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We Are Our Brains: A Neurobiography of the Brain, from the Womb to Alzheimer's
A vivid account of what makes us human.
Based groundbreaking new research, "We Are Our Brains" is a sweeping biography of the human brain, from infancy to adulthood to old age. Renowned neuroscientist D. F. Swaab takes us on a guided tour of the intricate inner workings that determine our potential, our limitations, and our desires, with each chapter serving as an eye-opening window on a different stage of brain development: the gender differences that develop in the embryonic brain, what goes on in the heads of adolescents, how parenthood permanently changes the brain.
Moving beyond pure biological understanding, Swaab presents a controversial and multilayered ethical argument surrounding the brain. Far from possessing true free will, Swaab argues, we have very little control over our everyday decisions, or who we will become, because our brains predetermine everything about us, long before we are born, from our moral character to our religious leanings to whom we fall in love with. And he challenges many of our prevailing assumptions about what makes us human, decoding the intricate "moral networks" that allow us to experience emotion, revealing maternal instinct to be the result of hormonal changes in the pregnant brain, and exploring the way that religious "imprinting" shapes the brain during childhood. Rife with memorable case studies, "We Are Our Brains" is already a bestselling international phenomenon. It aims to demystify the chemical and genetic workings of our most mysterious organ, in the process helping us to see who we are through an entirely new lens.
Did you know?
- The father's brain is affected in pregnancy as well as the mother's.
- The withdrawal symptoms we experience at the end of a love affair mirror chemical addiction.
- Growing up bilingual reduces the likelihood of Alzheimer's.
- Parental religion is imprinted on our brains during early development, much as our native language is.
Based groundbreaking new research, "We Are Our Brains" is a sweeping biography of the human brain, from infancy to adulthood to old age. Renowned neuroscientist D. F. Swaab takes us on a guided tour of the intricate inner workings that determine our potential, our limitations, and our desires, with each chapter serving as an eye-opening window on a different stage of brain development: the gender differences that develop in the embryonic brain, what goes on in the heads of adolescents, how parenthood permanently changes the brain.
Moving beyond pure biological understanding, Swaab presents a controversial and multilayered ethical argument surrounding the brain. Far from possessing true free will, Swaab argues, we have very little control over our everyday decisions, or who we will become, because our brains predetermine everything about us, long before we are born, from our moral character to our religious leanings to whom we fall in love with. And he challenges many of our prevailing assumptions about what makes us human, decoding the intricate "moral networks" that allow us to experience emotion, revealing maternal instinct to be the result of hormonal changes in the pregnant brain, and exploring the way that religious "imprinting" shapes the brain during childhood. Rife with memorable case studies, "We Are Our Brains" is already a bestselling international phenomenon. It aims to demystify the chemical and genetic workings of our most mysterious organ, in the process helping us to see who we are through an entirely new lens.
Did you know?
- The father's brain is affected in pregnancy as well as the mother's.
- The withdrawal symptoms we experience at the end of a love affair mirror chemical addiction.
- Growing up bilingual reduces the likelihood of Alzheimer's.
- Parental religion is imprinted on our brains during early development, much as our native language is.
ebook
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Dick Swaab
13 books66 followersDick 'Ferdinand' Swaab is a Dutch physician and neurobiologist. He is a professor of neurobiology at the University of Amsterdam and was previously Director of the Netherlands Institute for Brain Research and the Netherlands Brain Bank.
Also publishes under the name D.F. Swaab for Elsevier and Spiegel & Grau.
Also publishes under the name D.F. Swaab for Elsevier and Spiegel & Grau.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
March 14, 2017
Найкрутіша книжка, яку я останнім часом прочитала. Все, що мене цікавило завжди. Тільки до цієї книжки я визбирувала цю інформацію по численним статтям і тед-промовах нейробіологів. Дік Свааб майже 30 років керував Нідерландським інститутом головного мозку. Дуже круто, ніяк не могла спинитися її переказувати друзям. Наприклад, історію, як чоловік-сновида проїхав 23 кілометри, уві сні вбив тещу і прокинувся вже, коли вбивав тестя. Усвідомив, що накоїв, і здався в поліцію. Або що бокс у деяких країнах вже заборонили, і як деградує мозок боксерів після кожного бою. Про хімію кохання і материнства, про те, як влаштована пам’ять і чому люди роблять операції зі зміни статі. Її читаю повільно, бо там багато про хвороби, смерть і через те трохи сумно. Але я дуже смішно виглядаю з нею у метро – зіниці розширені, інколи навіть дочитую розділи на ходу, вже вийшовши з вагона.
January 3, 2013
'Wij zijn ons brein', van de titel gaat als iets provocerends en belerends uit. En inderdaad, Swaab vreest de discussie niet. Sterker nog, hij pronkt graag met de negatieve - en vaak idiote - reacties die hij gehad heeft op vorige onderzoeken. Ook op dit boek is uiteraard weer felle kritiek gekomen, wat Swaab al had kunnen verwachten, omdat iedereen die aan fundamentele geloven van de mens komt (vrije wil, religie, etc.) een bak kritiek over zich heen zal krijgen. Ik vind het dapper van Swaab dat hij het boek heeft geschreven maar ook ik ben niet zonder kritiek op de methodes van deze grote hersenwetenschapper.
Ten eerste zal ik behandelen waarom men dit boek wel dient te lezen. Ik ben inmiddels halverwege het eerste jaar van mijn psychologie studie en heb afgelopen periodes de biologische grondslagen van het menselijk gedrag uitvoerig behandelt. Swaab loopt, zonder te overdreven, door vrijwel heel de grondslagen heen op zeer informatieve en correcte wijze. Het is een absolute basis voor psychologen en ik geloof dat ieder mens de informatie die Swaab noemt zou moeten kennen. Het is namelijk de fundamentele basis van al ons gedrag: wie wij zijn ligt uiteraard weerspiegeld in ons brein. Dit mag geen vreemde conclusie zijn, aangezien iedereen zich beseft dat hersenschade karaktertrekken en gedrag ernstig kan aanpassen. Onze hersenen zijn op zijn minst erg belangrijk voor wat wij als mensen doen - en zonder brein kunnen we zelfs helemaal niets doen. Kortom, Swaab behandelt summier en geestig de belangrijkste biologische psychologie, en dit pleit werkelijk voor dit boek.
Echter, en ik las deze kritiek ook al in andere reviews hier, schort het Swaab erg aan zijn methode in dit boek. Het meest bezwaarlijke punt vind ik het ontbreken van wetenschappelijke bronnen. Alles wat Swaab zegt, moeten we op zijn woord aannemen. Dit is niet erg wetenschappelijk te noemen. Betekent dit dat Swaab een populair boek wilde schrijven? In dat geval is het boek naar mijn smaak te diep gravend. Het onderwerp is zo essentieel voor ons zelf-bewustzijn dat het zich simpelweg niet leent voor alles behalve een grondige, wetenschappelijke aanpak. Swaab bevindt zich op het terrein van de filosofen, aangezien hij hier praat over hoe wij tegen de mens moeten aankijken. Bronnen om zijn verhaal kracht te geven kunnen simpelweg niet ontbreken als hij iets meer wilt schrijven dan een populair verhaaltje over het brein. Het boek leest te moeilijk en gaat te diep om in mijn opinie nog als populair te gelden. Swaab had er een wetenschappelijk boek van moeten maken, met een wetenschappelijke methode.
De zwakke methode van Swaab komt het meest storend naar voren in enkele loze uitspraken die hij doet over de rol van opvoeding, straf en in mijn opinie ook over de vrije wil. Zo spreekt Swaab in het geval van anorexia spottend over mensen die denken dat reclames invloed hebben op deze ziekte: hersenziektes bestaan in het brein niet in de omgeving. Daarna spreekt hij over het belang van omgevingsfactoren voor de ontwikkeling van hersenziektes! Het is niet duidelijk of Swaab vindt dat de omgeving alleen op sommige ziektes invloed heeft en op andere niet, of dat de omgeving totaal invloedloos is. Nog een voorbeeld is dat hij zegt dat opvoeding niets aan het karakter en weinig aan het gedrag kan veranderen, maar dat pedofielen vaak pedofiel zijn omdat ze verkracht zijn. Wat is de grens dan tussen opvoeding en omgeving, en is het niet gewoon mogelijk dat zowel opvoeding als omgeving een diathese activeert? Swaab is inconsequent in zijn gebruik van de termen opvoeding en omgeving en een heldere definitie ontbreekt. Helemaal belachelijk is zijn conclusie over sport - dat het gevaarlijk en slecht voor de gezondheid zou zijn, wat totaal in tegenstelling is met een waslijst aan onderzoeken die het tegendeel bewijzen in Psychological Science van Gazziniga. Zulke grove fouten kan een wetenschapper zich niet permiteren.
