The Body Has a Mind of its Own

[Olowkow]

I heard an interview on Berkley Groks podcast recently with the woman who co-authored this book: The Body Has a Mind of its Own

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400064694

Very tantalizing stuff about how the brain maps the real world. Anyone out there with expertise in this? She also talked about stimulating the brain and creating "out of body" experiences, and a sensation of "being watched", etc. Also, research on "phantom limb" pain and its cures.

[BillyJoe]

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[XBoxWarrior]

The Body Has a Mind of its Own

I am fairly convinced that my body, does in fact, have a "mind of it's own".

But somehow, I couldn't convince it to read that link? :confused:

[volatile]

I have this book, and it's reet good (and not at all dualist, despite the title).

[fls]

I heard an interview on Berkley Groks podcast recently with the woman who co-authored this book: The Body Has a Mind of its Own

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400064694

Very tantalizing stuff about how the brain maps the real world. Anyone out there with expertise in this? She also talked about stimulating the brain and creating "out of body" experiences, and a sensation of "being watched", etc. Also, research on "phantom limb" pain and its cures.

This book looks very interesting. The title gives the impression that it's about dualism, but the description is of something different.

Subjecting it to my quick screening process:

Written by a scientists? No, but it is written by someone who specializes in writing about brain science and who has written books with scientists.

Book reviews from relevant scientists? Yes, including V.S. Ramachandran (with whom she wrote a book). That alone puts the seal of approval on it for me.

I'm putting this on my list. Thanks.

Linda

[fls]

I have this book, and it's reet good (and not at all dualist, despite the title).

Have you read "Phantoms in the Brain" by Ramachandran and Blakeslee? If so, how much duplication is there?

Linda

[volatile]

Have you read "Phantoms in the Brain" by Ramachandran and Blakeslee? If so, how much duplication is there?

Linda

Sadly not... would you recommend it?

The main criticism I have with "The Body has a Mind of its Own" is that it isn't an academic text - it doesn't have a bibliography, for example, and its references are sparse. But it's an interesting, light read.

[fls]

Sadly not... would you recommend it?

Definitely. He uses an approach similar to that of Oliver Sacks, but with more of a scholarly/neuroscience bent.

The main criticism I have with "The Body has a Mind of its Own" is that it isn't an academic text - it doesn't have a bibliography, for example, and its references are sparse. But it's an interesting, light read.

That's helpful.

Phantoms in the Brain has 36 pages of Notes and 15 pages of Bibliography, if that's what you're looking for. :)

Linda

[baron]

I'd also recommend "Mapping the Mind" by Rita Carter

[volatile]

My favourite recent pop-neuroscience book (and I've been reading a lot of these recently) is Proust was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer. If you like interesting, challenging non-fiction for your "light" reading, I can heartily recommend it.

[Olowkow]

This book looks very interesting. The title gives the impression that it's about dualism, but the description is of something different.

Subjecting it to my quick screening process:

Written by a scientists? No, but it is written by someone who specializes in writing about brain science and who has written books with scientists.

Book reviews from relevant scientists? Yes, including V.S. Ramachandran (with whom she wrote a book). That alone puts the seal of approval on it for me.

I'm putting this on my list. Thanks.

Linda

Thank you. Definitely not "dualism", perhaps a bad choice for the book title though, I agree with those above. I am trying to find it and the others mentioned in the library.

[krelnik]

Oh, I'm glad you posted this. I had meant to post about this book, ever since I heard about it on NPR's "Science Friday" show a few weeks back. Here's a link to that show, from December 21, 2007:

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200712214

(You can listen to the interview with the two authors by using the links on the upper right of that page).

Aside from the interesting topic of the book, what I found fascinating about this interview is how many skeptical topics came up. They mention auras (synaethesia), out-of-body experiences, reiki (healing touch), "gut feelings," meditation and others. In their view, aspects of these things can be easily explained using the mapping functions of the brain described in the book.

Very interesting stuff.

--Tim Farley

[Olowkow]

Oh, I'm glad you posted this. I had meant to post about this book, ever since I heard about it on NPR's "Science Friday" show a few weeks back. Here's a link to that show, from December 21, 2007:

http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/200712214

Thanks for the link. Here is a link to the Berkeley Groks show. A lot more detail.
http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~clgroks/groks.rss

Aside from the interesting topic of the book, what I found fascinating about this interview is how many skeptical topics came up. They mention auras (synaethesia), out-of-body experiences, reiki (healing touch), "gut feelings," meditation and others. In their view, aspects of these things can be easily explained using the mapping functions of the brain described in the book.

Very interesting stuff.


