The Mind

by Richard Restak

Elaborating on the theme that biology is reflected in behavior and behavior in biology ("nature vs. nurture" theory), Dr. Restak positions both schools of thought as legitimate ways of studying what it means to be human and how and why the mind works as it does. 4-color illustrations.

Genres: Science, Psychology, Nonfiction, Neuroscience, Reference, Philosophy

328 pages, Hardcover

Published September 1, 1988

About the author

Richard M. Restak M.D. is an award-winning neuroscientist, neuropsychiatrist and writer. The best-selling author of nineteen acclaimed books about the brain, he has also penned dozens of articles for a variety of publications, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today. A fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Neuropsychiatric Association, he lives and practices in Washington, D.C.

Reviews

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

I noticed the reviews of this late 80's book which is much like a coffee table book are very contentious: praise or reviling. Well, it is dated and was very much for a mass audience. Restak is a practicing neurologist and neuropsychiatrist and this is a companion book to a PBS series, so it was a national bestseller for a national audience. With clips and allusions to the episodes, it would be nice to read along while taking in the series. However, I grew tired of trying to find it online, so I just read it as-is. It is an easy read and a broad, nearly breathless spectrum from animal intelligence to psychopaths to addition to brain damage to autism, etc.

[Tim Mcleod · Rating 1 out of 5]

Haphazard conjecture completely unsupported by cited evidence or even logical argument. Imagine a college freshman giving a blithely condescending lecture on the mind with only an intro philosophy survey under their belt.
There are coffee table books, gentle introductions, and then there are publishing mistakes you pick up in the discount bin.

[Aug Mdc · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complex book examining all things associated with the mind: the meaning of "I", love, superintelligence, and much more.

[Ozkan Aksit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bir cagin dini, bir sonrakinin edebi eglencesidir…

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr interessantes Buch, es braucht aber durch seinen Schreibstils die volle und ganze Konzentration um mitzukommen

[Ramiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative although not I'm not entirely on board with everything the author says.

[Franz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book from 2012 contains a series of 20 essays relating to questions about the brain and the mind. Each essay is about 10 pages long.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. Some essays were more informative than others, and some were a bit short - I would have liked to learn more about the issues raised. I was concerned that the book might be a bit too technical for somebody not at all familiar with the subject, but this was not the case. For me at least, the essays generally employed a well-balanced approach.

The author was a former president of the American Neuropsychiatric Association, and at the time of writing a clinical professor of neurology at the George Washington Hospital University in addition to having a private practice in neurology and neuropsychiatry in Washington, DC.

[Sean Paul Irwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Provides a series of 20 questions covering an array of topics related to the mind in relation to both science and philosophy. My favourite questions were:

- Can we build a superbrain?
- Is free will an illusion?
- What is thinking?
- What does the brain do when it's doing nothing?
- Is it possible to do two things at once?
- What is knowledge?
- How do we step out of the here and now?
- Where does empathy and altruism come from?
- What is this thing called love?
- Are machines scrambling our brains?

A go-to guide for those interested in the mind.

[Raghda Kamal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book! information is presented in a way that makes it very easy for anyone to understand and want to continue reading as much as they can. It is comprehensive and it addresses all the crucial questions.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice examination of the workings of the human mind; a handy reference for anyone who works with people as a therapist, educator, or leader.

[Cws]

152

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have the paperback of this. It's a fine introduction with a lot of anecdotes. A bit dated these days. I read it a long time ago. Still informative.

[Sambo Ponhkun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating