Synopses & Reviews
“Big questions are Gazzanigas stock in trade.”
—
New York Times“Gazzaniga is one of the most brilliant experimental neuroscientists in the world.”
—Tom Wolfe
“Gazzaniga stands as a giant among neuroscientists, for both the quality of his research and his ability to communicate it to a general public with infectious enthusiasm.”
—Robert Bazell, Chief Science Correspondent, NBC News
The author of Human, Michael S. Gazzaniga has been called the “father of cognitive neuroscience.” In his remarkable book, Whos in Charge?, he makes a powerful and provocative argument that counters the common wisdom that our lives are wholly determined by physical processes we cannot control. His well-reasoned case against the idea that we live in a “determined” world is fascinating and liberating, solidifying his place among the likes of Oliver Sacks, Antonio Damasio, V.S. Ramachandran, and other bestselling science authors exploring the mysteries of the human brain.
Review
“A fascinating affirmation of our essential humanity.” Kirkus Reviews
Review
“[The] scope of Michael S. Gazzanigas Whos in Charge? is hugeit tackles the age-old debate of free will [and] offers a lot to consider about what Gazzaniga deems the ‘scientific problem of the century.” Portland Mercury
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“A fascinating, accessible, and often humorous read for anyone with a brain! And a must-read for neuroscientists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and criminal attorneys.” Library Journal (starred review)
Review
“An utterly captivating and fascinating read that addresses issues of consciousness and free will and, in the end, offers suggestions as to how these ideas may or may not inform legal matters.” Daily Texan
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“Gazzaniga is a towering figure in contemporary neurobiology. . . . Whos in Charge? is a joy to read.” Wall Street Journal
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“This exciting, stimulating, and sometimes even funny book challenges us to think in new ways about that most mysterious part of usthe part that makes us think were us.” Alan Alda, actor and host of < i=""> Scientific American Frontiers <>
Review
“Fascinating. . . . [An] intriguing and persuasive treatment of the moral implications of modern neuroscience.” Reason.com
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“From one of the worlds leading thinkers comes a thought-provoking book on how we think and how we act. . . . An exciting, stimulating, and at times even funny read that helps us further understand ourselves, our actions, and our world.” CNBC.com, Best Books for the Holidays
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“Terrific. . . . [An] engrossing study of the mechanics of thought.” Publishers Weekly
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“Fascinating. . . . Gazzaniga uses a lifetime of experience in neuroscientific research to argue that free will is alive and well.” Salon.com
Synopsis
"Big questions are Gazzaniga's stock in trade."
--New York Times
"Gazzaniga is one of the most brilliant experimental neuroscientists in the world."
--Tom Wolfe
"Gazzaniga stands as a giant among neuroscientists, for both the quality of his research and his ability to communicate it to a general public with infectious enthusiasm."
--Robert Bazell, Chief Science Correspondent, NBC News
The author of Human, Michael S. Gazzaniga has been called the "father of cognitive neuroscience." In his remarkable book, Who's in Charge?, he makes a powerful and provocative argument that counters the common wisdom that our lives are wholly determined by physical processes we cannot control. His well-reasoned case against the idea that we live in a "determined" world is fascinating and liberating, solidifying his place among the likes of Oliver Sacks, Antonio Damasio, V.S. Ramachandran, and other bestselling science authors exploring the mysteries of the human brain.
Synopsis
There is no "you" consciously making decisions. So how do we make decisions? How can we have free will if we don't pull the levers on our own behavior? What moral and legal implications follow if we don't have free will? Who's in Charge? is a primer for a new era in the understanding of human behavior that ranges across neuroscience, psychology, ethics, and the law with a light touch but profound implications.
About the Author
Michael S. Gazzaniga is internationally recognized in the field of neuroscience and a pio-neer in cognitive research. He is the director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of many popular science books, including Who's in Charge? Free Will and the Science of the Brain; Nature's Mind: The Biological Roots of Thinking, Emotions, Sexuality, Language, and Intelligence; and Mind Matters: How the Mind and Brain Interact to Create Our Conscious Lives. He is a prominent adviser to various institutes involved in brain research, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a past president of the American Psychological Society. He is featured regularly on public television and his research has been presented on NBC Nightly News and the Today show. Gazzaniga lives in Vermont and California with his wife and six children.