Incognito

Jan 17, 2012 Elliot rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, David Eagleman's latest book, begins with a brief recap of some of the catchiest experiments in neuroscience of the past 50 years or so. Unfortunately, I was familiar with most of the data he discussed, and had seen a number of experiments discussed more interestingly in Malcolm Gladwell's Blink (which is a bad book, but so wonderfully written!). Unlike Blink, however, Incognito will tickle the brain towards some pretty important conclusions:

1) First, Ea...more Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, David Eagleman's latest book, begins with a brief recap of some of the catchiest experiments in neuroscience of the past 50 years or so. Unfortunately, I was familiar with most of the data he discussed, and had seen a number of experiments discussed more interestingly in Malcolm Gladwell's Blink (which is a bad book, but so wonderfully written!). Unlike Blink, however, Incognito will tickle the brain towards some pretty important conclusions:

1) First, Eagleman argues that neuroscience complicates the notion of the "self," identifying the vast amount of unconscious machinery that constitutes not only our autonomic nervous system but much of our brain's activity as well. There is no well-defined "I" in the human body: we certainly feel proud, for example, when we complete a difficult math problem or understand a new concept, yet no one derives pride from the fact that one's body overcame a deadly disease. Both of these events, however, are dictated purely by biology. Our consciousness, as Eagleman points out, is hardly "conscious" -- it exists only as an emergent structure of billions of sensory networks to which we do not have direct access.

2) The result is Eagleman's notion of a democratic brain, consisting of many rival functions competing or collaborating to various ends. There is no permanent "conscious me," for "I" results from a complex battle between, for example, my greed, my compassion, my xenophobia, my thirstiness, my aversion to loud noises, etc. that can change at any moment. Hence, there is no free will in any convincing sense. What exactly might "will" be, when there is no single homogeneous "desire" found in each of us? And what exactly would it be free from? We have psychological and biological limitations interdependent with whatever social constrictions are lain upon in any given situation.

3) Later in the book, Eagleman argues that the criminal system should move beyond notions of blameworthiness (the concept behind the difference between manslaughter and homicide, as well as the root of the insanity defense) into a scientifically-backed concept of neurological flexibility or malleability. Given that many crimes can be understood as the result of neurological problems, advanced brain science will be able to determine whether these problems are curable (for example, brain cancer that can be removed, such as those which caused pedophilia and mass murder in previously normal men) and which are not. This sort of system will require a much greater degree of scientific advancement than we have today, and will have to be ethically reinforced to remove its coercive elements and the possibility of it prescribing dangerous treatments (lobotomies, excessive medication, etc.) At least in principle for some cases, however, Eagleman makes a legitimate point.

So although there was nothing particularly revolutionary in Incognito, I'm sure it will inspire many readers less familiar with big topics in neuroscience and the philosophy of mind to reassess what it is to be. After all, isn't that the most important question there is?(less)

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Jun 01, 2011 Special K rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, science

*I am required to disclose that I received this book as a freebie from the Goodreads first reads giveaway program, but don't worry, this doesn't obligate me to say only good things.

Though I give the book four stars and have already recommended it to more people than any book I've ever read, I would strongly disagree with the first reviewer that the book is an "engaging romp" or "fun".
The book is, and should be, profoundly unsettling, though for reasons which make it all the more important to con...more

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Feb 11, 2013 Myth rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

Disclaimer: I have not actually finished this book and do not know if I will.

As someone who's very interested in neurology this book does have it's good moments, but they're largely eclipsed by a bunch of dumbing down.

I don't blame Eagleman, I know it's people in the publishing industry who probably pushed this book to be like this. Following is my reaction to each element I found annoying. There's a summary at the end.

Dumbing it down: Too much repetition and unnecessary metaphors. I do not kn...more

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May 18, 2013 Shaun rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2013

Synethesia, in it dozens of varieties, highlights the amazing differences in how individuals subjectively see the world, reminding us that each brain uniquely determines what it perceives, or is capable of perceiving. This fact brings us back to our main point here--namely, that reality is far more subjective than is commonly supposed. Instead of reality being passively recorded by the brain, it is actively constructed by it.

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I have nurtured an ongoing interest in the biological basis for behav...more

Synethesia, in it dozens of varieties, highlights the amazing differences in how individuals subjectively see the world, reminding us that each brain uniquely determines what it perceives, or is capable of perceiving. This fact brings us back to our main point here--namely, that reality is far more subjective than is commonly supposed. Instead of reality being passively recorded by the brain, it is actively constructed by it.

