The Visual Brain in Action: No.27 (Oxford Psychology Series) - Softcover

Milner, A. David; Goodale, Melvyn A.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198524080 ISBN 13: 9780198524083

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 1996

Synopsis

Although the mechanics of how the eye works are well understood, debate still exists as to how the complex machinery of the brain interprets the neural impulses supplied by the eye. The authors of this book take a step back and ask, 'What is the function of vision?' in an attempt to understand its evolutionary origins and how these origins have shaped the organization of the human visual system. The main thesis of the book is that the neural machinery mediating our visual experience of the world is quite distinct from that mediating the visual control of motor behaviour. Topics covered range from the organization of visual pathways in the monkey to the role of consciousness in visual processing. Considerable attention is given to interpreting the visual defects seen in neurological patients with damage to different parts of the visual systems. The book will appeal to students, researchers, and practitioners in a number of different disciplines interested in vision and visual problems.

About this title

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 "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 "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 "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

About the Author

Professor Milner gained his first degree in Psychology, Philosophy and Physiology, at the University of Oxford in 1965, and went on to obtain a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychology (Abnormal) from the University of London in 1966. He was awarded a PhD in Experimental Psychology from the University of London in 1971. He worked as a MRC Research Assistant with the late Dr George Ettlinger at the Institute of Psychiatry, London, between 1966 and 1970 before moving to the University of St Andrews. Here he held a number of positions, including Professor of Neuropsychology and Dean of the Faculty of Science, until he left in 2000 to take up his current position as Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Durham. Professor Milner has given numerous invited lectures, and has published 6 books and over 130 book chapters and refereed journal articles. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1992. Professor Goodale has published more than 150 chapters and research articles, and is a frequent invited speaker at international meetings. In addition to his research activities, he has been active in developing the graduate program in Neuroscience at Western, for which he was awarded the prestigious E.G. Pleva Award for Contributions to Teaching in 1994. Professor Goodale serves on the editorial board of a number of journals including Experimental Brain Research, Neuropsychologia, Debates in Neuroscience, and Advances in Cognitive Psychology. He is the past-President of the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness. In 1999, Professor Goodale was awarded the D.O Hebb Award by the Canadian Society for Brain, Behaviour, and Cognitive Science in recognition of his distinguished scientific achievements. In 2001, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. In 2006, Professor Goodale was award tthe Hellmuth Prize for Achievement in Research.

Edition details

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198524080
• ISBN 13: 9780198524083
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 266