Ik wil nu niet op al mijn kritiekpunten diep ingaan, omdat dit waarschijnlijk niet boeiend is om te lezen. De laatste punten die ik wil noemen zijn Swaab's blik op ethiek en de vrije wil. Zijn ethische leer is zo strikt biologisch dat hij er niet van uit gaat dat er verschillende morele maatstaven mogelijk zijn. Vreemd genoeg citeert hij wel Nietzsche, die met zijn Übermensch-ideaal afwijkt van de 'normale' normen. Daarnaast bestaat er natuurlijk ook nog een Kant, met zijn categorisch imperatief, die een compleet andere blik heeft op ethiek. Wat ik hiermee bedoel te zeggen, is dat ethiek misschien wel uit de evolutietheorie is voortgekomen, echter door de ratio in compleet verschillende manieren is geuit. Het verhaal is niet zo hedonistisch en zwart-wit als Swaab het afschildert. Daardoor is ook het recht niet zo duidelijk te benaderen als Swaab pleit. Rechtvaardigheid is een begrip dat ook zonder vrije wil nog kan gelden, en alhoewel ik het persoonlijk wel met Swaab eens ben, neem ik het hem wel kwalijk dat hij over het recht spreekt alsof er één duidelijk beste oplossing bestaat. Het recht is geen absolute wetenschap.
En dan de vrije wil, het punt uit het boek dat waarschijnlijk de meeste discussie heeft veroorzaakt. Swaab zegt dat de vrije wil niet bestaat omdat... Waarom eigenlijk? Het stuk over de vrije wil schiet van links naar rechts, behandelt sommige argumenten half, en andere implicaties noemt hij niet. Het begint met de redevoering van Spinoza, dat niemand buiten zijn karakter kan handelen. Dit zien we ook terug in Shopenhauer, die helaas niet door Swaab genoemd wordt. Dit behandelt dus de vrije wil als bewuste aansturing, maar niet de vrije wil als metafysisch begrip. En dit is de fout die Swaab maakt. Hij geeft ten eerste een belachelijk definitie van de vrije wil ('Een keuze maken zonder externe of interne belemmeringen'), die nooit te verdedigen valt, en praat daarnaast soms op ander niveau over de wil dan hij bedoelt. Het experiment van Libet lijkt aan te tonen dat een motorische beslissing, dus een bewuste aansturing, niet vrij is omdat we deze keuze niet bewust maken. Interessanter dan deze oude feiten weer hermalen had ik het gevonden als Swaab ingegaan was op de definitie van vrijheid. De scheiding tussen de metafysische definitie en de bewuste aansturing-definitie wordt naar mijn smaak nergens zo duidelijk en mooi beschreven als in Kant's Kritiek der Praktische Rede (en tevens in Shopenhauers 'De vrijheid van de Wil', waar Kant's conclusie nogmaals uitgebreid wordt). Ik raad aan Swaab dat boek te lezen. Dan ziet hij wat een grondige methode er nodig is om zulke fundamentele begrippen werkelijk te kunnen doorgronden. Desondanks, ik denk dat Swaab's boek een simpele inleiding is voor sommige argumenten van verscheidene filosofen tegen de vrije wil. Verwacht er echter geen harde, duidelijke bewijzen van. Hiervoor is het simpel te kort door de bocht en niet wetenschappelijk genoeg.
Ik zou nog door kunnen gaan over tegenstrijdigheden in de definities van Swaab (dan weer gebruikt hij een descartiaans theatermodel voor vrijheid, dan weer verwerpt hij dit) maar dat lijkt me niet interessant. Het boek doe ik zo waarschijnlijk negatiever af dan het is. In het kort zou ik dit erover kunnen zeggen: lees het om meer inzicht te krijgen in primaire factoren van ons gedrag maar lees het niet om Swaab's filosofische implicaties. Zijn methode is te gebrekkig om deze te kunnen funderen. Gebruik de stof als denkmateriaal om je eigen conclusies te trekken.
Ten eerste zal ik behandelen waarom men dit boek wel dient te lezen. Ik ben inmiddels halverwege het eerste jaar van mijn psychologie studie en heb afgelopen periodes de biologische grondslagen van het menselijk gedrag uitvoerig behandelt. Swaab loopt, zonder te overdreven, door vrijwel heel de grondslagen heen op zeer informatieve en correcte wijze. Het is een absolute basis voor psychologen en ik geloof dat ieder mens de informatie die Swaab noemt zou moeten kennen. Het is namelijk de fundamentele basis van al ons gedrag: wie wij zijn ligt uiteraard weerspiegeld in ons brein. Dit mag geen vreemde conclusie zijn, aangezien iedereen zich beseft dat hersenschade karaktertrekken en gedrag ernstig kan aanpassen. Onze hersenen zijn op zijn minst erg belangrijk voor wat wij als mensen doen - en zonder brein kunnen we zelfs helemaal niets doen. Kortom, Swaab behandelt summier en geestig de belangrijkste biologische psychologie, en dit pleit werkelijk voor dit boek.
Echter, en ik las deze kritiek ook al in andere reviews hier, schort het Swaab erg aan zijn methode in dit boek. Het meest bezwaarlijke punt vind ik het ontbreken van wetenschappelijke bronnen. Alles wat Swaab zegt, moeten we op zijn woord aannemen. Dit is niet erg wetenschappelijk te noemen. Betekent dit dat Swaab een populair boek wilde schrijven? In dat geval is het boek naar mijn smaak te diep gravend. Het onderwerp is zo essentieel voor ons zelf-bewustzijn dat het zich simpelweg niet leent voor alles behalve een grondige, wetenschappelijke aanpak. Swaab bevindt zich op het terrein van de filosofen, aangezien hij hier praat over hoe wij tegen de mens moeten aankijken. Bronnen om zijn verhaal kracht te geven kunnen simpelweg niet ontbreken als hij iets meer wilt schrijven dan een populair verhaaltje over het brein. Het boek leest te moeilijk en gaat te diep om in mijn opinie nog als populair te gelden. Swaab had er een wetenschappelijk boek van moeten maken, met een wetenschappelijke methode.
De zwakke methode van Swaab komt het meest storend naar voren in enkele loze uitspraken die hij doet over de rol van opvoeding, straf en in mijn opinie ook over de vrije wil. Zo spreekt Swaab in het geval van anorexia spottend over mensen die denken dat reclames invloed hebben op deze ziekte: hersenziektes bestaan in het brein niet in de omgeving. Daarna spreekt hij over het belang van omgevingsfactoren voor de ontwikkeling van hersenziektes! Het is niet duidelijk of Swaab vindt dat de omgeving alleen op sommige ziektes invloed heeft en op andere niet, of dat de omgeving totaal invloedloos is. Nog een voorbeeld is dat hij zegt dat opvoeding niets aan het karakter en weinig aan het gedrag kan veranderen, maar dat pedofielen vaak pedofiel zijn omdat ze verkracht zijn. Wat is de grens dan tussen opvoeding en omgeving, en is het niet gewoon mogelijk dat zowel opvoeding als omgeving een diathese activeert? Swaab is inconsequent in zijn gebruik van de termen opvoeding en omgeving en een heldere definitie ontbreekt. Helemaal belachelijk is zijn conclusie over sport - dat het gevaarlijk en slecht voor de gezondheid zou zijn, wat totaal in tegenstelling is met een waslijst aan onderzoeken die het tegendeel bewijzen in Psychological Science van Gazziniga. Zulke grove fouten kan een wetenschapper zich niet permiteren.
Ik wil nu niet op al mijn kritiekpunten diep ingaan, omdat dit waarschijnlijk niet boeiend is om te lezen. De laatste punten die ik wil noemen zijn Swaab's blik op ethiek en de vrije wil. Zijn ethische leer is zo strikt biologisch dat hij er niet van uit gaat dat er verschillende morele maatstaven mogelijk zijn. Vreemd genoeg citeert hij wel Nietzsche, die met zijn Übermensch-ideaal afwijkt van de 'normale' normen. Daarnaast bestaat er natuurlijk ook nog een Kant, met zijn categorisch imperatief, die een compleet andere blik heeft op ethiek. Wat ik hiermee bedoel te zeggen, is dat ethiek misschien wel uit de evolutietheorie is voortgekomen, echter door de ratio in compleet verschillende manieren is geuit. Het verhaal is niet zo hedonistisch en zwart-wit als Swaab het afschildert. Daardoor is ook het recht niet zo duidelijk te benaderen als Swaab pleit. Rechtvaardigheid is een begrip dat ook zonder vrije wil nog kan gelden, en alhoewel ik het persoonlijk wel met Swaab eens ben, neem ik het hem wel kwalijk dat hij over het recht spreekt alsof er één duidelijk beste oplossing bestaat. Het recht is geen absolute wetenschap.
En dan de vrije wil, het punt uit het boek dat waarschijnlijk de meeste discussie heeft veroorzaakt. Swaab zegt dat de vrije wil niet bestaat omdat... Waarom eigenlijk? Het stuk over de vrije wil schiet van links naar rechts, behandelt sommige argumenten half, en andere implicaties noemt hij niet. Het begint met de redevoering van Spinoza, dat niemand buiten zijn karakter kan handelen. Dit zien we ook terug in Shopenhauer, die helaas niet door Swaab genoemd wordt. Dit behandelt dus de vrije wil als bewuste aansturing, maar niet de vrije wil als metafysisch begrip. En dit is de fout die Swaab maakt. Hij geeft ten eerste een belachelijk definitie van de vrije wil ('Een keuze maken zonder externe of interne belemmeringen'), die nooit te verdedigen valt, en praat daarnaast soms op ander niveau over de wil dan hij bedoelt. Het experiment van Libet lijkt aan te tonen dat een motorische beslissing, dus een bewuste aansturing, niet vrij is omdat we deze keuze niet bewust maken. Interessanter dan deze oude feiten weer hermalen had ik het gevonden als Swaab ingegaan was op de definitie van vrijheid. De scheiding tussen de metafysische definitie en de bewuste aansturing-definitie wordt naar mijn smaak nergens zo duidelijk en mooi beschreven als in Kant's Kritiek der Praktische Rede (en tevens in Shopenhauers 'De vrijheid van de Wil', waar Kant's conclusie nogmaals uitgebreid wordt). Ik raad aan Swaab dat boek te lezen. Dan ziet hij wat een grondige methode er nodig is om zulke fundamentele begrippen werkelijk te kunnen doorgronden. Desondanks, ik denk dat Swaab's boek een simpele inleiding is voor sommige argumenten van verscheidene filosofen tegen de vrije wil. Verwacht er echter geen harde, duidelijke bewijzen van. Hiervoor is het simpel te kort door de bocht en niet wetenschappelijk genoeg.
