This episode of Brain Science is an interview with neuroscientist Matthew Cobb author of "The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience."

Cobb approaches the history of neuroscience from a different perspective than previous writers. He writes from the perspective of a working scientist with a deep interest in the history of ideas and the interaction between science and culture. This approach makes for a fascinating discussion.

Through out history assumptions about the brain have been influenced by both culture and contemporary science. For example, before the discovery of electricity it was impossible to image that the brain uses both chemical and electrical signals to communicate. Similarly, our current understanding is heavily influenced by the computer metaphor, which actually misses much about how real brains function.

Another aspect of our discussion involves several ongoing debates with neuroscience such as the importance of localization versus network properties. We also touch on the tendency toward neuromythology, which is the tendency to think that understanding the brain is the only tool for understanding what it means to be human. Dr. Cobb reminds of the importance of being aware of the work in a wide varieties of fields include science and the humanities.

Links and References:

• The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience by Matthew Cobb
  • Complete Bibliography at theideaofthebrain.com.
• Please visit http://brainsciencepodcast.com for additional references and episode transcripts.

Please Visit Our Sponsors:

• The Great Courses Plus at thegreatcoursesplus.com/GINGER
• TextExpander at textexpander.com/podcast

Announcements:

• Brain Science comes out on 4th Friday each month.
• The new expanded edition of Are You Sure? The Unconscious Origins of Certainty will be released in early May 2020. Anyone who purchases the book in the first 2 weeks after release will be invited to special live webinar. Subscribe to the free Newsletter for updates.
• To win an Amazon gift certificate: post a review of Brain Science in iTunes and send me a screenshot.
• Learn how you can support Brain Science at http://brainsciencepodcast.com/donations
• Sign up for the free Brain Science Newsletter to get show notes automatically every month.
• Check out the free Brain Science Mobile app for iOS, Android, and Windows. (It's a great way to get both new episodes and premium content.)
• Send email to [email protected] or post voice feedback at http://speakpipe.com/docartemis.

Connect on Social Media:

• Twitter: @docartemis
• Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/brainsciencepodcast

Contact Dr. Campbell:

• Email: [email protected]
• Voicemail: http://speakpipe.com/docartemis