From Chaos to Stability
How the Brain Invents Our Conscious Worlds
by Israel Rosenfield; Edward Ziff
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Pub Date Sep 17 2024 | Archive Date Sep 17 2024
University of Iowa Press | University Of Iowa Press
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Description
At the heart of Israel Rosenfield and Edward Ziff ’s inquiry is the nature of brain function. The sensory world is disordered and chaotic. There are no labels for tables, chairs, or airplanes, and indeed there are no colors, sounds, or smells, only photons, airwaves, odorant molecules, and so on, which are unlabeled and impossible to “know.”
To make sense of this chaos, the brain must simplify the sensory inputs by creating, or inventing, the colors, sounds, smells, forms, and faces that are perceived in consciousness, which become a proxy for the chaotic world in which we live. The brain’s ability to generalize and categorize these invented perceptions, and to relate them to one another, enables it to form memories, which are not fixed representations of things past, but a dynamic and malleable function of the brain that is relational.
When formation of these worlds breaks down, neurological differences arise. Although the mechanisms that transform sensory chaos into the simplified perceptions experienced in consciousness remain elusive, Rosenfield and Ziff relate what they have learned by means of imaging brain activity and by mapping the neural circuits that comprise memory traces. In addition, the authors offer perspectives for future studies of consciousness.
Advance Praise
“How do we make sense of the ‘blooming, buzzing confusion’ that exists in the world around us—the sight of trees, the sounds of birds, and the smell of our grandmother’s kitchen—and even store memories of those things? And what are the consequences when those processes breakdown? In From Chaos to Stability, Rosenfield and Ziff wonderfully work through the argument that sensory perception and memory is a creative, personalized, generative process of the brain to simplify and make sense of a complicated world. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, does it make a sound? No, argue the authors. Sounds, and other sensory perceptions, are the creation of the brain in the attempt to make sense of the different, dynamic forms of energy and matter with which we are surrounded. Some, but not all, of those experiences reach our consciousness and allow us to experience our lives within what appears to be a stable temporal and spatial flow. The book is written for a lay audience and sets the arguments within a rich overview of the history of these fundamental questions. For those wanting a more detailed understanding of some of the underlying science, there is an outstanding appendix that gives a brief background on the neuroscientific basis of the book’s main points. A very enjoyable read, including rich historical references and case studies on how the brain helps create our experienced lives and what happens when it fails to do so.”—Donald A. Wilson, coauthor, Learning to Smell: Olfactory Perception from Neurobiology to Behavior
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781609389895 |
| PRICE | $19.00 (USD) |
| PAGES | 142 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Reviewer 1092668
I enjoyed this physiology/neuroscience general reader book. It felt a bit like lectures converted to chapters. I loved the illustrations. It gave a sense of history and current state of knowledge regarding how memories are found, how we construct visual pictures in our brain etc. a slim and enjoyable book. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.
Reviewer 1439445
This book tells of an ambitious exploration of the complex processes by which the brain constructs our conscious experience. The authors, both well-established figures in neuroscience and cognitive science, aim at bridging the gap between chaotic neural activity and the coherent, stable perception of reality we experience.
I approached this book with an interest in the treatment of complex systems, specifically how the brain's chaotic neural dynamics can give rise to the stable patterns we recognise as consciousness. The book does a commendable job of explaining how chaotic systems in the brain - characterised by seemingly random or unpredictable neural firings - can stabilise into coherent mental states through mechanisms such as neural plasticity and feedback loops.
However, the authors provide a broad overview of the mathematical principles underlying chaos and stability and often stop short of delving into the intricate mathematical models that could better support their arguments. For an audience with a strong background in mathematics or theoretical physics, this can be a point of frustration, as the complex interactions between chaotic systems and stable patterns are presented in a somewhat simplified manner.
One of the book's strengths is its interdisciplinary approach. The authors successfully integrate insights from neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind, creating a rich tapestry that offers a comprehensive view of consciousness. The discussions on how neural patterns stabilise to create a coherent sense of self and reality are compelling, particularly when they touch on philosophical implications regarding the nature of consciousness and the self.
The authors also address how these processes are fundamental to learning and memory, making connections to educational theory and the ways in which stability in neural processes is necessary for the acquisition and retention of knowledge. This connection to educational practice is particularly interesting from the perspective of maths education, where the stability of conceptual frameworks is essential for effective learning.
The authors are adept at explaining complex scientific concepts in an accessible manner, making this book suitable for a broad audience, including those without a strong background in neuroscience or mathematics. The narrative is engaging, and the authors use analogies and real-world examples effectively to illustrate their points. This accessibility is a significant strength, particularly for readers who are new to the field of cognitive science.
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