Ik zou nog door kunnen gaan over tegenstrijdigheden in de definities van Swaab (dan weer gebruikt hij een descartiaans theatermodel voor vrijheid, dan weer verwerpt hij dit) maar dat lijkt me niet interessant. Het boek doe ik zo waarschijnlijk negatiever af dan het is. In het kort zou ik dit erover kunnen zeggen: lees het om meer inzicht te krijgen in primaire factoren van ons gedrag maar lees het niet om Swaab's filosofische implicaties. Zijn methode is te gebrekkig om deze te kunnen funderen. Gebruik de stof als denkmateriaal om je eigen conclusies te trekken.
June 3, 2017
Rather than really being a 3 star book, this is one of those annoying hybrids: at times a good 4 star read, at others a rather poorly edited 2 star book. If you are interested in the state of brain research and brain theory a worthwhile read for the information, but one I found at times quite irritating.
Swaab's claim that we are our brains does not sound like anything particularly controversial when you start - it would be the same claim of many modern thinkers and scientists. Where Swaab differs is in his arguments for quite how much of us is not only our brain, but how that has an unalterable state determined by genetics and what happens in the womb. He is very much firmly on the nature side of the nature versus nuture argument.
The science in this book is aimed at the intelligent lay reader rather than the real specialist. It is accessible, if at times a little dry. Like most books on the brain it describes the wonders of the brain through the problems that occur when it goes wrong. Occasionally, it would be nice to see more positive examples. Swaab lays some of the old tales to rest - we do not use just 10% of our brains, we use 100%. We do not lose millions of brain cells every time we drink, brains are more robust than that. And so on. It paints a very clear picture of the state of modern brain science and understanding of the brain. This is the good part.
Where the book is less successful is juggling between short whimsical autobiographical sections, the hard science bits, and then opinion pieces. It is the latter I found particularly irritating. In the section on the effects of various drugs on the brain, there is a section talking about how many politicians are alcoholics or drug addicts. Interesting in its own right - I'm not clear what its relevance to this book is. The chapter on the brain's impact on religious belief is the worst - there is relatively little on the brain, but plenty of a Dawkins like critique of religion. Now I have no fundamental problem with this, and am comfortable with much of what Swaab writes, but it does not fit within a book that is about the brain - not on the challenges of religion. A more detailed discussion of the impact of religious belief on the brain or vice-versa would have been much more interesting.
It seems to me Swaab lacked a sufficiently strong editor, who could point out the irrelevance of this sort of material. It also seems poor writing for a scientist to veer between evidence based science of which he is an expert in, and opinion pieces on subjects his opinion is just one amongst millions, without making clear which is which. To be fair, it is pretty obvious which is which, but I should not have to think about this in what purports to be a science book. And again, I stress this is not because I disagree with his opinion, but I'd wanted opinion pieces I would have read another book.
One other observation. Swaab spends the whole book saying we are our brains. Then in the chapter on free-will he says we have none, because most decisions are made by our unconscious brain. The point he seems to miss on this, is that this seems to be saying we are not our brains - or at least we are not all of our brains. He seems to be saying "we" are our conscious self only. The unconscious parts of our brains are not really us. It would seem to me, as a non-specialist, that my unconscious brain is just as much part of me as my conscious one, albeit one I am not aware of. If what he is saying is that our unconscious brain is predetermined in its decisions then that is quite a different point - but it is not one he ever makes.
Swaab's claim that we are our brains does not sound like anything particularly controversial when you start - it would be the same claim of many modern thinkers and scientists. Where Swaab differs is in his arguments for quite how much of us is not only our brain, but how that has an unalterable state determined by genetics and what happens in the womb. He is very much firmly on the nature side of the nature versus nuture argument.
The science in this book is aimed at the intelligent lay reader rather than the real specialist. It is accessible, if at times a little dry. Like most books on the brain it describes the wonders of the brain through the problems that occur when it goes wrong. Occasionally, it would be nice to see more positive examples. Swaab lays some of the old tales to rest - we do not use just 10% of our brains, we use 100%. We do not lose millions of brain cells every time we drink, brains are more robust than that. And so on. It paints a very clear picture of the state of modern brain science and understanding of the brain. This is the good part.
Where the book is less successful is juggling between short whimsical autobiographical sections, the hard science bits, and then opinion pieces. It is the latter I found particularly irritating. In the section on the effects of various drugs on the brain, there is a section talking about how many politicians are alcoholics or drug addicts. Interesting in its own right - I'm not clear what its relevance to this book is. The chapter on the brain's impact on religious belief is the worst - there is relatively little on the brain, but plenty of a Dawkins like critique of religion. Now I have no fundamental problem with this, and am comfortable with much of what Swaab writes, but it does not fit within a book that is about the brain - not on the challenges of religion. A more detailed discussion of the impact of religious belief on the brain or vice-versa would have been much more interesting.
It seems to me Swaab lacked a sufficiently strong editor, who could point out the irrelevance of this sort of material. It also seems poor writing for a scientist to veer between evidence based science of which he is an expert in, and opinion pieces on subjects his opinion is just one amongst millions, without making clear which is which. To be fair, it is pretty obvious which is which, but I should not have to think about this in what purports to be a science book. And again, I stress this is not because I disagree with his opinion, but I'd wanted opinion pieces I would have read another book.
One other observation. Swaab spends the whole book saying we are our brains. Then in the chapter on free-will he says we have none, because most decisions are made by our unconscious brain. The point he seems to miss on this, is that this seems to be saying we are not our brains - or at least we are not all of our brains. He seems to be saying "we" are our conscious self only. The unconscious parts of our brains are not really us. It would seem to me, as a non-specialist, that my unconscious brain is just as much part of me as my conscious one, albeit one I am not aware of. If what he is saying is that our unconscious brain is predetermined in its decisions then that is quite a different point - but it is not one he ever makes.
November 2, 2013
Brain science is a fascinating topic, and as I started reading this book I was thinking it would be a four-star. The first few chapters read like a slightly more technical Oliver Sacks, where the author describes various strange brain conditions. Swaab's worldview is materialist/reductionist, which becomes increasingly obvious as the book moves forward. The chapter on sexual orientation was particularly interesting; I liked learning about how much and what parts of the brain develop still in the womb. As I kept reading, though, I started to like the author less and less.
I disagree with his fundamental worldview, but that wasn't a problem because I could still get behind the science. But eventually, his statements of opinion rather than fact started to overshadow the text and actually diminish his credibility in my eyes. My other minor complaint is that I don't think the translation was done particularly well. There were some awkwardly worded sentences and odd repetition. There is probably a lot of good information here for people who are interested, but the author's agenda-driven rhetoric undermines the research. For how technical this gets, you could probably find a more fact-centered and unbiased work.
I disagree with his fundamental worldview, but that wasn't a problem because I could still get behind the science. But eventually, his statements of opinion rather than fact started to overshadow the text and actually diminish his credibility in my eyes. My other minor complaint is that I don't think the translation was done particularly well. There were some awkwardly worded sentences and odd repetition. There is probably a lot of good information here for people who are interested, but the author's agenda-driven rhetoric undermines the research. For how technical this gets, you could probably find a more fact-centered and unbiased work.
April 12, 2018
Не се наемам да оценя книга, написана от изследовател на загадъчна материя като човешкия мозък. Авторът обяснява поведението, болестите, отклоненията ни с хормоните в мозъка. Сигурно има "за" и "против" в теорията му, но аз приемам всичко и ми е безкрайно любопитно -този стремеж на човека да разбере и овладее сам себе си. Книгата е с уникално рядка тема, още повече написана достъпно за широка аудитория. Чудя се: след като толкова напредваме в опознаването на човешкия мозък защо сме безсилни в лекуването на психическите заболявания? Чета книги като тази много бавно, защото са пълни с факти и информация, които искам да осмисля, разбера и запомня. Колкото повече напредвам с четенето, толкова повече харесвам книгата. Намерих отговори на много въпроси и научих много. Заключенията са базирани на многогодишни наблюдения и изследвания.
April 14, 2015
I don’t particularly argue with the premise of this, but the constant emphasis on how everything is pre-determined for us before we’re even born… I prefer to live my life as if I have free choices, as if I’m a unique person formed by all sorts of circumstances over time, not just by stress chemicals my mother released while I was gestating. As if I’m responsible for, if not what I am, then what I do with what I am. Swaab’s research removes even that responsibility, if you follow it logically: if paedophilia is caused by something in the brain, and successfully inhibited in some people by their amygdala, that leaves people with the defence, “Oh, my amygdala is too small to inhibit these urges, it’s not my fault.”
