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Synaptic Self: How Our Brains Become Who We Are
by: Joseph LeDoux

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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 612.82
EAN: 9780142001783
ISBN: 0142001783
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 416
Publication Date: January 28, 2003
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Release Date: January 28, 2003
Sales Rank: 12486
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)

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Editorial Review:

Product Description:
In 1996 Joseph LeDoux's The Emotional Brain presented a revelatory examination of the biological bases of our emotions and memories. Now, the world-renowned expert on the brain has produced with a groundbreaking work that tells a more profound story: how the little spaces between the neurons-the brain's synapses--are the channels through which we think, act, imagine, feel, and remember. Synapses encode the essence of personality, enabling each of us to function as a distinctive, integrated individual from moment to moment. Exploring the functioning of memory, the synaptic basis of mental illness and drug addiction, and the mechanism of self-awareness, Synaptic Self is a provocative and mind-expanding work that is destined to become a classic.

Amazon.com Review:
A middle-aged neuroscientist walking down Bourbon Street spots a T-shirt that reads, 'I don't know, so maybe I'm not.' This stimulus zooms from eyes to brain, neuron by neuron, via tiny junctions called synapses. The results? An immediate chuckle and (sometime later) a groundbreaking book titled The Synaptic Self. To Joseph LeDoux, the simple question, 'What makes us who we are?' represents the driving force behind his 20-plus years of research into the cognitive, emotional, and motivational functions of the brain.

LeDoux believes the answer rests in the synapses, key players in the brain's intricately designed communication system. In other words, the pathways by which a person's 'hardwired' responses (nature) mesh with his or her unique life experiences (nurture) determine that person's individuality. Here, LeDoux nimbly compresses centuries of philosophy, psychology, and biology into an amazingly clear picture of humanity's journey toward understanding the self.

Equally readable is his comprehensive science lesson, where detailed circuit speak reads like an absorbing--yet often humorous--mystery novel. Skillfully presenting research studies and findings alongside their various implications, LeDoux makes a solid case for accepting a synaptic explanation of existence and provides to the reader generous helpings of knowledge, amusement, and awe along the way. --Liane Thomas

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- Magnificent in its Simplistic Approach to the Self
LeDoux provides a fascinating take on the big question facing researchers of the brain: "What makes us who we are?" He postulates that all functions of an individual can be explained by the synapses through which they are executed.

I was attracted to Synaptic Self because throughout my undergraduate studies I have focused on neuroscience, psychology, and the interaction between the two fields. I found the main idea to be a magnificent extension from the recent findings of neuroscience research, but once I finished the book, I was left with the feeling that the conclusion wasn't complete--more is to be said on the topic of the self. I also feel that LeDoux could have avoided the excessive name-dropping by giving more straightforward examples because, at times, the dense experimental evidence took away from the point he was trying to make.

A general reader may find many parts of this book ... Read More

Rating:

- The Guide to Nearly Everything About YOU!
This book is a miniature bible of the brain. It is undoubtedly one of the most intriguing and persuasive books I have had the pleasure of reading (multiple times), and one from which I will always benefit.

Rating:

- A Worthwhile Read
I came upon this book by chance and with curiosity, and I did not know any background behind this work. "Synaptic Self" is the first book by Joseph LeDoux that I read since I have yet to read his The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life. It is also a first book on neurobiology that I came across. Without a moment hesitation, I felt this is an excellent book. It is very enjoyable, well-written, and a worthwhile read.

There are eleven chapters in this book, and the one chapter that most intrigues me is the chapter of "Building the Brain" as I felt it was an introductory aspect of one's working brain, such as the basic synaptic activity and how it (you) is able to "learn."

If one desires to learn how synapse works and what it does, "Synaptic Self" might be a good book to start.

Rating:

- Good review
If you have a degree in Neurobiology, the first half of this book will drag horrifically for you. However, I recall some of my professors using his diagrams in class, so that's why I bought this book, to review some of the things I was rusty on. I recommend jumping in halfway through.
One other thing, though-- these popular science books always irritate me, the cutesy way they are written with all the fun little stories in them and the condescending tone. I don't know, maybe I am just easily offended.
There is a lot of good content in here and Joe LeDoux is very knowledgeable, but the presentation is a little off-putting.

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