Author Description
We've all witnessed this moment: a dog, a cat, or another animal reacting to its own reflection in the mirror, treating it as another animal to be played with or confronted. As human beings, we take self-recognition for granted, but this seemingly simple ability represents one of the most complex mysteries of neuroscience. The Face in the Mirror takes readers on a lively tour of the neurological, anthropological, and psychological roots of self-recognition -- from the intricate network in the brain that enables higher primates to recognize their image to complex, self-related emotions such as humor, embarrassment, and jealousy that play a crucial role in our evolution and survival. From animals who share our ability for self-recognition to case studies of patients who no longer recognize who they are, the authors examine some of the latest evidence on a subject that has puzzled philosophers and scientists for millennia -- how do we know who we are?
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the neurological, anthropological, and psychological mechanisms that underpin the human capacity for self-recognition. The authors, Dean Falk, Gordon G. Gallup, and Julian Paul Keenan, synthesize findings from evolutionary biology and clinical neuroscience to explain how the brain constructs a sense of self. By examining both animal behavior and human neurological impairment, the text argues that self-awareness is a complex evolutionary adaptation essential for social survival and emotional regulation.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of mirror self-recognition in primates and other species
- Neurological mapping of brain regions associated with self-identity
- Examination of complex emotions like embarrassment, humor, and jealousy
- Case studies of patients with neurological deficits in self-recognition
Scope Limits
- Does not provide a philosophical treatise on the nature of consciousness
- Does not cover developmental psychology in infants beyond basic self-recognition milestones
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a highly accessible synthesis of complex neurobiological concepts for a general audience. Readers frequently note that the prose balances technical scientific data with clear, illustrative examples of animal and human behavior.
Page Count:
304
Publication Date:
2004-07-06
Publisher:
Ecco
ISBN-10:
0060012803
ISBN-13:
9780060012809
Psychology
Non-Fiction
Medical Books
Counseling Psychology
Psychology
Anthropology
Cognitive
Cognitive Psychology
Science & Math
Neuroscience
Evolutionary Biology