The “How” of Perception and Thought

Reviews the book, 23 Problems in Systems Neuroscience edited by J. Leo van Hemmen and Terrence J. Sejnowski (see record 2006-00495-000). This book addresses this "how" of thought and perception. How have brains evolved? How is cerebral cortex organized? How do neurons interact? What can brains compute? How are cognitive systems organized? 23 Problems is the outcome of a gathering of 40 of the most respected researchers in cognitive and computational neuroscience. In the six years after the conference, the editors distilled and refined the proceedings into 23 chapters. However, the book retains the intellectual delight of good scientists at play. The authors delved into the provocative questions, but did so through examination of the microphysical processes. By focusing on smaller structures and "lesser" organisms, this book attempts to address the large questions in manageable ways. 23 Problems concludes by tentatively approaching the "Hard Problem." Consciousness remains the ultimate, unwieldy topic, but this text tackles the penultimate question in its stead. What is different in the neurobiological processes supporting deliberate versus involuntary movement? How are abstractions, such as metaphor and qualia, shaped by specific neurobiological processes? What processes are required for consciousness, and which of them function outside of our awareness? For those most interested in consciousness studies per se, the last two chapters would be the most appealing. However, it would be a narrow sample from a dense, but lovely, collection. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)