A highly original account of how literature and neuroscience interact to explain the relationship between the mind, body, and brain

Does science argue against the existence of the human soul? Many scientists and scholars believe the whole is more than the sum of the parts. This book uses information and systems theory to describe the "more" that does not reduce to the parts. One sees this in the synapses”or apparently empty gaps between the neurons in one's brain”where informative relationships give rise to human mind, culture, and spirituality. Drawing upon the disciplines of cognitive science, computer science, neuroscience, general systems theory, pragmatic philosophy, and Christian theology, Mark Graves reinterprets the traditional doctrine of the soul as form of the body to frame contemporary scientific study of the human soul.

"In this book, Peter Robin Hiesinger explores historical and contemporary attempts to understand the information needed to make biological and artificial neural networks. Developmental neurobiologists and computer scientists with an interest in artificial intelligence - driven by the promise and resources of biomedical research on the one hand, and by the promise and advances of computer technology on the other - are trying to understand the fundamental principles that guide the generation of an intelligent system. Yet, though researchers in these disciplines share a common interest, their perspectives and approaches are often quite different. The book makes the case that "the information problem" underlies both fields, driving the questions that are driving forward the frontiers, and aims to encourage cross-disciplinary communication and understanding, to help both fields make progress. The questions that challenge researchers in these fields include the following. How does genetic information unfold during the years-long process of human brain development, and can this be a short-cut to create human-level artificial intelligence? Is the biological brain just messy hardware that can be improved upon by running learning algorithms in computers? Can artificial intelligence bypass evolutionary programming of "grown" networks? These questions are tightly linked, and answering them requires an understanding of how information unfolds algorithmically to generate functional neural networks. Via a series of closely linked "discussions" (fictional dialogues between researchers in different disciplines) and pedagogical "seminars," the author explores the different challenges facing researchers working on neural networks, their different perspectives and approaches, as well as the common ground and understanding to be found amongst those sharing an interest in the development of biological brains and artificial intelligent systems"--

Across our nation, many within our educational system complain that America’s children cannot write well. Hatfield and Young assert that the problem lies at the foundation of our pedagogy for writing, that most elementary writing curricula lack rudimentary instruction at the sentence level. The authors introduce a sentence-level writing intervention that explicitly defines the elements found in great sentences. This intervention forms the foundational framework for writing skills acquisition, helping teachers, students, and writers of all ages to understand how to craft well-written sentences and paragraphs. Research supports that the most effective instruction is skills-based and multisensory; therefore, Hatfield and Young also introduce a cognitively differentiated writing model, which uses arts-integrated instruction to enhance learning and memory for other content areas. This writing model is based on best practice and this sentence-level intervention serves as a precursor for mastering the new writing standards for CCSS. It offers novice writers a precise blueprint for what successful writing looks like and clearly defines the elusive sentence.

Discover the transformative insights of movement pioneer Moshe Feldenkrais, whose exercise therapy technique revolutionized how we think about the mind-body connection. This new edition features a fold-out insert illustrating the Feldenkrais Method for somatic practitioners, bodyworkers, dance teachers, and others! As a scientist, martial artist, and founder of the Feldenkrais Method, Moshe Feldenkrais wrote several influential books on the relationship between movement, learning, and health. The Elusive Obvious is a thorough and accessible explanation of the method, which has two main strands: Awareness Through Movement and Functional Integration. Both are renowned worldwide for their ability to reduce pain and anxiety, cultivate vitality, and improve performance. This new edition of The Elusive Obvious includes a beautiful presentation featuring a fold-out insert with illustrations that depict these two approaches. By uncovering solutions that are often hidden in plain sight, this book can help you learn to move with greater ease, grace, and efficiency through the Feldenkrais Method.

First published in 1969, The Elusive Mind argues that the mental processes are of a quite different nature from physical ones and belong to an entity which is elusive in the sense that it can only be known, in the first instance, by each person in his own case in the course of having any kind of experience. This ‘elusive’ self is much involved with the body in any conditions we know, but it could also survive the dissolution of the body. The views of thinkers like Ryle, Hampshire, Malcolm, Feigl, and Ayer are subjected to an exceptionally close and critical scrutiny. In presenting these views, the author offers us the substance of the first series of Gifford Lectures he delivered in the University of Edinburgh; and, in what he says on such topics as dreaming; mysticism; and the ‘I-Thou’ relation and on Christian Theology. This book will be an essential read for scholars and researchers of philosophy, philosophy of mind, ethics, and religion.

The premature birth of a baby is both a medical and family crisis. Within the pages of this comprehensive guide, parents will find compassionate support, practical suggestions for coping and adjusting, and advice that empowers them to handle an array of emotions.

Self-Awareness and The Elusive Subject explores the puzzling fact that we are certain of the existence of a subject of experience despite its being objectively and subjectively elusive. It is objectively elusive in that, like phenomenal states, it cannot be found from the third-person perspective. It is subjectively elusive because it also cannot be found in introspection. On the one hand, then, the author agrees with the Buddhists and philosophers like Hume and Sartre that the self cannot be found in experience. He sides with Descartes', on the other hand, arguing the subject of experience exists and that we have certainty of the cogito. Along the way the book considers the claim that phenomenal states have “subjective character” or “mineness” and argues instead that they are phenomenally anonymous. Howell concludes with a deflationary account of pre-reflective self-consciousness and provides an account of basic self-awareness according to which we are most fundamentally aware of ourselves indirectly as the subject of our conscious states.

Widely regarded as the definitive reference in the field, Youmans and Winn Neurological Surgery offers unparalleled, multimedia coverage of the entirety of this complex specialty. Fully updated to reflect recent advances in the basic and clinical neurosciences, the 8th Edition covers everything you need to know about functional and restorative neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation, stem cell biology, radiological and nuclear imaging, and neuro-oncology, as well as minimally invasive surgeries in spine and peripheral nerve surgery, and endoscopic and other approaches for cranial procedures and cerebrovascular diseases. In four comprehensive volumes, Dr. H. Richard Winn and his expert team of editors and authors provide updated content, a significantly expanded video library, and hundreds of new video lectures that help you master new procedures, new technologies, and essential anatomic knowledge in neurosurgery. - Discusses current topics such as diffusion tensor imaging, brain and spine robotic surgery, augmented reality as an aid in neurosurgery, AI and big data in neurosurgery, and neuroimaging in stereotactic functional neurosurgery. - 55 new chapters provide cutting-edge information on Surgical Anatomy of the Spine, Precision Medicine in Neurosurgery, The Geriatric Patient, Neuroanesthesia During Pregnancy, Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Epilepsy, Fetal Surgery for Myelomeningocele, Rehabilitation of Acute Spinal Cord Injury, Surgical Considerations for Patients with Polytrauma, Endovascular Approaches to Intracranial Aneurysms, and much more. - Hundreds of all-new video lectures clarify key concepts in techniques, cases, and surgical management and evaluation. Notable lecture videos include multiple videos on Thalamotomy for Focal Hand Dystonia and a video to accompany a new chapter on the Basic Science of Brain Metastases. - An extensive video library contains stunning anatomy videos and videos demonstrating intraoperative procedures with more than 800 videos in all. - Each clinical section contains chapters on technology specific to a clinical area. - Each section contains a chapter providing an overview from experienced Section Editors, including a report on ongoing controversies within that subspecialty. - Enhanced eBook version included with purchase. Your enhanced eBook allows you to access all of the text, figures, and references from the book on a variety of devices.