How Brains Think
Evolving Intelligence, Then And Now
By William H. Calvin | Publisher: Basic Books
About the book
If you're good at finding the one right answer to life's multiple-choice questions, you're \"smart.\" But \"intelligence\" is what you need when contemplating the leftovers in the refrigerator, trying to figure out what might go with them; or if you're trying to speak a sentence that you've never spoken before. As Jean Piaget said, intelligence is what you use when you don't know what to do, when all the standard answers are inadequate. This book tries to fathom how our inner life evolves from one topic to another, as we create and reject alternatives. Ever since Darwin, we've known that elegant things can emerge (indeed, self-organize) from \"simpler\" beginnings. And, says theoretical neurophysiologist William H. Calvin, the bootstrapping of new ideas works much like the immune response or the evolution of a new animal species -- except that the brain can turn the Darwinian crank a lot faster, on the time scale of thought and action. Drawing on anthropology, evolutionary biology, linguistics, and the neurosciences, Calvin also considers how a more intelligent brain developed using slow biological improvements over the last few million years. Long ago, evolving jack-of-all trades versatility was encouraged by abrupt climate changes. Now, evolving intelligence uses a nonbiological track: augmenting human intelligence and building intelligent machines.
Editions of How Brains Think
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780465072774
- EBook
- ISBN 9780465066896
Read an Excerpt
If you're good at finding the one right answer to life's multiple-choice questions, you're \"smart.\" But \"intelligence\" is what you need when contemplating the leftovers in the refrigerator, trying to figure out what might go with them; or if you're trying to speak a sentence that you've never spoken before. As Jean Piaget said, intelligence is what you use when you don't know what to do, when all the standard answers are inadequate. This book tries to fathom how our inner life evolves from one topic to another, as we create and reject alternatives. Ever since Darwin, we've known that elegant things can emerge (indeed, self-organize) from \"simpler\" beginnings. And, says theoretical neurophysiologist William H. Calvin, the bootstrapping of new ideas works much like the immune response or the evolution of a new animal species -- except that the brain can turn the Darwinian crank a lot faster, on the time scale of thought and action. Drawing on anthropology, evolutionary biology, linguistics, and the neurosciences, Calvin also considers how a more intelligent brain developed using slow biological improvements over the last few million years. Long ago, evolving jack-of-all trades versatility was encouraged by abrupt climate changes. Now, evolving intelligence uses a nonbiological track: augmenting human intelligence and building intelligent machines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is How Brains Think about?
If you're good at finding the one right answer to life's multiple-choice questions, you're \"smart.\" But \"intelligence\" is what you need when contemplating the leftovers in the refrigerator, trying to figure out what might go with them; or if you're trying to speak a sentence that you've never spoken before. As Jean Piaget said, intelligence is what you use when you don't know what to do, when all the standard answers are inadequate. This book tries to fathom how our inner life evolves from one topic to another, as we create and reject alternatives. Ever since Darwin, we've known that elegant things can emerge (indeed, self-organize) from \"simpler\" beginnings. And, says theoretical neurophysiologist William H. Calvin, the bootstrapping of new ideas works much like the immune response or the evolution of a new animal species -- except that the brain can turn the Darwinian crank a lot faster, on the time scale of thought and action. Drawing on anthropology, evolutionary biology, linguistics, and the neurosciences, Calvin also considers how a more intelligent brain developed using slow biological improvements over the last few million years. Long ago, evolving jack-of-all trades versatility was encouraged by abrupt climate changes. Now, evolving intelligence uses a nonbiological track: augmenting human intelligence and building intelligent machines.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in How Brains Think?
Society and Social Sciences > Psychology
Where can I read a sample of How Brains Think?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780465072774
How long is How Brains Think and how many pages does it have?
How Brains Think has 192 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book How Brains Think?
William H. Calvin
Who is the Publisher of the book How Brains Think?
Basic Books
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
How Brains Think is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780465072774) and ebook(ISBN 9780465066896)
Where can I buy How Brains Think online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy How Brains Think?