The Space Between Our Ears: How the brain represents visual space - Softcover

Morgan, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198569556 ISBN 13: 9780198569558

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2005

Synopsis

In The Space Between our Ears Michael Morgan explains how our brain interprets what we see. Using a wealth of sources from over the centuries including philosophical writings, scientific thinking, experiments, passages from poems and novels, and scenes from films, Morgan reveals the difficulty in working out exactly how we make and receive our visual perceptions. To illustrate various points the book includes optical drawings as well as simple experiments that the reader can perform to test the different components of sight and our reactions to it. The book describes and criticises recent attempts to locate the 'neural correlates of consciousness' in specific parts of the brain. Against what he calls the 'secretion theory of consciousness' Morgan controversially argues that visual perception is most likely to be a function of the whole visual pathway, not just a small part of it. This intelligent, engaging book provides a revelatory overview of what we know about how the brain works regarding visual space, giving a unique insight into one of our most vital yet least understood senses.

About this title

Review

his is the most acutely imagined account of the visual brian for the lay reader since Steven Pinker revealed HOW THE BRAIN WORKS. (Simon Ings NEW SCIENTIST)

Morgan provides an accessible exposition without doing violence to subtlety, and his book has won him the coveted Wellcome Trust prize. (John Cornwall SUNDAY TIMES)

entertains as it informs. It if is true that visual perception is the latest arms of philosophy to break away and join the sciences, THE SPACE BETWEEN OUR EAR is the narrative such a momentous event deserves. (Nicholas Fearn THE SPECTATOR)

'a clearly written account.... Morgan is particularly good on the problem of binocularlity, depth perception........ Morgan knows enough and writes well enough to keep us engaged (Steven Rose THE GUARDIAN)

very engaging...... like a good science TV programme, it's full of worthwhile digressions (FOCUS)

¿a glorious book. Michael Morgan¿s manner is witty and engaging and he is never loath to offer opinions, some of which seem likely to raise controversy.¿ (John Harrison TLS)

Book Description

The winner of THE WELLCOME TRUST PRIZE.

Edition details

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198569556
• ISBN 13: 9780198569558
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256