You can extend that argument forever, and then what’s the point in living? We don’t experience it as just a series of chemical processes.
I also noted that Swaab avoids addressing some things. I looked in the index for any mention of asexuality, for example — surely he must have considered studying people who don’t feel sexual attraction, in all of this? Apparently not. You can’t check up on any of his results and conclusions, because there are no references. He claims that socialisation has nothing to do with gender-based preferences in toys and later, by extension, professions. Tomboyish girls are, in his book, girls gone wrong: they just have too much testosterone, so they don’t prefer the things that biologically (he says) they should.
I don’t like the way this book tackles the subject, even where I know that other research backs him up. I don’t like his attitude to other experts, to people who question his results, or… well, any of it. I’ve read most of this stuff before, but presented with much more care and consideration. I find something about Swaab’s whole attitude distasteful.
Original post with some discussion here!
You can extend that argument forever, and then what’s the point in living? We don’t experience it as just a series of chemical processes.
I also noted that Swaab avoids addressing some things. I looked in the index for any mention of asexuality, for example — surely he must have considered studying people who don’t feel sexual attraction, in all of this? Apparently not. You can’t check up on any of his results and conclusions, because there are no references. He claims that socialisation has nothing to do with gender-based preferences in toys and later, by extension, professions. Tomboyish girls are, in his book, girls gone wrong: they just have too much testosterone, so they don’t prefer the things that biologically (he says) they should.
I don’t like the way this book tackles the subject, even where I know that other research backs him up. I don’t like his attitude to other experts, to people who question his results, or… well, any of it. I’ve read most of this stuff before, but presented with much more care and consideration. I find something about Swaab’s whole attitude distasteful.
Original post with some discussion here!
May 25, 2017
Спершу не дуже - багато банальностей щодо гомосексуалістів, про кримінал, про мозок зародків.
Але в книзі трапляються дуже круті знахідки про мозок! Ці факти відкладаються в голові, вони вражаючі.
Наприкінці прочитання починаєш пояснювати ті чи інші дії, рухи, сценації людей і свої - крізь призму мозку.
Я реально по-аматорськи дізнався дуже багато про мозок.
Насправді, дуже крута кинжка, автор дискутує в книзі з іншими, міцно стоїть на позиціях трактування всього, що відбувається з людиною - всі емоції, настрої, світові війни, епохи - через мозок.
Дуже багато про хвороби, причини хвороб, експерименти.
Наприклад, світові релігії - з'явилися через регілійні переживання в наслідок сильних епілептичних припадків Мухамеда, Павла тощо?
Крута книжка.
Але в книзі трапляються дуже круті знахідки про мозок! Ці факти відкладаються в голові, вони вражаючі.
Наприкінці прочитання починаєш пояснювати ті чи інші дії, рухи, сценації людей і свої - крізь призму мозку.
Я реально по-аматорськи дізнався дуже багато про мозок.
Насправді, дуже крута кинжка, автор дискутує в книзі з іншими, міцно стоїть на позиціях трактування всього, що відбувається з людиною - всі емоції, настрої, світові війни, епохи - через мозок.
Дуже багато про хвороби, причини хвороб, експерименти.
Наприклад, світові релігії - з'явилися через регілійні переживання в наслідок сильних епілептичних припадків Мухамеда, Павла тощо?
Крута книжка.
August 12, 2018
Певне одне з найбільших розчарувань останнім часом - тема для мене цікава, книжку вже давно хотіла почитати. Але якоїсь цікавої нової інформації - мало, спірних аспектів - досить є, а після розділів "Спорт - це вбивство" (єдиний спорт, яким можна займатись - то шахи), і "Вільна воля - приємна ілюзія" (все запрограмовано генетично) я вже ледь змусила себе дочитати книгу. Та й загалом всі версії подаються як єдино правильні, а решта просто доводяться до абсурду. Тому місцями книжка на '5", а інколи - на "2".
October 11, 2013
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My overall impression of this book was that I truly enjoyed it, yet when I pick things apart I discover that this book isn’t as great as I thought it was.
There are many fantastic facts presented in this book. I found myself constantly highlighting information that I wanted to remember at a later date. I also found myself sharing the facts I had highlighted with my family and friends (much to their annoyance as there were a lot of facts to share).
Yet although there were a lot of facts, some of them didn’t seem very believable. I found myself yearning to look up some of the facts in this book for a second opinion. For example, one of the facts that I highlighted was that “Recent studies have shown that girls who suffer from the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia nervosa often had problems at birth, including low birth weight. The more numerous such problems are, the earlier eating disorders manifest themselves in young adults.” I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe that as the author makes it sound as if all girls who are suffering from these disorders experienced problems at birth. There were a couple of facts like that which I had a hard time believing.
Although there are a lot of facts, the story as a whole is somewhat disjointed. The book did seem more like a collection of brain facts as opposed to an education book providing a clear message on the brain. I also noticed that there was a good amount of repetition throughout the book. Sometimes repetition can be a good thing, reinforcing points from previous chapters, but with this book I found myself getting somewhat exasperated. The author references other chapters many times within a chapter, which rather than aiding in understanding, just served to make things confusing and repetitive.
The writing in this book is really appealing. The book is written in an approachable manner, which makes it easy for anyone to read regardless of prior knowledge of the brain. The author also writes in a style that is really easy to read. The book just flies by because the author writes in such a simple manner.
Bottom Line: I would give this book 8/10 stars. While my overall impression was one of enjoyment, when I went back to think about the book there were a couple of things that could have been improved.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
My overall impression of this book was that I truly enjoyed it, yet when I pick things apart I discover that this book isn’t as great as I thought it was.
There are many fantastic facts presented in this book. I found myself constantly highlighting information that I wanted to remember at a later date. I also found myself sharing the facts I had highlighted with my family and friends (much to their annoyance as there were a lot of facts to share).
Yet although there were a lot of facts, some of them didn’t seem very believable. I found myself yearning to look up some of the facts in this book for a second opinion. For example, one of the facts that I highlighted was that “Recent studies have shown that girls who suffer from the eating disorders anorexia and bulimia nervosa often had problems at birth, including low birth weight. The more numerous such problems are, the earlier eating disorders manifest themselves in young adults.” I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe that as the author makes it sound as if all girls who are suffering from these disorders experienced problems at birth. There were a couple of facts like that which I had a hard time believing.
Although there are a lot of facts, the story as a whole is somewhat disjointed. The book did seem more like a collection of brain facts as opposed to an education book providing a clear message on the brain. I also noticed that there was a good amount of repetition throughout the book. Sometimes repetition can be a good thing, reinforcing points from previous chapters, but with this book I found myself getting somewhat exasperated. The author references other chapters many times within a chapter, which rather than aiding in understanding, just served to make things confusing and repetitive.
The writing in this book is really appealing. The book is written in an approachable manner, which makes it easy for anyone to read regardless of prior knowledge of the brain. The author also writes in a style that is really easy to read. The book just flies by because the author writes in such a simple manner.
Bottom Line: I would give this book 8/10 stars. While my overall impression was one of enjoyment, when I went back to think about the book there were a couple of things that could have been improved.
I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.
August 13, 2014
A book for those who like to understand medicine but are not doctors.
This was an easy read of many technical, medical issues that plague our body, through the brain. All the chapters all sorted and the author has a way with words. The technical parts are explained without boring details.
The author has full command of his writing. This book is written in a very approachable manner, which makes it easy for anyone to read regardless of prior knowledge of any medical school, even less neurology or psychiatry, the parts of medicine that studies the brain focused by this book.
The book just flies by because the author writes in such a simple manner.
BUT, and that's a big but, I don't like his opinions about our contemporary world.
They are rather his statements than facts, and when it started to mingle with technical facts, it started to overshadow the text.
It seemed that he had an agenda, it was to promote himself and his philosophical point of views. I started to check a few statements he made and that is more than annoying and actually, to me, that diminish his credibility as a doctor and teacher.
That's my reason for taking out two stars.
Otherwise, it's an easy, good book.
I have to thank Penguin for sending me this book won in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
This was an easy read of many technical, medical issues that plague our body, through the brain. All the chapters all sorted and the author has a way with words. The technical parts are explained without boring details.
The author has full command of his writing. This book is written in a very approachable manner, which makes it easy for anyone to read regardless of prior knowledge of any medical school, even less neurology or psychiatry, the parts of medicine that studies the brain focused by this book.
The book just flies by because the author writes in such a simple manner.
BUT, and that's a big but, I don't like his opinions about our contemporary world.
They are rather his statements than facts, and when it started to mingle with technical facts, it started to overshadow the text.
It seemed that he had an agenda, it was to promote himself and his philosophical point of views. I started to check a few statements he made and that is more than annoying and actually, to me, that diminish his credibility as a doctor and teacher.
That's my reason for taking out two stars.
Otherwise, it's an easy, good book.
I have to thank Penguin for sending me this book won in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review.