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I have nurtured an ongoing interest in the biological basis for behavior ever since taking a brain and behavior psych course as part of my undergraduate studies two decades ago and think that Eagleman does a commendable job of discussing the shifting attitudes towards behavior and this still elusive thing we call consciousness in his book Incognito.

It is somewhat disconcerting to believe that the person I think of as "Me" can be explained biologically. That my thoughts, my feelings, my behavior, and even emotions like love are all the result of some electrical activity in my brain, and that the "Me" I know could be radically altered should a tumor start to grow in my prefrontal cortex. My thoughts, my feelings, my convictions and even my morality are nothing more than neurons firing and that pattern of firing is the result of my genetics combined with my life experiences, many of which I had minimal control over, such as whom my parents were, my childhood nutrition, the number of siblings, my mother's parenting style, etc, etc.

Written for the layman, this is a very easy read that provides glimpses of the research currently driving the direction of neuroscience with lots of fun examples. Eagleman also touches on the social significance of our increasing understanding of the brain. His discussion of the illusion of free will and its implications to the justice system is similar to the argument presented by Sam Harris in his book Free Will, although I think Eagleman does a better job of tackling the sticky point of culpability.

In a world where personal responsibility is seen as a virtue, the idea that free will may be an illusion strikes many as unacceptable and challenges the idea that all men are indeed created equal and should be seen as such under the law. Yet science is starting to uncover just how "unequal" things might be. And when you consider that epileptics used to be viewed as being "possessed" by the devil...well, history sort of tells we're not nearly as smart as we think we are.

Would recommend this to anyone with a strong interest in the biological basis for behavior as well as people who are interested in exploring the relationship between the physical and a perceived sense of an essence that exists outside the physical (soul/mind etc), if such a thing even exists. As Robert Sapolsky wrote,

Is a loved one, sunk in depression so severe that she cannot function a case of a disease whose biochemical basis is as "real" as is the biochemistry of, say, diabetes, or is she merely indulging herself? Is a child doing poorly at school because he is unmotivated and slow, or because there is a neurobiologically based learning disability? Is a friend, edging towards a serious problem with substance abuse, displaying simple lack of discipline, or suffering from problems with the neurochemistry of reward?

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Aug 15, 2011 Robyn rated it 2 of 5 stars

Let me start with the easy stuff. On a literary note, this book is entertaining. However, it reads more like a series of interesting essays on neuroscience rather than a book.

Let me move on to the more interesting stuff. This book is deceptive. Eagleman uses a "slight of hand" writing style. Just as he describes how magic tricks deceive the brain, Eagleman uses this entertaining little book to advocate for a social and justice system that disregards civil rights.

How does he do this? He strings...more Let me start with the easy stuff. On a literary note, this book is entertaining. However, it reads more like a series of interesting essays on neuroscience rather than a book.

Let me move on to the more interesting stuff. This book is deceptive. Eagleman uses a "slight of hand" writing style. Just as he describes how magic tricks deceive the brain, Eagleman uses this entertaining little book to advocate for a social and justice system that disregards civil rights.

How does he do this? He strings together an a serious of interesting tidbits about how the brain is controlled by chemistry and its hardwiring. For example, he outlines research on split brain patients and the difference between the right and left sides. He explains how we become "wired" for routine actions, such as driving to work, and can put forward little effort on accomplishing such things.

When he has you hooked, he launches into a treatise about how the criminal justice system should be used to correct our brains for he assumes that criminal activity is the result of a brain not functioning correctly. He admits that frontal lobotomies were a clumsy early attempt to do this, but he feels science is much more advanced now and continues to advance every day. For those who do not have "correctable" problems, he actually uses the work "warehouse" for their fate.

The bottom line is that he believes in "treatment" for those who commit crimes. On the surface, this sounds enlightened. But when you take a step back from this book, this idea is disturbing. Our criminal justice system, in fact our whole legal framework, is based on the underlying assumption that individuals have the right to control their own bodies. Even when they have forfeited the right to be physically free and are imprisoned, our government does not have the right to force medical treatment and that includes psychological treatment.

