Synopses & Reviews
Although the mechanics of how the eye works are well understood, debate still exists as to how the complex machinery of the brain interprets neural impulses supplied by the eye. In an attempt to understand the evolutionary origins and functions of the visual system, the authors pose the question "What is the function of vision?" Topics covered include: visual processing in the primate, disorders of visual recognition, spatial perception and the visual control of action, dissociations between perception and action, attention, consciousness, and the coordination of behavior. The issues raised will be of interest to psychologists, vision scientists, neuroscientists, and ophthalmologists.
Review
"The book is well written, with very few printing errors and clear language . . . It is never banal and is pleasant to read. Indeed, this volume makes a good case against the stereotype view that science books are tedious and pedestrian. Avoiding the quagmires of cheap popularisation, the authors succeed in conveying the excitement of their discoveries and sharing their joy in discussing science with readers. . . . The tone of the authors is sometimes provocative . . . sometimes assertive . . . often captivating, and never prosaic. . . . This book is worth reading, not only for its high scientific content, but also because it teaches us something beyond theories of visual recognition. Milner and Goodale's enterprise is an excellent example of very good science, which does not cost a fortune, springs from serendipity, is based on single-case observations, and is not bothered with immediate pragmatic outcomes."--Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 - Vision from a biological viewpoint
Chapter 2 - Visual processing in the primate visual cortex
Chapter 3 - "Cortical blindness"
Chapter 4 - Disorders of spatial perception and the visual control of action
Chapter 5 - Disorders of visual recognition
Chapter 6 - Dissociations between perception and action in normal subjects
Chapter 7 - Attention, consciousness, and the coordination of behaviour