We Are More Than Our Brains: Putting our minds to neuroscience - Paperback

by Trevor Rollings (Author)

'We are our brains' has been the mantra of neuroscience. This materialist approach has helped to unlock the secrets of the brain. It has transformed psychological theory, revolutionised the treatment of mental disorders, exposed the gremlins in our thinking, exploded many myths about how 'special' we are, and given us a new language to talk about ourselves. But this is only half of our story. Cognitive scientists and brain researchers are gradually moving to a more inclusive vision of ourselves. Just as our brain is made by biology, so is our mind shaped by culture. We are more than our brains. We are integrated mind/brains.Neuroscience has energised our traditional ways of thinking about the mind, but it has not replaced them. If we are to talk meaningfully about self, free will, consciousness, beauty and justice, we need to rethink the old questions about our mind in the light of our new knowledge about our brain. This means telling the whole story of the mind and the brain, as an evolutionary partnership at the heart of our life world.