Eagleton is advocating for "treating" criminals. This should send a chill up his readers' spines. Our sordid history of "treating" criminals includes institutionalizing gays and lesbians and "treating" them for their "disorder", medical experiments with African American prisoners, and institutionalizing people with developmental disabilities for the minor offenses.

This is a dangerous road. But what is particularly disturbing about this book is Eagleton's deceptive approach. He does not acknowledge or give weight to any of the counterarguments to this approach, which you think should be standard for his "scientific approach". In fact, he positions himself as being "enlightened" because he does not advocate for the "lock up and throw away the key" approach. I can only think back to another book that I read this year - The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and how we must carefully balance the rights of individuals with scientific principles.(less)

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May 21, 2011 M0rningstar rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

Shelves: first-reads, non-fiction

Ever land on a question in the Never-Ending Book Quiz about a book that you've read but remember very little of? Ever find that, despite drawing a blank on the multiple choice answers, you usually get it right if you just go with the first choice that pops into your head? Ever wonder why? Then this book is for you.

Incognito is an engaging and eye-opening romp through fundamental questions related to human consciousness, perception, and free will, as seen through the lens of neuroscientific resea...more

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Jun 24, 2011 Taylor rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's the same-old, same-old (if you've ever read a book about the brain) for the first 75%, and then some new stuff about how neuroscience can and should change the criminal justice system in the last part. I did like this comparison: finding out that we don't have as much control over ourselves as we thought we did is like astronomers discovering that the earth was not the center of the universe. It shouldn't depress us; it should invigorate further study. Not too much to apply to teaching in t...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Zach rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: psychology

A collection of mildly interesting observations on the subconscious mind and awkward, unnecessary analogies, Eagleman's Incognito often feels jumbled and out of focus. Each chapter only scratches the surface of a presented idea before blithely skipping to another topic or logic puzzle. While this may be a good introduction for someone who knows nothing about psychology or anatomy (and I mean absolutely nothing), most of the facts in this book are covered in high school and college classrooms. My...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Derek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction-science

This book was excellent. I thought it was well written, left out a lot of advanced topics and medical terminology for parts of the brain and really explained what's going on.

I feel there is a lot of basic psychology information in this book, but none of it I was familiar with. I was able to read and understand every page of this book, and I even had moments of goosebumps and laughter when it brought certain things to my attention that I thought about but could never really ponder it. This explai...more

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May 12, 2013 Leon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Why can your foot move halfway to the brake pedal before you're consciously aware of danger? Why do you notice when your name is mentioned in a conversation that you didn't think you were listening to? Why are people whose name begins with J more likely to marry other people whose name begins with J? Why is it so difficult to keep a secret? Renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate these surprising mysteries. Taking in brain damage, drug

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Why can your foot move halfway to the brake pedal before you're consciously aware of danger? Why do you notice when your name is mentioned in a conversation that you didn't think you were listening to? Why are people whose name begins with J more likely to marry other people whose name begins with J? Why is it so difficult to keep a secret? Renowned neuroscientist David Eagleman navigates the depths of the subconscious brain to illuminate these surprising mysteries. Taking in brain damage, drugs, beauty, infidelity, synesthesia, criminal law, artificial intelligence and visual illusions - INCOGNITO is a thrilling subsurface exploration of the mind and all its contradictions.

Review

A Boston Globe Best Book of the Year

“Original and provocative. . . . A smart, captivating book that will give you a prefrontal workout.”
—Nature

“A popularizer of impressive gusto . . . [Eagleman] aims, grandly, to do for the study of the mind what Copernicus did for the study of the stars. . . . Incognito proposes a grand new account of the relationship between consciousness and the brain. It is full of dazzling ideas, as it is chockablock with facts and instances.”
—The New York Observer

“Eagleman engagingly sums up recent discoveries about the unconscious processes that dominate our mental life. . . . [He] is the kind of guy who really does make being a neuroscientist look like fun.”
—The New York Times

“Although Incognito is fast-paced, mind-bending stuff, it’s a book for regular folks. Eagleman does a brilliant job refining heavy science into a compelling read. He is a gifted writer.”
—Houston Chronicle

“Eagleman has a talent for testing the untestable, for taking seemingly sophomoric notions and using them to nail down the slippery stuff of consciousness.”
—The New Yorker

“Incognito does the right thing by diving straight into the deep end and trying to swim. Eagleman, by imagining the future so vividly, puts into relief just how challenging neuroscience is, and will be.”
—The Boston Globe

