Brain Science Podcast #58: Interview with author Alva Noë

Awesome. It's always great to hear a neuroscientist admit that mind is greater than just the brain. It's painfully obvious to anyone who meditates, but neuroscientists (with a few notable exceptions) appear not to be meditators.

Brain Science Podcast #58: Interview with author Alva Noë

Posted on June 5th, 2009 by Ginger Campbell, MD

Episode 58 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with philosopher Alva Noë, whose book Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness argues persuasively that our Minds are MORE than just our brains. He says that “the brain is necessary but not sufficient” to create the mind. Listen to Episode 58 [Play]

Show Notes and Links:

• Alva Noe (University of California, Berkeley)
• Out of Our Heads: Why You Are Not Your Brain, and Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness by Alva Noé

Important scientists mentioned in the interview:

• Paul Bach-y-Rita: pioneering studies in sensory substitution using tactile stimuli to substitute for vision
• Held and Hein: experiments with cats showing that development of normal vision requires motor-sensory feedback

References:

• Brain Mechanisms in Sensory Substitution by Paul Bach-y-Rita, 1972.
• Bach-y-Rita, P “Tactile-Vision Substitution: past and future”, International Journal of Neuroscience 19, nos. 1-4, 29-36, 1983.
• Held, R and Hein, “Movement-produced stimulation in the development of visually guided behavior.” Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology. 56(5), 872-876, 1963.
• Held, R. “Plasticity in sensory-motor systems.” Scientific American. 213(5) 84-91, 1965.

Listen to Episode 58 [Play]

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

Tags: Psychology, brain, consciousness, Brain Science Podcast, #58, Interview, Alva Noë, Out of Our Heads, Why You Are Not Your Brain, Other Lessons from the Biology of Consciousness, Ginger Campbell