Specify Books In Pursuance Of The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force

Original Title:	The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force
ISBN:	0060988479 (ISBN13: 9780060988470)
Edition Language:	English

The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force Paperback | Pages: 432 pages

Relation Concering Books The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force

A groundbreaking work of science that confirms, for the first time, the independent existence of the mind–and demonstrates the possibilities for human control over the workings of the brain.

Conventional science has long held the position that 'the mind' is merely an illusion, a side effect of electrochemical activity in the physical brain. Now in paperback, Dr Jeffrey Schwartz and Sharon Begley's groundbreaking work, The Mind and the Brain, argues exactly the opposite: that the mind has a life of its own.Dr Schwartz, a leading researcher in brain dysfunctions, and Wall Street Journal science columnist Sharon Begley demonstrate that the human mind is an independent entity that can shape and control the functioning of the physical brain. Their work has its basis in our emerging understanding of adult neuroplasticity–the brain's ability to be rewired not just in childhood, but throughout life, a trait only recently established by neuroscientists.

Through decades of work treating patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), Schwartz made an extraordinary finding: while following the therapy he developed, his patients were effecting significant and lasting changes in their own neural pathways. It was a scientific first: by actively focusing their attention away from negative behaviors and toward more positive ones, Schwartz's patients were using their minds to reshape their brains–and discovering a thrilling new dimension to the concept of neuroplasticity.

The Mind and the Brain follows Schwartz as he investigates this newly discovered power, which he calls self–directed neuroplasticity or, more simply, mental force. It describes his work with noted physicist Henry Stapp and connects the concept of 'mental force' with the ancient practice of mindfulness in Buddhist tradition. And it points to potential new applications that could transform the treatment of almost every variety of neurological dysfunction, from dyslexia to stroke–and could lead to new strategies to help us harness our mental powers. Yet as wondrous as these implications are, perhaps even more important is the philosophical dimension of Schwartz's work. For the existence of mental force offers convincing scientific evidence of human free will, and thus of man's inherent capacity for moral choice.

Point Containing Books The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force

Title	:	The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force
Author	:	Jeffrey M. Schwartz
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Anniversary Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 432 pages
Published	:	October 14th 2003 by Harper Perennial (first published January 1st 2001)
Categories	:	Psychology. Science. Nonfiction. Biology. Neuroscience. Brain. Philosophy

Rating Containing Books The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force

Ratings: 4.09 From 5973 Users | 165 Reviews

Criticism Containing Books The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force

a really weirdly written book. on the one hand it tries so hard to present itself as a serious scientific work, but the New Agey zealous and anecdotal tone doesn't really help in taking it seriously. also, it could have really used some editing, I mean I UNDERSTOOD YOUR ACHIEVEMENT IN OCD THERAPY THE FIRST TIME YOU EXPLAINED IT, YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO REPEAT IT ON EVERY SECOND PAGE OF THE DAMN BOOK. still, the quantum mechanics introduction is alright, as well as the summary of different schools of

"Sitting somewhere between purely mental events and purely sensory ones is this vast sea of life called experience." (p. 250) And somewhere between the worst of bad popular science writing and New Age pseudo-philosophy lies this horrendous mess. Where to begin? I have so many problems with this book that it's a challenge to put them together in a meaningful and organized fashion. Here's my best shot. First, this book is supposedly intended to be a science book. However, there is not a single

This book is all over the place. The ideas are very intriguing and worth thinking about, but the execution is very uneven in quality. Some chapters (such as the one on Schwartz' own OCD-research) are to-the-point and interesting, others (like the last few) bring up fascinating ideas, but do not manage to convince me on either their grounds, workings or implications, while yet others are tangential to the subject at best and very distracting (such as the Silver Spring monkeys chapter).The

At first, I was like:And then I got to the second half of the book and I was like:Because QUANTUM PHYSICS IS WEIRD, Y'ALL. And then I ended up with a little bit of this:So, yes. Super interesting read if you'd like to understand why and how attention or the "mental force" of your mind can actually change the brain's structure.

Here are a few main ideas I learned from this book:1) Neurons that fire together, wire together.2) Humans have the ability to choose where to place their attention.3) This ability to choose what to pay attention to is a powerful force within every individual person.4) What we pay attention to affects the ongoing development of our brains.5) The complete body of scientific research on the human brain suggests that humans are not destined to act solely deterministically in response to their

First of all, neuroplasticity is just fun to say. It makes you sound all educated when you drop it in a conversation. But the truth of the matter is that Jeffrey Schwartz is able to explain a complicated subject to the common folk and teach us to utilize the benefits of science. So, where is your mind???? Find that out and you hold the keys to the kingdom. The answer is actually quite simple.

Take one good, or even very good book. Stick it in a blender with an awful one and set to puree. Well, okay, I'm speaking metaphorically here, so don't do that. But that at least gives an idea of what I thought of this one. The sections of the book related to the author's work with OCD sufferers, his descriptions of similar work on those with Tourette's Syndrome and major depression and his basic narrative of discoveries related to the brain and what has come to be believed related to its