Richard Gregory war ein britischer Astronom und Wissenschaftskommunikator, der den wissenschaftlichen Diskurs durch seine umfangreichen Schriften und seine redaktionelle Führung prägte. Seine Arbeit erstreckte sich über zahlreiche wissenschaftliche Disziplinen, und seine Amtszeit als Herausgeber der angesehenen Zeitschrift Nature stärkte maßgeblich deren internationalen Ruf. Gregory widmete sich der Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Bildung und der globalen Zusammenarbeit und hinterließ einen bleibenden Eindruck in der wissenschaftlichen Gemeinschaft.
Monika Niehaus, Diplom in Biologie, Promotion in Neuro- und Sinnesphysiologie, freiberuflich als Autorin (SF, Krimi, Sachbücher), Journalistin und naturwissenschaftliche Übersetzerin (englisch/französisch) tätig. Mag Katzen, kocht und isst gern in geselliger Runde. Trägerin des Martin-Wieland-Übersetzerpreises 2021.
The history of thought is too often streamed into philosophy or science with a bit of psychology thrown in. This book is a jump from the academic mainstream and fascinates by a journey from the easliest recorded thinkers in the first known writing in Sumeria, through the gnomen (the Sumerian word for the finger on the sundial that measures time) to the knowledge and philosophy of Ancient Greece (they had cogwheels and gears) through classical times to the present. This is a history of science from a philosphical perspective, a reflection on the recorded mind of man. Richard Gregory is a philosopher, a scientist and a man who knows as much as anyone knows how the brain works. A tour de force, this book will change you by captivating and entertaining as well as profoundly altering your mind.
With 1001 A-Z entries, ranging from brief statements to substantial essays on major topics, The Oxford Companion to the Mind takes the reader on a lively tour of this endlessly fascinating subject, spanning questions and answers within the broad compass of philosophy, psychology, and the physiology of the brain. This hugely-popular reference work offers an explanatory guide to everyday mysteries--deja vu, jet-lag, humor, and optical illusions--as well as an intelligent look at the more controversial world of parapsychology, including ESP and altered states of consciousness. Current issues such as aging, artificial intelligence, and criminology are examined in depth. The book provides a special tutorial article on the workings of the nervous system, and boasts a great number of articles on 'topics of mental life', in which well-known writers discuss subjects in which they have a particular expertise or interest. The entries are arranged alphabetically and linked by a network of helpful cross-references. The 200 illustrations have been carefully chosen to amplify the text, while specialist bibliographies provide suggestions for further reading. The whole work is served by a comprehensive index, making this a Companion for instant reference as well as continuous reading.
Written by a leading researcher into perception, a central area in current work on the brain and mind, this book looks at mirrors as fascinating objects in themselves, for what they can show about vision, and as a metaphor for the perception and understanding of the "real" world.