“Appealing and persuasive.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“Your mind is an elaborate trick, and mastermind David Eagleman explains how the trick works with great lucidity and amazement. Your mind will thank you.”
—Wired

“A fun read by a smart person for smart people. . . . It will attract a new generation to ponder their inner workings.”
—New Scientist

“Fascinating. . . . Eagleman has the ability to turn hard science and jargon into interesting and relatable prose, illuminating the mind’s processes with clever analogies and metaphors.”
—Salt Lake City Weekly

“Touches on some of the more intriguing cul-de-sacs of human behavior.”
—Santa Cruz Sentinel

“Startling. . . . It’s a book that will leave you looking at yourself—and the world—differently.”
—Austin American-Statesman

“Sparkling and provocative. . . . A thrilling subsurface exploration of the mind and all its contradictions.”
—The Courier-Journal

“After you read Eagleman’s breezy treatment of the brain, you will marvel at how much is illusory that we think is real, and how we sometimes function on autopilot without consciously knowing what is happening. . . . This is a fascinating book.”
—The Advocate

“A pleasure to read. . . . If a reader is looking for a fun but illuminating read, Incognito is a good choice. With its nice balance between hard science and entertaining anecdotes, it is a good alternative to the usual brainless summer blockbusters.”
—Deseret News

“Incognito is fun to read, full of neat factoids and clever experiments. . . . Eagleman says he’s looking to do for neuroscience what Carl Sagan did for astrophysics, and he’s already on his way.”
—Texas Monthly

“Eagleman presents difficult neuroscience concepts in an energetic, casual voice with plenty of analogies and examples to ensure that what could easily be an overwhelming catalog of facts remains engaging and accessible. . . . The ideas in Eagleman’s book are well-articulated and entertaining, elucidated with the intelligent, casual tone of an enthusiastic university lecturer.”
—TheMillions.com

“Written in clear, precise language, the book is sure to appeal to readers with an interest in psychology and the human mind, but it will also please people who just want to know, with a little more clarity, what is going on inside their own skulls.”
—Booklist

“A stunning exploration of the we behind the I. Eagleman reveals, with his typical grace and eloquence, all the neural magic tricks behind the cognitive illusion we call reality.”
—Jonah Lehrer, author of How We Decide

“A fascinating, dynamic, faceted look under the hood of the conscious mind. . . . Equal parts entertaining and illuminating, the case studies, examples and insights in Incognito are more than mere talking points to impressed at the next dinner party, poised instead to radically shift your understanding of the world, other people, and your own mind.”
—Brain Pickings

“Eagleman engagingly sums up recent discoveries about the unconscious processes that dominate our mental life.”
—The New York Times Book Review

“Fascinating. . . . Eagleman has the ability to turn hard science and jargon into interesting and relatable prose, illuminating the mind’s processes with clever analogies and metaphors.”
—Salt Lake City Weekly

“A great beach read.“
—Philadelphia City Paper

“Incognito feels like learning the secrets of a magician. In clear prose, Eagleman condenses complex concepts and reinforces his points through analogies, pop culture, current events, optical illusions, anecdotes, and fun facts.”
—Frontier Psychiatrist

“One of those books that could change everything.”
—Sam Snyder, blog

“Buy this book. The pithy observations, breezy language and wow-inducing anecdotes provide temporary pleasure, but the book’s real strength is in its staying power.“
—Science News

“A whirlwind, high-definition look at the neural underpinnings of our everyday thinking and perception . . . fascinating.”
—Brettworks.com

“Eagleman embodies what is fascinating, fun, and hopeful about modern neuroscience.”
—Brainstorm.com

“After you read Eagleman’s breezy treatment of the brain, you will marvel at how much is illusory that we think is real, and how we sometimes function out autopilot without consciously knowing what is happening. . . . This is a fascinating book.”
—The Advocate

“Funny, gripping and often shocking . . . Eagleman writes great sentences of the sort that you might be inclined to read to those in your general vicinity.”
—bookotron.com

“Incognito reads like a series of fascinating vignettes, offering plenty of pauses for self-reflection. Eagleman’s anecdotes are funny and easily tie to the concepts he explains. Moreover, his enthusiasm for the subject is obvious and contagious.”
—Spectrum Culture

“Incognito is popular science at its best . . . beautifully synthesized.” —Boston Globe Best of 2011