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More copies of this ISBN:This title in other formats:Soul Made Flesh: The Discovery of the Brain--And How It Changed the Worldby Carl Zimmer
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:Soul Made Flesh is the remarkable untold story of a dramatic turning point in history — the exciting discovery of how the human brain works. In an unprecedented examination of how the secrets of the brain were revealed in seventeenth-century England, award-winning author Carl Zimmer tells an extraordinary tale that unfurls against a deadly backdrop of civil war, plague, and the Great Fire of London. At the beginning of that turbulent century, no one knew how the brain worked or even what it looked like intact. By the century's close, the science of the brain had taken root, helping to overturn many of the most common misconceptions and dominant philosophies about man, God, and the universe. Presiding over the rise of this new scientific paradigm was the founder of modern neurology, Thomas Willis, a fascinating, sympathetic, even heroic figure who stands at the center of an extraordinary group of scientists and philosophers known as the Oxford circle. Chronicled here in vivid detail are their groundbreaking revelations and often gory experiments that first enshrined the brain as the chemical engine of reason, emotion, and madness — indeed as the very seat of the human soul. Called "as fine a science essayist as we have" by The New York Times, Zimmer tells the story of this scientific revolution through the lives of a colorful array of alchemists, mystics, utopians, spies, revolutionaries, and kings. He recreates the religious, ethical, and scientific struggles involved in the pioneering autopsies of the brain carried out by Thomas Willis; the discovery of the circulation of blood by William Harvey and his flight from London with his besieged king, Charles I; René Descartes's persecution by Catholics and Protestants alike for his views of the brain and soul; and the experiments and personal dramas of gifted men who forever changed the way science is practiced as they simultaneously upended our view of our human selves and our place in the world. In this distant mirror to our own time of continuing scientific revolution and worldwide social upheaval, Zimmer brings to life the painstaking, innovative discoveries of Willis and his contemporaries — the taproots of the amazing work of today's neuroscientists, who continue to explore the brain, revealing the hidden workings of emotions, memories, and consciousness. Graced with beautiful illustrations by Christopher Wren, Soul Made Flesh conveys a contagious appreciation for the wonder of the brain, its structure, its many marvelous functions, and the implications for human identity, mind, and morality. It is the definitive history of the dawn of a world-changing science and attitude — the age of the brain and modern consciousness. Book News Annotation:An award-winning science writer narrates the little-known story of
Thomas Willis, the British founder of modern neurology. He discusses
the context of 17th-century views, politics, and the insights of
other scientists and philosophers—all leading to a new scientific
paradigm. Period illustrations of dissected brains are by a noted
architect.
Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Review:Oliver SacksThomas Willis was the first man to come to grips with the human brain, to see how different parts of it had different functions and how the human soul could be embodied in it. In Soul Made Flesh, Carl Zimmer gives a remarkable, beautiful account of England's 'genius century,' and of the intertwined lives of Willis and his contemporaries Harvey, Boyle, and Hooke. Zimmer brings Willis and his intellectual journey to life — his prose, as always, is clear, vivid, and arresting — and reminds us how startling and revolutionary his discoveries were. Review:Steven PinkerAuthor of How the Mind Works and The Blank SlateToday the idea that every aspect of human experience consists of activity in the brain is second nature to some people and an 'astonishing hypothesis' — or even sacrilege — to others. But few are aware of the ancestry of this idea. Soul Made Flesh tells the fascinating story of how people first became aware of one of the most radical thoughts the human mind has ever had to think. The writing is vivid and literate, the story compelling, and the modern implications drawn out with skill and verve. Review:Michael S. Gazzaniga, Ph.D.Author of Nature's MindFew writers can bring back the odor and the sense of time that is present during historic discoveries. Few can capture the extent of human ignorance that is present and is about to be illuminated. Carl Zimmer writes with a rare skill, a captivating skill that brings one back to that place. We all take the present so easily and naturally, and yet each stone along the road to our present modern life was hard to find and to put in place. This is a must read. Review:Neal StephensonAuthor of QuicksilverCarl Zimmer clarifies and illuminates the story of a fascinating thinker who too often gets lost among the crowd of colorful geniuses who made up the early Royal Society. By focusing on a single player in the vast spectacle that was the scientific revolution, and telling his story so well, Zimmer gives us insights into the age when alchemy, and even older systems of thought, gave way to modern science. But this is not only a history book, for readers with an interest in consciousness and the brain will find much here that applies to research going on today. Review:Timothy FerrisAuthor of The Whole Shebang and Coming of Age in the Milky WayAn uncommonly literate look at a little-explored side of scientific history, and a thumping good read at that. Synopsis:The untold story of a turning point in modern history--how the brain was discovered to be the seat of human consciousness--from an author The "New York Times" calls "as fine a science writer as we have, in the company of David Quammen and John McPhee." About the AuthorCarl Zimmer's work appears regularly in The New York Times, National Geographic, Newsweek, Discover, Natural History, and Science. A John S. Guggenheim Fellow, he has also received the Pan-American Health Organization Award for Excellence in International Health Reporting and the American Institute of Biological Sciences Media Award. His previous books include Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea; Parasite Rex; and At the Water's Edge. He lives in Guilford, Connecticut. Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction: A Bowl of Curds Chapter One: Hearts and Minds, Livers and Stomachs • Greeks explore the soul, puzzle over the brain, and embrace the heart Chapter Two: World Without Soul • Anatomy of the cosmos Chapter Three: Make Motion Cease • Thomas Willis with the beasts of the field Chapter Four: The Broken Heart of the Republic • Charles I stumbles toward war Chapter Five: Pisse-Prophets Among the Puritans • Thomas Willis returns Chapter Six: The Circle of Willis • William Harvey comes out of retirement Chapter Seven: Spirits of Blood, Spirits of Air • Willis stirs up a ferment of atoms Chapter Eight: A Curious Quilted Ball • The Church of England meets its less than divine leader Chapter Nine: Convulsions • The lady with a migraine Chapter Eleven: The Neurologist Vanishes • A final book by Thomas Willis and a ridiculously sumptuous funeral Chapter Twelve: The Soul's Microscope • A long journey forward Dramatis Personae Notes References Acknowledgments Index What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
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