The Private Life of the Brain: Emotions, Consciousness, and the Secret of the Self

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Wiley, May 25, 2001 - Psychology - 272 pages
"Drawing on many different sources–the effects of neurological disorders and injuries, the actions of drugs, the character of thought in dreams, in schizophrenia, in reverie, and in childhood–Susan Greenfield has given us a synthesis which is challenging, original, readable, and personal."–Oliver Sacks

How does the human brain produce your private world?

In this groundbreaking exploration, neuroscientist and author Susan Greenfield demystifies the private life of the brain. She examines the physical basis of our emotions and searches for the answer to one of the most enduring mysteries in modern science: How does the brain create a unique, subjective experience for each one of us?

Utilizing cutting-edge research and compelling personal anecdotes, Greenfield reveals that emotions, triggered by individual life experiences, are the very foundation upon which our brains build our unique minds. In this absorbing, lyrical exploration, Dr. Greenfield presents a provocative new theory that provides an illuminating glimpse into the human brain and reveals the astonishing essence of who we are.

"This is one of those rare books that can make a reader happy to have been led to think."–Booklist

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About the author (2001)

SUSAN GREENFIELD, M.A., D.Phil., D.Sc., C.B.E., is the first female director of Britain’s Royal Institution, which was established in 1799 to "diffuse science for common purposes of life." She is also a Fellow of Lincoln College and Professor of Pharmacology at Oxford University, where she conducts research into the causes of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Her previous books include Journey to the Centers of the Mind: Toward a Science of Consciousness, The Human Mind Explained, and The Human Brain: A Guided Tour, which has been translated into fourteen languages.

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