Synopses & Reviews
"Contradictions" is a general interest book that exposes the incompatibility between popular religious beliefs and the scientific view of human nature.
Review
From the reviews: "The author describes how complex networks of neural connections produce all human experiences, from simple motor movements to one's encounters with a transcendent reality. The strength of the author's arguments resides in an engaging series of case studies that help readers connect neurophysiological principles to how individuals 'experience' their brains. ... the book is a valuable addition to the science and religion debate. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty." (J. A. Hewlett, Choice, Vol. 50 (7), March, 2013)
Synopsis
Exploring incongruities between science and religion, this volume deploys the latest research in neuroscience to show how abstractions such as consciousness, Euclidean triangles, and even Mickey Mouse, all have physically realized counterparts in the brain.
About the Author
Dr. José M. Musacchio is Professor Emeritus of pharmacology at New York University Medical School. He received his M.D. from the National University of La Plata, Argentina, where he trained in neurology and psychiatry. Later he completed his training in Bellevue Hospital in New York City, where he was Chief Resident in neurology. He also trained in neurochemistry and psychopharmacology at the National Institute of Mental Health, in Bethesda, MD, and became Assistant Professor at the Department of Pharmacology at NYU Medical School in 1965. He is the author of one hundred publications in his field.
Table of Contents
Introduction.- The Universality of Religious Beliefs.- The Contradictions and Consequences of Religious Beliefs.- The Evolution of Human Ancestors.- The Most Amazing Window on Human Nature.- Why Qualia and Consciousness Seem Mysterious.- The Word-Grounding Problem and the Incompleteness of Language.- The Roots of Knowledge.- Abstract and Imaginary Objects.- Nature Is Logical, Because Logic Is Natural.- Faith and the Validation of Beliefs.- Contradictory Beliefs or "Schizodoxia" is a Poor Mechanism of Adaptation.