September 6, 2019
Дік Свааб - дуже серйозний письменник і вчений, але з дещо перебільшеною потребою стверджувати, що вільної волі в нас немає, тому що наш мозок прийняв рішення ще до того, як ми це усвідомлюємо. Так то воно так, але це не видається мені аж таким шокуючим фактом, оскільки це все ж таки мій мозок вирішує, а не чужий, а 'я - це мій мозок'. Також, як в більшості книг на цю тему, автор описує чудеса мозку через проблеми, які виникають, коли щось йде не так, але інколи було б непогано бачити більше позитивних прикладів. Ще Свааб спростовує багато старих міфів - наприклад, про те, що ми не використовуємо лише 10% нашого мозку, а всі 100%; або що ми не втрачаємо мільйони клітин мозку кожного разу, коли п'ємо, і так далі. Загалом, він малює дуже чітку картину стану сучасної науки про мозок.
Дуже вразили два розділи, по-перше, - цікавезний розділ про релігію, який резонує із книгою Докінза "Ілюзія бога", та дає розуміння деяких аспектів "нейротеології". По-друге, - розділ про взаємодію матері та дитини під час пологів, та про те, що пологові ускладнення часто можуть бути першим симптомом порушень розвитку мозку, а не їх причиною. Також, автор відносить до вроджених та спадкових порушень набагато більше хвороб та станів, аніж прийнято було вважати донедавна, тому такі новітні та актуальні дослідження просто необхідно поширювати за допомогою подібних книг.
Єдине, що відволікало - це постійна потреба виділяти інформацію, яку я хотіла виокремити та запам'ятати, або мати можливість швидко знайти її пізніше. Я також зловила себе на тому, що неодноразово ділилася фактами, прочитаними в книзі, з близькими, чим, здається, почала врешті декого дратувати)
Дуже вразили два розділи, по-перше, - цікавезний розділ про релігію, який резонує із книгою Докінза "Ілюзія бога", та дає розуміння деяких аспектів "нейротеології". По-друге, - розділ про взаємодію матері та дитини під час пологів, та про те, що пологові ускладнення часто можуть бути першим симптомом порушень розвитку мозку, а не їх причиною. Також, автор відносить до вроджених та спадкових порушень набагато більше хвороб та станів, аніж прийнято було вважати донедавна, тому такі новітні та актуальні дослідження просто необхідно поширювати за допомогою подібних книг.
Єдине, що відволікало - це постійна потреба виділяти інформацію, яку я хотіла виокремити та запам'ятати, або мати можливість швидко знайти її пізніше. Я також зловила себе на тому, що неодноразово ділилася фактами, прочитаними в книзі, з близькими, чим, здається, почала врешті декого дратувати)
March 10, 2017
Hoe moeilijk en ingewikkeld kun je iets omschrijven? Dit boek was voornamelijk het aanprijzen van eigen werk en het werk van vrienden, herhaaldelijk! Als je geen medische achtergrond hebt dan is dit boek niet te begrijpen.
January 31, 2012
Het is een heel interessant boek om te lezen en het geeft je vooral goede inzichten waardoor mensen zich kunnen gedragen zoals ze doen en waarom ze zich kunnen ontwikkelen tot hoe ze zijn.
Swaab is echter iemand die inzichten brengt als vaststaande feiten terwijl iedereen weet dat vooral op het gebied van de neurologie nog heel veel niet vaststaat. Hij zou op zijn minst wat ruimte voor discussie kunnen openlaten.
Als je hem nu moet geloven dan kunnen alle gevangenissen beter omgeturnd kunnen worden tot hele goede tbs klinieken want iedere moordenaar of crimineel is zo zoals hij is omdat zijn amygdala in de knel zit door een knokpartij, een aangeboren afwijking of omdat zijn moeder gerookt heeft tijdens de zwangerschap?
Maar gelukkig worden ook andere zaken zoals man - vrouw verschillen en homosexualiteit heel goed uitgelegd door verschillen in de hersenaanleg die al tijdens de zwangerschap worden bepaald.
Het gaat ook een deel over het behandelen van afwijkingen zoals schizofrenie, autisme, (manische)depressie en het nut van medicijnen, implantaten in de hersenen en therapieen. Het blijkt dat er nog heel veel onderzoek gedaan moet worden en dat er nog veel braakliggende terreinen zijn.
Wat ook een zeer interessant deel is is dat wat gaat over bewustzijn en vrije wil. Daar wordt ook meegenomen dat wat we door onze religie willen geloven.
Wanneer is een foetus zich al iets bewust en heeft het al een vrije wil?
Heeft een mens uberhaupt een vrije wil of doen we altijd iets waarover we nagedacht hebben maar toch beinvloed door onze omgeving, ons geloof, etc.
Tot hoelang is een lichaam, een geest zich wat bewust, wanneer zijn we dood? Interessante vragen.
Ook de discussie met Van Lommel over de bijna dood ervaringen is interessant. Ik was aanvankelijk wel gecharmeerd van de theorie van Van Lommel, maar nu vind ik die van Swaab toch waarschijnlijker.
Verder geeft hij een aantal heel goede redenen om je aan te sluiten bij de Stichting Vrijwillig Leven, die goed werk doet voor mensen die nadenken over vrijwillige euthanasie. Kortom het boek laat je nadenken. Daarom zeer de moeite waard.
Swaab is echter iemand die inzichten brengt als vaststaande feiten terwijl iedereen weet dat vooral op het gebied van de neurologie nog heel veel niet vaststaat. Hij zou op zijn minst wat ruimte voor discussie kunnen openlaten.
Als je hem nu moet geloven dan kunnen alle gevangenissen beter omgeturnd kunnen worden tot hele goede tbs klinieken want iedere moordenaar of crimineel is zo zoals hij is omdat zijn amygdala in de knel zit door een knokpartij, een aangeboren afwijking of omdat zijn moeder gerookt heeft tijdens de zwangerschap?
Maar gelukkig worden ook andere zaken zoals man - vrouw verschillen en homosexualiteit heel goed uitgelegd door verschillen in de hersenaanleg die al tijdens de zwangerschap worden bepaald.
Het gaat ook een deel over het behandelen van afwijkingen zoals schizofrenie, autisme, (manische)depressie en het nut van medicijnen, implantaten in de hersenen en therapieen. Het blijkt dat er nog heel veel onderzoek gedaan moet worden en dat er nog veel braakliggende terreinen zijn.
Wat ook een zeer interessant deel is is dat wat gaat over bewustzijn en vrije wil. Daar wordt ook meegenomen dat wat we door onze religie willen geloven.
Wanneer is een foetus zich al iets bewust en heeft het al een vrije wil?
Heeft een mens uberhaupt een vrije wil of doen we altijd iets waarover we nagedacht hebben maar toch beinvloed door onze omgeving, ons geloof, etc.
Tot hoelang is een lichaam, een geest zich wat bewust, wanneer zijn we dood? Interessante vragen.
Ook de discussie met Van Lommel over de bijna dood ervaringen is interessant. Ik was aanvankelijk wel gecharmeerd van de theorie van Van Lommel, maar nu vind ik die van Swaab toch waarschijnlijker.
Verder geeft hij een aantal heel goede redenen om je aan te sluiten bij de Stichting Vrijwillig Leven, die goed werk doet voor mensen die nadenken over vrijwillige euthanasie. Kortom het boek laat je nadenken. Daarom zeer de moeite waard.
February 9, 2013
Uno dei maggiori neurologi del mondo, Dick Swaab, racconta in modo affascinante e con un linguaggio accessibile a tutti le infinite implicazioni e influenze del cervello sulla personalità umana.
Quattrocento pagine abbondanti decisamente interessanti che cercano di dare una spiegazione ai tanti dilemmi e misteri della vita quotidiana, dalla morale, alla memoria, alla religione la quale “pur avendo costituito un indiscutibile vantaggio evolutivo, non ha contribuito a un miglioramento assoluto dell’umanità.”
L’autore prende posizione su molte questioni, anche scomode o singolari. Partendo da una citazione di Ippocrate (“Occorre sapere che il piacere, la gioia, il riso e il divertimento, così come la pena, il dolore, la paura e il pianto, non hanno altra fonte che il cervello”) ci porta a concludere che esiste ben poco spazio alla libertà del nostro agire.
Nel capitolo dedicato al libero arbitrio ci spiega che le conoscenze attuali della neurobiologia chiariscono che non si può parlare di una completa libertà, in quanto molti fattori ereditari e influssi esterni decidono autonomamente la struttura e il funzionamento del nostro cervello.
Non siamo quindi liberi di scegliere l’orientamento sessuale, il grado di aggressività, il carattere, la religione o la lingua madre.
Curiosa l’opinione sullo sport nel capitolo “In forma da morire”: “ma quando è nato l’equivoco secondo cui lo sport sarebbe sano”? Le divisioni di pronto soccorso sono zeppe di persone con traumi sportivi. Definisce la box “neuropornografia”, sport barbaro che genera danni cerebrali enormi che andrebbe abolito per legge.
Insomma un libro godibilissimo, chiaro, molto interessante, che fa certamente riflettere.
Quattrocento pagine abbondanti decisamente interessanti che cercano di dare una spiegazione ai tanti dilemmi e misteri della vita quotidiana, dalla morale, alla memoria, alla religione la quale “pur avendo costituito un indiscutibile vantaggio evolutivo, non ha contribuito a un miglioramento assoluto dell’umanità.”
L’autore prende posizione su molte questioni, anche scomode o singolari. Partendo da una citazione di Ippocrate (“Occorre sapere che il piacere, la gioia, il riso e il divertimento, così come la pena, il dolore, la paura e il pianto, non hanno altra fonte che il cervello”) ci porta a concludere che esiste ben poco spazio alla libertà del nostro agire.
