For most native speakers of English, the meanings of ordinary words like "blue," "cup," "stumble," and "carve" seem quite natural and self-evident. It turns out, however, that they are far from universal, as shown by recent research in the discipline known as semantic typology. To be sure, the roughly 6,500 languages around the world do have many similarities in the sorts of concepts they encode. But they also vary greatly in numerous ways, such as how they partition particular conceptual domains, how they map those domains onto syntactic categories, which distinctions they force speakers to habitually attend to, and how deeply they weave certain notions into the fabric of their grammar. Although these insights from semantic typology have had a major impact on the field of psycholinguistics, they have been mostly neglected by the branch of cognitive neuroscience that studies how concepts are represented, organized, and processed in our brains. In Concepts in the Brain, David Kemmerer exposes this oversight and demonstrates its significance. He argues that as research on the neural substrates of semantic knowledge moves forward, it should, to the extent possible, expand its purview to embrace the broad spectrum of cross-linguistic variation in the lexical and grammatical representation of meaning. Otherwise, it will never be able to achieve a truly comprehensive, pan-human account of the cortical underpinnings of concepts. Richly illustrated and written in an accessible interdisciplinary style, the book begins by elaborating the different perspectives on concepts that currently exist in the parallel fields of semantic typology and cognitive neuroscience. It then shows how a synthesis of these approaches can lead to a more unified and inclusive understanding of several domains of concrete meaning--specifically, objects, actions, and spatial relations. Finally, it explores a number of intriguing and controversial issues involving the interplay between language, cognition, and consciousness.

This book presents a new, detailed examination that explains how elegant brains have been shaped in evolution. It consists of 19 chapters written by academic professionals in neuroscience, opening with the origin of single-celled creatures and then introducing primordial types in invertebrates with the great abundance of the brains of vertebrates. Important topics are provided in a timely manner, because novel techniques emerged rapidly—as seen, for examples, in the next-generation sequencers and omics approaches. With the explosion of big data, neural-related genes and molecules is now on the radar. In fact, Europe’s big science and technology projects, a €1 billion plan called the Human Brain Project and the Blue Brain Project to understand mammalian brain networks, have been launched in recent years. Furthermore, with the rise of recently advanced artificial intelligence, there is great enthusiasm for understanding the evolution of neural networks. The views from brain evolution in nature provide an essential opportunity to generate ideas for novel neuron- and brain-inspired computation. The ambition behind this book is that it will stimulate young scientists who seek a deeper understanding in order to find the basic principles shaping brains that provided higher cognitive functions in the course of evolution.

This book is devoted to a novel conceptual theoretical framework of neuro science and is an attempt to show that we can postulate a very small number of assumptions and utilize their heuristics to explain a very large spectrum of brain phenomena. The major assumption made in this book is that inborn and acquired neural automatisms are generated according to the same func tional principles. Accordingly, the principles that have been revealed experi mentally to govern inborn motor automatisms, such as locomotion and scratching, are used to elucidate the nature of acquired or learned automat isms. This approach allowed me to apply the language of control theory to describe functions of biological neural networks. You, the reader, can judge the logic of the conclusions regarding brain phenomena that the book derives from these assumptions. If you find the argument flawless, one can call it common sense and consider that to be the best praise for a chain of logical conclusions. For the sake of clarity, I have attempted to make this monograph as readable as possible. Special attention has been given to describing some of the concepts of optimal control theory in such a way that it will be under standable to a biologist or physician. I have also included plenty of illustra tive examples and references designed to demonstrate the appropriateness and applicability of these conceptual theoretical notions for the neurosciences.

In this book, brain-grounded theory of temporal and spatial design in architecture and the environment is discussed. The author believes that it is a key to solving such global problems as environmental disorders and severe climate change as well as conflicts that are caused by the ill-conceived notion of “time is money”. There are three phases or aspects of a person’s life: the physical life, the spiritual or mental life, and the third stage of life, when a person moves from middle age into old age and can choose what he or she wishes to do instead of simply what must be done. This book describes the temporal design of the environment based on the theory of subjective preference, which could make it possible for an individual to realize a healthy life in all three phases. In his previously published work, the present author wrote that the theory of subjective preference has been established for the sound and visual fields based on neural evidence, and that subjective preference is an overall response of cooperating temporal and spatial factors, associated with the brain’s left and right hemispheres, respectively. In this book, based on that theory, some examples are shown for the temporal design of architecture and the environment, which may play important roles in the development of personality, thus inducing creativity. Also discussed is how all individuals may find their own personality and develop it according to the preferred direction of their individual lives.

Through expanded intelligence, the use of robotics has fundamentally transformed a variety of fields, including manufacturing, aerospace, medicine, social services, and agriculture. Continued research on robotic design is critical to solving various dynamic obstacles individuals, enterprises, and humanity at large face on a daily basis. Robotic Systems: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a vital reference source that delves into the current issues, methodologies, and trends relating to advanced robotic technology in the modern world. Highlighting a range of topics such as mechatronics, cybernetics, and human-computer interaction, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for robotics engineers, mechanical engineers, robotics technicians, operators, software engineers, designers, programmers, industry professionals, researchers, students, academicians, and computer practitioners seeking current research on developing innovative ideas for intelligent and autonomous robotics systems.

In today's rapidly evolving world, where advancements in technology are reshaping every aspect of our lives, the field of education is not immune to change. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and insights from neuroscience, educators have unprecedented opportunities to revolutionize the way we learn and develop cognitively. "Designing Tomorrow's Mind" explores the intersection of design thinking, AI, and brain-based learning to create innovative approaches for enhancing cognitive development in learners of all ages. It explores how traditional educational models have evolved over time and sets the stage for understanding the need for new approaches to cognitive development in the digital age. Design thinking has emerged as a powerful methodology for solving complex problems and fostering innovation. Artificial Intelligence is transforming various industries, and education is no exception. This book chapters examines the potential of AI in personalized learning, adaptive assessment, and educational analytics. It also discusses the ethical considerations and challenges associated with AI integration in education. Neuroscience research offers valuable insights into how the brain learns and retains information and explores key findings from neuroscience and their implications for designing effective learning experiences that align with the brain's natural processes. Combining principles from design thinking, AI, and neuroscience, this chapters presents a framework for designing AI-enabled brain-based learning experiences.

Best known as a founding father of neuropsychology, Luria is remembered for his clinical approach, which in many ways foreshadowed and served as the basis for the currently popular "process approach" to neuropsychological diagnosis. Although he never completed the job of designing a general theory of brain- behavioral relations, he nonetheless contributed mightily to the ongoing effort to develop one, and to the emergence of neuropsychology as a mature science. Written by professionals who either knew Alexandr Romanovich Luria personally or experienced his scientific influence, the topics examined in this volume reflect the expanse of his interests and contributions.

Key concepts in neuroscience presented for the non-medical reader. A fresh take on contemporary brain science, this book presents neuroscience—the scientific study of brain, mind, and behavior—in easy-to-understand ways with a focus on concepts of interest to all science readers. Rigorous and detailed enough to use as a textbook in a university or community college class, it is at the same time meant for any and all readers, clinicians and non-clinicians alike, interested in learning about the foundations of contemporary brain science. From molecules and cells to mind and consciousness, the known and the mysterious are presented in the context of the history of modern biology and with an eye toward better appreciating the beauty and growing public presence of brain science.