The Biology of Mind

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. Preface.

Chapter 1. Thinking about Thinking.

PART I: EVOLVING MIND.

Chapter 2. Origins of Mind.

Chapter 3. Structures of Mind.

Chapter 4. Primate Mind.

Chapter 5. Hominid Mind.

PART II: DEVELOPING MIND.

Chapter 6. Plastic Mind.

Chapter 7. Minds and Selves.

PART III: SOCIETY OF MIND.

Chapter 8. Perceiving Mind.

Chapter 9. Acting Mind.

Chapter 10. Emotional Mind.

Chapter 11. Linguistic Mind.

PART IV: MODERN MIND.

Chapter 12. Conscious Mind.

Chapter 13. Theoretic Mind.

Glossary.

Index. 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. 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