An Anatomy of Thought The Origin and Machinery of the Mind [Paperback]

Drawing on a dazzling array of disciplines--physiology, neurology, psychology, anthropology, linguistics, and philosophy--Ian Glynn explains virtually every aspect of the workings of the brain, unlocking the mysteries of the mind.
Glynn writes with exceptional clarity as he illuminates the mechanics of nerve messages; the functioning of sensory receptors; the processes by which the brain sees, tastes, and smells; the seats of language, memory, and emotions. The breadth of Glynn's erudition is astonishing, as he ranges from parallel processing in computers to the specialization of different regions of the brain (illustrated with fascinating instances of the bizarre effects of localized brain damage). He explains the different types of memory, traces the path of information that leads to emotional responses, and engages in a discussion of language that ranges from Noam Chomsky to Hawaiian pidgin.
No other single volume has captured the full expanse of our knowledge of consciousness and the brain. A work of unequaled authority and eloquence, this book promises to be a new landmark of scientific writing.
Monumental. --The Observer
Glynn's erudition is astonishing...a hugely enjoyable intellectual journey. --Nature

Glynn, a professor of physiology and head of the Physiological Laboratory at Cambridge, offers a comprehensive summary of what we know about the brain....Using the mechanisms involved in vision and speech as models, Glynn skillfully describes various neurological deficiencies that can lead to 'disordered seeing' and problems with the use of language. He carefully distinguishes what we know through experimental evidence from what we know through the observation of patients with neurological damage....An Anatomy of Thoughtis appropriate for most academic libraries. --Library Journal

Glynn's monumental book is a kind of grand tour of the great jelly, beginning with the origins of life some four lc*