Why do memories fade? Why do we lose our tempers? Why do fools fall in love? This work explores the nature and history of the human mind. It looks at the computations and evolutions, and then considers how the mind lets us see, think, feel, interact, and pursue higher callings like art, religion and philosophy.

'What is a self, and how can a self come out of inaminate matter?' This book examines this riddle. Linking together the music of J S Bach, the graphic art of Escher and the mathematical theorems of Godel, as well as ideas drawn from logic, biology, psychology, physics and linguistics, it reveals the mysteries of human thought processes.

Revises the traditional view of consciousness by claiming that tautology and Descartes' dualism of mind and body should be replaced with theories from the realms of neuroscience, psychology and artificial intelligence.

In his work of popular science, Sir Roger Penrose takes us on a fascinating roller-coaster ride through the basic principles of physics, cosmology, mathematics, and philosophy to show that human thinking can never be emulated by a machine.

Argues that the biological understanding of human nature threatens humane values. This book reveals positive arguments for the compatibility of biology and humanism.

Intuition is not some magical property that arises unbidden from the depths of our mind. This book shows us how we can hone our instinctive ability to know in an instant, helping us to bring out the best in our thinking and become better decision-makers in our homes, offices and in everyday life.

Describes various facets of human language - its biological origin, its uniqueness to humanity, it acquisition by children, its grammatical structure, the production and perception of speech, the pathology of language disorders and the unstoppable evolution of languages and dialects.

Can thought arise out of matter? Can self, a soul, a consciousness, an I arise out of mere matter? If it cannot, then how can you or I be here? This title argues that the key to understanding selves and consciousness is the 'strange loop' - a special kind of abstract feedback loop inhabiting our brains.

The author of this text offers a theory of consciousness. He proposes that conscious experience must be understood as an irreducible entity similar to such physical properties as time, mass, and space that exists at a fundamental level and cannot be understood as the sum of its parts.

This exploration into the moment-by-moment works of the brain uses cognitive neuroscience to present experiments, tricks, and tips related to vision, motor skills, attention, cognition, subliminal perception. Each hack examines specific operations of the brain. If you want to find out what's going on in your head, then 'Mind Hacks' is the key.

Takes the reader on a journey of scientific discovery through a series of case studies, demonstrating what many of us have long suspected: emotions are not a luxury, they are essential to rational thinking and to normal social behaviour.

A leading expert of the neurophysiology of emotions, Damasio shows how our consciousness arose out of the development of emotion. At its core human consciousness is consciousness of the feeling and experiencing self.

Analyses what words actually mean and how we use them, and reveals what this can tell us about ourselves. This book shows how we use space and motion as metaphors for more abstract ideas, and uncovers the deeper structures of human thought that have been shaped by evolutionary history. It also explores the emotional impact of language.

Contains life hacks that teach you to: use mnemonic tricks to remember numbers, names, dates, and other flotsam you need to recall. This work also helps you perform complex math in your head, with your fingers, or on the back of a napkin; use effective systems to capture new ideas; and communicate in creative new ways using artificial languages.

Lets us re-examine many cherished ideas about knowledge, imagination, consciousness and the intellect. This book features a classic example of philosophy.

As with his previous bestseller, The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat , the author uses case studies to illustrate the myriad ways in which neurological conditions can affect our sense of self, our experience of the world, and how we relate to those around us.

Looks at what happens when things go wrong with parts of the brain most of us don't know exist. This work shows the awesome powers of our mind and just how delicately balanced they have to be. It is suitable for those who have felt from time to time that certain twinge of self-identity and sensed how easily, at any moment, one might lose it.

We all have a mind, but how much do we know about what it is, and how it works? How do philosophers, physiologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists differ in their understanding of its processes? The 2nd edition of the Oxford Companion to the Mind attempts to answer these questions, and raises more, as it explores this subject.

Shows that human freedom is not an illusion; it is an objective phenomenon, distinct from all other biological conditions and found in only one species - us.

Modern brain scans reveal our thoughts, memories, and moods, as clearly as an X-ray reveals our bones. A person's brain will light up on a scan as it registers a joke. This book examines how these findings can be used as a basis to explain aspects of human culture and behaviour.