional research many times, but that is not necessary to enjoy the book. It is accessible at all levels ; it is very articulate but understandable to those without scientific or philosophical backgrounds. this book will not leave my library. it was a fun read.

9 people found this helpful

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Mr. Z

An Intriguing Read

Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2012

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I have discovered this book to be of an interesting read, and it prompted me to read more than once, along with my dictionary, in order to understand the technical science of it all. This book was actually my introduction to the field of neuroscience a couple of years ago and it has forced me to re-think about the brain and its working as well our sense of self. This book has increased my interest in this field and led me to other books and materials of related topics.

Llinas' "I of the Vortex" is somewhat technical and can be difficult-to-read but I soon found it to be an excellent material on the subjects. I think the author did a nice job with an introduction of neuroscience basics for those of us with a little understanding of scientific background (like me!) and eased us into an understanding how our consciousness could be a result of our neuronal activities of our brains and development of our sense of "self."

I found it to be an intriguing read and a great additional to our understanding of neuroscience, however basic.

2 people found this helpful

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Carlos Camara

Great.

Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2002

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Llinas is of course, a famous neuroscientist, and his views on consciousness in the 90's took the side of the 40 hertz gamma band ocillations in the thalamocortical system. This book reviews his views in almost all aspects of neuroscience. His evolutionary insights, and his discussion of how important action and motor mechanisms are for cognition are truly in accord with recent study in "embodied cognition". As for consciousness itself, we are left with a narrow expansion of his earlier views. Ocillatory behavior on neurons is still the key in Llinas framework, and the thalamus still has its central role, as are his insights on wakefulness and sleep. As for originallity,one can trace his views on the origin of the self in Damasio's writings, his view on qualia in Rodney Cotteril's, and ocillatory ideas on Crick (but Llinas got there before), Singer, Von-Mandlesburg, etc.. All in all, however, the book is a must read for anyone intersested in the neurosciences and consciousness, and is a valuable contribution to the theorist enterprise that has few who venture into an integration of top- down and bottom-up approaches. LLinas is to be praised for his brilliant career, and his valuable contributions to the field, including this volume.

18 people found this helpful

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