Yeah, thought it was very relevant for this forum.

[INRM]

Olowkow,

This has to do with spatial orientation and the same mechanism behind phantom limbs right?


baron,
What's "Mapping of the Mind" by Rita Carter about?

[baron]

What's "Mapping of the Mind" by Rita Carter about?

It's basically an investigation into the functions of the brain, with some pretty cool diagrams, written at an accessible level. It reminds me a little of Oliver Sacks' "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat" in the way she quotes some fascinating case studies illustrating what can happen when things go wrong.

[robinson]

The solar plexus is like a second brain. Research shows that it has a mind of it's own, not only generating experiences, it actually produces neurotransmitters. The cardiac plexus is also under investigation, studies show evidence it may also be a source of yet another sort of "mind".

Might sound woo, but it is scientific.

I know that another part of my body seems to have a mind of it's own. Much trouble has followed allowing this small minded area to control my actions. :D

[robinson]

And don't try and tell me it hasn't happened to you. We know better.

[krelnik]

There is no mind, only the brain, it is the mind of the body.

.... Rather, the mind is a material product of the material brain. But you meant that, right?

Can I point out that both of you are way off topic for this thread?

The book being discussed in this thread has little or nothing to do with brain/mind dualism. It has to do with how parts of the brain are dedicated to "mapping" your body and the space around it, and how those parts of the brain relate to human ability.

--Tim Farley

[robinson]

She also talked about stimulating the brain and creating "out of body" experiences, and a sensation of "being watched", etc. Also, research on "phantom limb" pain and its cures.

That opens up all kinds of subjects.

[Olowkow]

Well for those who just refuse to "click on the link". Here is what the journal "Nature" had to say:

[This book presents] some of the most exciting discoveries in neuroscience. The unifying theme is the idea that the way our body is mapped by neural circuits in the brain can account for a range of our experiences and perceptions. Using a readable and inspiring format, the authors showcase new and classic research on neural representations, without compromising accuracy...

Anecdotes and ideas from sister disciplines, including neurology, psychiatry and cultural anthropology, mix comfortably with laboratory observations. New discoveries titillate our curiosity, explaining common phenomena such as yo-yo dieting and contagious yawning as well as some more bizarre neurological abnormalities such as alien-hand syndrome and supernumerary-limb perception. Also covered are why you cannot tickle yourself, why some people have ‘out-of-body’ experiences, and why babies in Mali walk earlier than those anywhere else in the world...

The Body has a Mind of its Own is a thought-provoking book of wide appeal. It is a striking example of how complex issues in contemporary research can be presented to entertain everyone.

Ref: http://www.thebodyhasamindofitsown.com/

I don't have the book yet, so I know only what I have heard on the RSS feeds. If anyone has any rebuttal to it after taking the trouble of actually listening, please have at it.

Here is a review of the Carter book:
http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=book&id=432&cn=139

[INRM]

Baron,

Can you give me some examples?

[baron]

Baron,

Can you give me some examples?

This should help http://www.amazon.com/Mapping-Mind-Rita-Carter/dp/0520224612/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200918249&sr=8-1

[Dancing David]

The solar plexus is like a second brain. Research shows that it has a mind of it's own, not only generating experiences, it actually produces neurotransmitters. The cardiac plexus is also under investigation, studies show evidence it may also be a source of yet another sort of "mind".

Might sound woo, but it is scientific.

I know that another part of my body seems to have a mind of it's own. Much trouble has followed allowing this small minded area to control my actions. :D


The ability of an area of the body to release enzymes, endocrine type stuff and neuron transmitters is not strictly a 'mind' of its own. Neurotransmitters are present in many if not most of the body. There are many different things that are used for neurotransmission. However the fact that the adrenal system impacts mood does not mean that there is a brain or a mind there. The mind is a fiction at best.

[EHLO]

Interesting stuff - perhaps a better title would have been "The Mind has Bodies of its Own"

There was a similar discussion by a neuropsychologist on a local radio program called "Ockham's Razor" (http://www.abc.net.au/rn/ockhamsrazor/default.htm) here in Oz. The podcast (only 15minutes) is available for a few more weeks here (http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/current/audioonly/orr_20080120.mp3).

[Cuddles]

Derail split to here (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=104347).

[robinson]

Excellent.

[Olowkow]

One of the phenomena mentioned when she was on the Berkeley Groks interview,

http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~clgroks/groks.rss [mind maps]

was the "mirror box" which purports to be a cure for "phantom limb" pain:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirror_box

Also, lots of stuff about virtual reality, etc. I'd love to get more information about these from our resident experts.