Nel capitolo dedicato al libero arbitrio ci spiega che le conoscenze attuali della neurobiologia chiariscono che non si può parlare di una completa libertà, in quanto molti fattori ereditari e influssi esterni decidono autonomamente la struttura e il funzionamento del nostro cervello.
Non siamo quindi liberi di scegliere l’orientamento sessuale, il grado di aggressività, il carattere, la religione o la lingua madre.
Curiosa l’opinione sullo sport nel capitolo “In forma da morire”: “ma quando è nato l’equivoco secondo cui lo sport sarebbe sano”? Le divisioni di pronto soccorso sono zeppe di persone con traumi sportivi. Definisce la box “neuropornografia”, sport barbaro che genera danni cerebrali enormi che andrebbe abolito per legge.
Insomma un libro godibilissimo, chiaro, molto interessante, che fa certamente riflettere.
October 8, 2017
Veel opgestoken over de werking van het brein. Dochter Maya, psycholoog in wording, vertelde me dat in de lessen wordt gezegd dat Dick Swaab sterk overdrijft als hij al onze gedragingen toeschrijft aan onze hersenen. Kan zijn, maar hij slaagt er toch in om de theorieën die het tegendeel beweren te weerleggen. Volgens hem bestaat vrije wil niet. Wat mij perplex achterlaat is de vaststelling dat het merendeel van ons karakter al vastligt van bij de geboorte. Dat onze genen, die negen maanden in de buik, en onze vroege ontwikkeling bepalend zijn voor onze seksuele geaardheid, intelligentie en persoonlijkheid. Swaab stapt af van de idee dat de mens kneedbaar is. Hij lacht het idee van de maakbare mens weg, omdat al heel vroeg vastligt hoe en wat die persoon zal worden. Een nogal angstaanjagend uitgangspunt, vind ik. Vlot geschreven, met telkens een humoristische opmerking op het eind van elk hoofdstuk.
March 7, 2018
Цікава книга про мозок. Дуже, дуже багато цікавих фактів про мозок, про різні хвороби та проблеми в суспільстві, що пов'язані з мозком, та поведінку в цілому. Невеличкий мінус книги, що її трохи важкувато читати, - книга сповнена різноманітними термінами, які досить складні та незрозумілі пересічному читачу. Але загалом книга дуже чудова та цікава.
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An interesting book about the brain. Very, a lot of interesting facts about the brain, about various diseases and problems in society related to the brain, and behavior in general. A small minus book that is a little hard to read - the book is full of various terms that are rather complex and incomprehensible to the average reader. But in general the book is very wonderful and interesting.
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An interesting book about the brain. Very, a lot of interesting facts about the brain, about various diseases and problems in society related to the brain, and behavior in general. A small minus book that is a little hard to read - the book is full of various terms that are rather complex and incomprehensible to the average reader. But in general the book is very wonderful and interesting.
September 21, 2014
We Are Our Brains: A Neurobiography of the Brain, from the Womb to Alzheimer’s by D.F. Swaab
"We Are Our Brains" is a fantastic biography of the human brain. Dutch physician and neuroscientist D.F. Swaab takes the readers on a tour of the brain’s design and functionality. With a great grasp of this captivating topic and direct frankness the author proceeds to cover a wide spectrum of interesting topics pertaining to the brain. This fascinating 448-page book includes the following twenty-one chapters: 1. Development, Birth and Parental Care, 2. Threats to the Fetal Brain in the “Safety” of the Womb, 3. Sexual Differentiation of the Brain in the Womb, 4. Puberty, Love, and Sexual Behavior, 5. Hypothalmus: Survival, Hormones, and Emotions, 6. Addictive Substances, 7. The Brain and Consciousness, 8. Aggression, 9. Autism, 1o. Schizophrenia and other Reasons for Hallucinations, 11. Repair and Electric Stimulation, 12. The Brain and Sports, 13. Moral Behavior, 14. Memory, 15. Neurotheology: The Brain and Religion, 16. There Isn’t More Between Heaven and Earth, 17. Free Will, A Pleasant Illusion, 18. Alzheimer’s Disease, 19. Death, 20. Evolution, and 21. Conclusions.
Positives:
1. Well researched, well written and a much more engaging book than is the norm for this genre.
2. Neuroscience is one the most fascinating topics out there and this book is in the hands of a master. Brain candy.
3. Covers a lot of great topics within neuroscience and it does so very well.
4. The main theme of this book is how the brain works. From the author, “That’s a conundrum that has yet to be fully solved, and this book can of course provide only a partial answer. It shows how our brains differentiate into male and female brains, what goes on in the adolescent mind, how the brain preserves the individual and the species, how we age, how we suffer from dementia and die, as well as how the brain evolved, how memory works, and how moral behavior developed. But the book also shows how things can go wrong. It looks at disorders of consciousness, brain damage caused by boxing, and diseases of the brain like addiction, autism, and schizophrenia, as well as the latest medical advances and possibilities for recovery. Finally, it looks at the relationship between the brain and religion, the soul, the mind, and free will.”
5. Through out the book, makes a great case that we are in fact our brains. “Everything we think, do, and refrain from doing is determined by the brain. The construction of this fantastic machine determines our potential, our limitations, and our characters; we are our brains.”
6. The importance of a the process that leads up to birth. “The conclusion of Boer’s PhD thesis was that smooth childbirth requires good interaction between the brains of mother and child.” “In one-third of cases, brain disorders that manifest themselves as a child develops are wrongly ascribed to a difficult birth. In fact, the brain defects that cause such conditions as learning disabilities and spasticity often come into being long before birth.”
7. The role oxytocin plays. “Different social contexts prompt the release of oxytocin in specific parts of the brain, triggering different types of behavior. It has been identified as the messenger of affection, generosity, tranquility, trust, and attachment. Oxytocin has also been found to suppress fear by affecting the amygdala, the center of fear and aggression. When affectionate social interaction like hugging takes place, not only do oxytocin levels in the blood rise but more oxytocin is also released in the brain.”
8. The importance of a stimulating environment for early brain development. “Studies have shown that orphans adopted before the age of two go on to develop normal IQs (averaging 100), while children who are not adopted until between the ages of two and six attain average IQs of 80.”
9. There is a great section on brain disorders. “Conclusions Addictive substances, medication, and environmental substances can permanently disrupt fetal brain development, leading to learning and behavioral disorders in later life. Congenital defects of this kind are known as functional or behavioral-teratological defects.”
10. I can’t stress enough all the great topics covered in this book including topics of which is still in its infancy. Sexual differentiation in the womb. “Hormones and other chemical substances importantly affect the development of our sexual orientation. Girls with the adrenal gland disorder CAH who are exposed to high testosterone levels in the womb are more likely to become bisexual or homosexual.” “In other words, sexual orientation is determined by many structural and functional differences in the brain, all of which develop in the womb during the second half of pregnancy.”
11. The hot-button issue of homosexuality from a scientific point of view. “Homosexual behavior has now been observed in around 1,500 animal species, from insects to mammals.”
12. Discusses popular topics such as the causes of depression. “So depression is basically a developmental disorder of the hypothalamus.”
13. A look at addictions. “Adult males who smoke marijuana daily for a period of years have been found not only to have a smaller hippocampus (important for memory), a smaller amygdala (affecting fear, aggression, and sexual behavior), and damage to the fiber tracts of the corpus callosum (left-right connections) but also to be more likely to develop a psychosis. Again, though, these characteristics may have been present before using cannabis.”
14. Fascinating observations. “In the case of locked-in syndrome, families tend to be aware of consciousness before the doctors, but in the case of a coma families are more likely than doctors to be mistaken in thinking that consciousness exists.”
15. The two aspects of consciousness. “All recent research suggests that the joint activity of enormous numbers of neurons in communication with a number of brain areas provides the foundation for consciousness.”
16. A great chapter on aggression! “So our genetic background can contribute significantly to our aggressive and criminal behavior later.” “We’re born with different propensities for aggressive behavior depending on our gender, our genetic background, the amount of nourishment we received from the placenta, and our mother’s consumption of nicotine, alcohol, and medication during pregnancy.”
17. A look at schizophrenia. “Schizophrenia is a developmental brain disorder that is caused by a combination of factors and is present at a very early stage—indeed, the main foundation is laid at conception. Studies of families and twins show that the genetic component of schizophrenia is around 80 percent.”
18. How current science is addressing some of these neuroscientific problems. “Many laboratories are now working on gene therapy for a wide range of diseases.”
19. Cognitive-inducing look at sports and the brain.
20. A fascinating look at moral behavior. Great stuff!
21. So much good stuff including a look at religion and the brain. I would need another thirty positives. Read the book!
Negatives:
1. Overall, Dr. Swaab does a great job of in narrative terms explain what we do versus what we do not know. However, I would have liked a stronger emphasis on the consensus among neuroscientists. What does the subject matter experts say on each of these great individual topics?
2. No notes or formal bibliography. A shame because it complicates further research on my part.
3. Some of the findings are speculative and the author recognizes that.
4. Some hot-button issues and are assured to cause controversy and may in fact go against preconceived notions. Issues such as handling crime and punishment are very touchy and significant implications. Not to mention gender differences and the roles they play. Not everyone will find the kind of answers they desire but that is science for you. Science does not care what you desire it only strives to model reality.
