This volume investigates the foundational principles of brain function and behavior as established through the experimental research of Karl S. Lashley. The editors, all prominent figures in psychology and neuroscience, curate a selection of Lashley's most influential papers to demonstrate his shift from behaviorism toward a biological understanding of memory, learning, and cerebral organization. The collection provides a comprehensive overview of his search for the 'engram' and his theories regarding equipotentiality and mass action in the cerebral cortex.

Experts recognize this collection as a foundational text for understanding the historical development of neuropsychology and the transition from classical behaviorist models. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which requires a strong background in biological psychology to fully synthesize the experimental conclusions presented.