Synopses & Reviews
With over 900 entries, ranging from brief definitions to substantial essays on major topics,
The Oxford Companion to the Mind takes the reader on a dazzling tour of this endlessly fascinating subject, spanning many disciplines within the broad compass of philosophy, psychology and the physiology of the brain. An important feature of the book is the large number of articles on "topics of mental life", in which well-known writers discuss subjects in which they have a particular expertise. Noam Chomsky writes on his own theory of language, Idries Shah on Sufism, John Bowlby on attachment theory, B.F. Skinner on behaviorism, Oliver Sacks on nothingness, A.J. Ayer on philosophical views of the relation between mind and body, and R.D. Laing on interpersonal experience. The editor, Richard Gregory, contributes entries on aesthetics, phrenology, physiognomy, and illusions of perception.
The Companion includes entries on such everyday events as sleep, humor, forgetting, and hearing, as well as specialized topics such as bilingualism, jet-lag, military incompetence, computer chess, and animal magnetism. What can, and all too often does, go wrong with the mind is also covered--many forms of mental illness are explored, as well as mental handicap, brain damage, and neurological disorders. Perception and the ways in which our senses are often deceived are treated in full, as are elements of personal development and learning, and the puzzling world of parapsychology with its altered states of consciousness, out-of-body experiences, and extra-sensory perception. The workings of the nervous system are explained in a special tutorial article.
The text is supplemented by brief definitions of specialist terms and by biographies of major figures who have contributed to our understanding of the mind--individuals as varied as Plato, Johannes Kepler, William James, Sigmund Freud, and Alan Turing. The entries are arranged alphabetically and, following the style of other recent Companions, are linked by a network of helpful cross-references. The 160 illustrations have been carefully chosen to amplify the text, while specialist bibliographies provide suggestions for further reading.
Review
"For a more wide-ranging and accessible exploration of things mental, one could hardly do better than to consult
The Oxford Companion to the Mind.... A masterful compilation in one volume of virtually every important aspect of mind, brain and consciousness."--
The Washington Post Book World"...a particularly engaging encyclopedia of psychology and cognitive science. The volume is rich on history and particularly history of individuals." --American Journal of Psychology
Synopsis
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.
About the Author
About the editor Richard Gregory is an experimental psychologist whose particular interests include human perception and, especially, visual illusions. He is currently Professor of Neuropsychology and Director of the Brain and Perception Laboratory at the University of Bristol. His many books include the best-selling Eye and Brain, Illusion and Nature in Art (co-edited with Sir Ernst Gombrich), and Mind in Science.
Table of Contents
Contributors: B.F. Skinner on Behaviorism
Noam Chomsky on his theory of language
R.D. Laing on interpersonal experience
Oliver Sacks on Nothingness
A.J. Ayer on the relation between mind and body
And others