5. Some redundancy.
In summary, wow what can I say I really enjoyed this book. It was an intellectual and thought-provoking treat. Neuroscience is a fascinating topic and this book was loaded with a lot of great research and thought-provoking insights. A high recommendation! Get this book.
Further suggestions: "Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time" and "The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths" by Michael Shermer, "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" by Steven Pinker, Hardwired Behavior: What Neuroscience Reveals about Morality" by Laurence Tancredi, "Who's in Charge?: Free Will and the Science of the Brain" Michael S. Gazzaniga, "The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life" by Jesse Bering, "50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True" by Guy P. Harrison, "Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts" by Carol Tavris. For the record, I have reviewed all the aforementioned books.
"We Are Our Brains" is a fantastic biography of the human brain. Dutch physician and neuroscientist D.F. Swaab takes the readers on a tour of the brain’s design and functionality. With a great grasp of this captivating topic and direct frankness the author proceeds to cover a wide spectrum of interesting topics pertaining to the brain. This fascinating 448-page book includes the following twenty-one chapters: 1. Development, Birth and Parental Care, 2. Threats to the Fetal Brain in the “Safety” of the Womb, 3. Sexual Differentiation of the Brain in the Womb, 4. Puberty, Love, and Sexual Behavior, 5. Hypothalmus: Survival, Hormones, and Emotions, 6. Addictive Substances, 7. The Brain and Consciousness, 8. Aggression, 9. Autism, 1o. Schizophrenia and other Reasons for Hallucinations, 11. Repair and Electric Stimulation, 12. The Brain and Sports, 13. Moral Behavior, 14. Memory, 15. Neurotheology: The Brain and Religion, 16. There Isn’t More Between Heaven and Earth, 17. Free Will, A Pleasant Illusion, 18. Alzheimer’s Disease, 19. Death, 20. Evolution, and 21. Conclusions.
Positives:
1. Well researched, well written and a much more engaging book than is the norm for this genre.
2. Neuroscience is one the most fascinating topics out there and this book is in the hands of a master. Brain candy.
3. Covers a lot of great topics within neuroscience and it does so very well.
4. The main theme of this book is how the brain works. From the author, “That’s a conundrum that has yet to be fully solved, and this book can of course provide only a partial answer. It shows how our brains differentiate into male and female brains, what goes on in the adolescent mind, how the brain preserves the individual and the species, how we age, how we suffer from dementia and die, as well as how the brain evolved, how memory works, and how moral behavior developed. But the book also shows how things can go wrong. It looks at disorders of consciousness, brain damage caused by boxing, and diseases of the brain like addiction, autism, and schizophrenia, as well as the latest medical advances and possibilities for recovery. Finally, it looks at the relationship between the brain and religion, the soul, the mind, and free will.”
5. Through out the book, makes a great case that we are in fact our brains. “Everything we think, do, and refrain from doing is determined by the brain. The construction of this fantastic machine determines our potential, our limitations, and our characters; we are our brains.”
6. The importance of a the process that leads up to birth. “The conclusion of Boer’s PhD thesis was that smooth childbirth requires good interaction between the brains of mother and child.” “In one-third of cases, brain disorders that manifest themselves as a child develops are wrongly ascribed to a difficult birth. In fact, the brain defects that cause such conditions as learning disabilities and spasticity often come into being long before birth.”
7. The role oxytocin plays. “Different social contexts prompt the release of oxytocin in specific parts of the brain, triggering different types of behavior. It has been identified as the messenger of affection, generosity, tranquility, trust, and attachment. Oxytocin has also been found to suppress fear by affecting the amygdala, the center of fear and aggression. When affectionate social interaction like hugging takes place, not only do oxytocin levels in the blood rise but more oxytocin is also released in the brain.”
8. The importance of a stimulating environment for early brain development. “Studies have shown that orphans adopted before the age of two go on to develop normal IQs (averaging 100), while children who are not adopted until between the ages of two and six attain average IQs of 80.”
9. There is a great section on brain disorders. “Conclusions Addictive substances, medication, and environmental substances can permanently disrupt fetal brain development, leading to learning and behavioral disorders in later life. Congenital defects of this kind are known as functional or behavioral-teratological defects.”
10. I can’t stress enough all the great topics covered in this book including topics of which is still in its infancy. Sexual differentiation in the womb. “Hormones and other chemical substances importantly affect the development of our sexual orientation. Girls with the adrenal gland disorder CAH who are exposed to high testosterone levels in the womb are more likely to become bisexual or homosexual.” “In other words, sexual orientation is determined by many structural and functional differences in the brain, all of which develop in the womb during the second half of pregnancy.”
11. The hot-button issue of homosexuality from a scientific point of view. “Homosexual behavior has now been observed in around 1,500 animal species, from insects to mammals.”
12. Discusses popular topics such as the causes of depression. “So depression is basically a developmental disorder of the hypothalamus.”
13. A look at addictions. “Adult males who smoke marijuana daily for a period of years have been found not only to have a smaller hippocampus (important for memory), a smaller amygdala (affecting fear, aggression, and sexual behavior), and damage to the fiber tracts of the corpus callosum (left-right connections) but also to be more likely to develop a psychosis. Again, though, these characteristics may have been present before using cannabis.”
14. Fascinating observations. “In the case of locked-in syndrome, families tend to be aware of consciousness before the doctors, but in the case of a coma families are more likely than doctors to be mistaken in thinking that consciousness exists.”
15. The two aspects of consciousness. “All recent research suggests that the joint activity of enormous numbers of neurons in communication with a number of brain areas provides the foundation for consciousness.”
16. A great chapter on aggression! “So our genetic background can contribute significantly to our aggressive and criminal behavior later.” “We’re born with different propensities for aggressive behavior depending on our gender, our genetic background, the amount of nourishment we received from the placenta, and our mother’s consumption of nicotine, alcohol, and medication during pregnancy.”
17. A look at schizophrenia. “Schizophrenia is a developmental brain disorder that is caused by a combination of factors and is present at a very early stage—indeed, the main foundation is laid at conception. Studies of families and twins show that the genetic component of schizophrenia is around 80 percent.”
18. How current science is addressing some of these neuroscientific problems. “Many laboratories are now working on gene therapy for a wide range of diseases.”
19. Cognitive-inducing look at sports and the brain.
20. A fascinating look at moral behavior. Great stuff!
21. So much good stuff including a look at religion and the brain. I would need another thirty positives. Read the book!
Negatives:
1. Overall, Dr. Swaab does a great job of in narrative terms explain what we do versus what we do not know. However, I would have liked a stronger emphasis on the consensus among neuroscientists. What does the subject matter experts say on each of these great individual topics?
2. No notes or formal bibliography. A shame because it complicates further research on my part.
3. Some of the findings are speculative and the author recognizes that.
4. Some hot-button issues and are assured to cause controversy and may in fact go against preconceived notions. Issues such as handling crime and punishment are very touchy and significant implications. Not to mention gender differences and the roles they play. Not everyone will find the kind of answers they desire but that is science for you. Science does not care what you desire it only strives to model reality.
5. Some redundancy.
In summary, wow what can I say I really enjoyed this book. It was an intellectual and thought-provoking treat. Neuroscience is a fascinating topic and this book was loaded with a lot of great research and thought-provoking insights. A high recommendation! Get this book.
Further suggestions: "Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time" and "The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies---How We Construct Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths" by Michael Shermer, "The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature" by Steven Pinker, Hardwired Behavior: What Neuroscience Reveals about Morality" by Laurence Tancredi, "Who's in Charge?: Free Will and the Science of the Brain" Michael S. Gazzaniga, "The Belief Instinct: The Psychology of Souls, Destiny, and the Meaning of Life" by Jesse Bering, "50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True" by Guy P. Harrison, "Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me): Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts" by Carol Tavris. For the record, I have reviewed all the aforementioned books.
April 21, 2021
I did not expect this book to be so compelling. It contains many concepts of the brain, including religion, free will and death. With a critical eye, the book unfolds into a crash course of different parts of the brain. Easy to read; I flew through it in no time.
September 29, 2022
2,5-3⭐️
November 26, 2019
Важка книга. Я її двічі відкладав, потім повертався. Більша частина - це описи функцій мозку через різноманітні розлади, вроджені та набуті хвороби.
Але це дуже цікава, ще й корисна книга.
Для прикладу, існує рідкісний вроджений розлад, при якому людина вважає частину своєї кінцівки не своєю. Це чужа рука, наприклад. Вона здорова, все ок, але чужа. Людина не божевільна, просто у неї так закладений образ себе. В мозку. На рівні "заліза". От що робити? Люди шукають хірурга, калічать себе, врешті позбавляються "несвоєї" частини тіла. І як вони потім? Почуваються щасливими!
Користь книги в тому, що вона може відкрити очі (хоча іноді ніхто й ніщо не зможе) й припинити шеймінг та самошеймінг багатьох. У нашому суспільстві вже не є нормою насміхатися над зростом, кольором очей, ДЦП чи глухотою. Зате сексуальна орієнтація, схильність до ожиріння, труднощі в зосередженні, залежності - активно піддаються зневазі. Ті, кому пощастило народитися зі смаком до здорової їжі та хистом до фізичної активності, зневажають тих, хто народився зі схильністю до ожиріння.
Є розділи дискусійні, але автор не має наміру дискутувати, а просто висловлює точку зору. Вони цікаві: про роль спорту (автор пропонує займатися шахами, а все інше - на шкоду), про релігію, про евтаназію.
Книга могла б бути кращою, але я кращої ще не читав. Ну і переклад іноді міг би бути ліпший. Скажімо, "сексуальні гормони" - не дуже вдалий, як на мене переклад.
Але хай їх ті недоліки. Головну - світоглядну - перевагу я зазначив. Читайте!
Але це дуже цікава, ще й корисна книга.
Для прикладу, існує рідкісний вроджений розлад, при якому людина вважає частину своєї кінцівки не своєю. Це чужа рука, наприклад. Вона здорова, все ок, але чужа. Людина не божевільна, просто у неї так закладений образ себе. В мозку. На рівні "заліза". От що робити? Люди шукають хірурга, калічать себе, врешті позбавляються "несвоєї" частини тіла. І як вони потім? Почуваються щасливими!
Користь книги в тому, що вона може відкрити очі (хоча іноді ніхто й ніщо не зможе) й припинити шеймінг та самошеймінг багатьох. У нашому суспільстві вже не є нормою насміхатися над зростом, кольором очей, ДЦП чи глухотою. Зате сексуальна орієнтація, схильність до ожиріння, труднощі в зосередженні, залежності - активно піддаються зневазі. Ті, кому пощастило народитися зі смаком до здорової їжі та хистом до фізичної активності, зневажають тих, хто народився зі схильністю до ожиріння.
Є розділи дискусійні, але автор не має наміру дискутувати, а просто висловлює точку зору. Вони цікаві: про роль спорту (автор пропонує займатися шахами, а все інше - на шкоду), про релігію, про евтаназію.
Книга могла б бути кращою, але я кращої ще не читав. Ну і переклад іноді міг би бути ліпший. Скажімо, "сексуальні гормони" - не дуже вдалий, як на мене переклад.
Але хай їх ті недоліки. Головну - світоглядну - перевагу я зазначив. Читайте!
December 1, 2015
He visto muchas críticas a este libro tachándolo de "determinista". No comparto esa opinión. D. F. Swaab en ningún momento niega la influencia del ambiente y cómo este condiciona el comportamiento; resalta la importancia que tiene la carga genética, que, muchas veces, es infravalorada.
"La combinación de nuestra herencia genética y la programación que tiene lugar a lo largo de nuestro desarrollo intrauterino hace que vengamos al mundo con un cerebro único donde ya están determinados en gran medida nuestros talentos, características y limitaciones. Eso no sólo afecta
nuestro CI, al hecho de ser madrugadores o noctámbulos, a nuestro nivel de espiritualidad, a nuestro comportamiento neurótico, psicótico, agresivo, antisocial e inconformista, sino también a la probabilidad de desarrollar enfermedades mentales como la esquizofrenia, el autismo, la depresión y las adicciones. Una vez convertidos en adultos, existen muchas limitaciones para moldear nuestro cerebro y nuestras características ya están fijadas. La estructura de nuestro cerebro que ha ido evolucionando de ese modo determina su función: somos nuestro cerebro."
"La combinación de nuestra herencia genética y la programación que tiene lugar a lo largo de nuestro desarrollo intrauterino hace que vengamos al mundo con un cerebro único donde ya están determinados en gran medida nuestros talentos, características y limitaciones. Eso no sólo afecta
nuestro CI, al hecho de ser madrugadores o noctámbulos, a nuestro nivel de espiritualidad, a nuestro comportamiento neurótico, psicótico, agresivo, antisocial e inconformista, sino también a la probabilidad de desarrollar enfermedades mentales como la esquizofrenia, el autismo, la depresión y las adicciones. Una vez convertidos en adultos, existen muchas limitaciones para moldear nuestro cerebro y nuestras características ya están fijadas. La estructura de nuestro cerebro que ha ido evolucionando de ese modo determina su función: somos nuestro cerebro."
March 17, 2018
Ние сме нашият мозък – но какво е той, не е никак просто: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/n...
“Ние сме нашият мозък” е една до голяма степен предизвикателна книга и иска доста време и внимание, за да бъде прочетена. Сваб е прям и безцеремонен в разглеждането на зараждането, развитието и заника на най-важния ни орган, този, който ни прави хора и заради който можем да изследваме не само своя свят, но и Вселената. Без да изпада в каквато и да е поетичност, той проследява всичко, свързано с мозъка – взаимодействието с майката преди раждането, поведението на родителите, ролята на стимулиращата среда в ранното развитие, спомените от утробата. Сериозно внимание той обръща на негативните фактори – нарушенията в мозъчното развитие, причинени от околната среда, от алкохола, тютюнопушенето и други. Разглежда как се появява сексуалната диференциация, хетеро-, хомо- и бисексуалността, педофилията, обществените реакции на изследването на тези промени, както и от какъв пол, аджеба, е папата (трябва да се отбележи поне малкото хумор в книгата).
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/n...
“Ние сме нашият мозък” е една до голяма степен предизвикателна книга и иска доста време и внимание, за да бъде прочетена. Сваб е прям и безцеремонен в разглеждането на зараждането, развитието и заника на най-важния ни орган, този, който ни прави хора и заради който можем да изследваме не само своя свят, но и Вселената. Без да изпада в каквато и да е поетичност, той проследява всичко, свързано с мозъка – взаимодействието с майката преди раждането, поведението на родителите, ролята на стимулиращата среда в ранното развитие, спомените от утробата. Сериозно внимание той обръща на негативните фактори – нарушенията в мозъчното развитие, причинени от околната среда, от алкохола, тютюнопушенето и други. Разглежда как се появява сексуалната диференциация, хетеро-, хомо- и бисексуалността, педофилията, обществените реакции на изследването на тези промени, както и от какъв пол, аджеба, е папата (трябва да се отбележи поне малкото хумор в книгата).
Colibri Books
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/n...
July 27, 2017
What a fascinating and insightful look at our brains! I thoroughly enjoyed the panoply of facts and interesting research findings that the author describes then puts into a series of contexts (parental behaviour, education and crime to name just a few). If you are interested in finding out what the brain is used for, how it develops into a fully formed organ and what happens when it goes wrong, you'll enjoy this well-written and very entertaining book!
April 4, 2014
A great book if you're looking for some basic info on a lot of things that are going on in your brain. I would've liked more background info. Also he tends to repeat a lot of example and that gets kind of annoying. Great book for the average reader, but if you're looking for more depth and science this isn't the book for you.
April 1, 2019
Все в нас, коротше, вроджене. Таланти, здібності, сексуальні нахили - все йде з момент пеня перебування в утробі матері. Багато сумнівного. Багато цікавого.
Читати її, мабуть, потрібно декілька місяців, а не два тижні)) Записувати, гуглити, дізнаватись більше. Бо інакше - досить суперечливо.
Читати її, мабуть, потрібно декілька місяців, а не два тижні)) Записувати, гуглити, дізнаватись більше. Бо інакше - досить суперечливо.
September 20, 2019
Beyinle ilgilenen herkesin keyif alıp bir şeyler öğrenebileceği türden. Özellikle lisede olup beyinle ilgili bir meslek seçmeyi düşünenler için çok daha keyifli bir kitap olacaktır keşiflemek adına
July 23, 2019
Однозначно книга із когорти тих, які можуть поділити ваше життя на "до" і "після".
Стає дуже і дуже цікаво коли ти все життя совідуєш принцип скажімо "2+2=5", а приходить дядько Свааб і каже "Ніт"))
В Україні дуже популярним є вислів "Чому бідні, бо дурні. А чому дурні, бо бідні". Ніколи він мені не подобався. І не дарма. Бо згідно сучасних досліджень, про які йдеться в книзі, звучати він повинен так : "Чому багаті і розумні? Бо багаті і розумні були ваші батьки."
Стає дуже і дуже цікаво коли ти все життя совідуєш принцип скажімо "2+2=5", а приходить дядько Свааб і каже "Ніт"))
В Україні дуже популярним є вислів "Чому бідні, бо дурні. А чому дурні, бо бідні". Ніколи він мені не подобався. І не дарма. Бо згідно сучасних досліджень, про які йдеться в книзі, звучати він повинен так : "Чому багаті і розумні? Бо багаті і розумні були ваші батьки."
June 5, 2020
Швидкий екскурс від нейробіолога в головні теми і проблеми, які можуть бути пов'язані з мозком. Читається легко і швидко, але й де-не-де проглядається сильний перекос в сторону етичності питання, і самоповтори. Окремого негативу заслуговує розділ "Спорт - це вбивство", коли загалом з усіма тезами на рахунок контактного спорту можна погодитися, то на позитивний вплив бігу, плавання і подібних поміркованих занять є дуже багато досліджень. Аж прям дуже. І деякі теми хотілося б більшого розкриття (особливо щодо шизофренії чи аутизму).
Книгу можна сміло рекомендувати для ознайомлення, і без попередніх знань в цій галузі, можна знайти багато нового, і філософського. Але і є трішки мінусів в додачу, куди ж без них.
Книгу можна сміло рекомендувати для ознайомлення, і без попередніх знань в цій галузі, можна знайти багато нового, і філософського. Але і є трішки мінусів в додачу, куди ж без них.
October 18, 2021
Interesting, but ultimately too superficial and focused on examples rather than causes of various brain functions.
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