The Mind and the Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force
By Jeffrey M. Schwartz and Sharon Begley
4/5
()
Currently unavailable
Currently unavailable
About this ebook
A groundbreaking work of science that confirms, for the first time, the independent existence of the mind–and demonstrates the possibilities for human control over the workings of the brain.
Conventional science has long held the position that 'the mind' is merely an illusion, a side effect of electrochemical activity in the physical brain. Now in paperback, Dr Jeffrey Schwartz and Sharon Begley's groundbreaking work, The Mind and the Brain, argues exactly the opposite: that the mind has a life of its own.Dr Schwartz, a leading researcher in brain dysfunctions, and Wall Street Journal science columnist Sharon Begley demonstrate that the human mind is an independent entity that can shape and control the functioning of the physical brain. Their work has its basis in our emerging understanding of adult neuroplasticity–the brain's ability to be rewired not just in childhood, but throughout life, a trait only recently established by neuroscientists.
Through decades of work treating patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), Schwartz made an extraordinary finding: while following the therapy he developed, his patients were effecting significant and lasting changes in their own neural pathways. It was a scientific first: by actively focusing their attention away from negative behaviors and toward more positive ones, Schwartz's patients were using their minds to reshape their brains–and discovering a thrilling new dimension to the concept of neuroplasticity.
The Mind and the Brain follows Schwartz as he investigates this newly discovered power, which he calls self–directed neuroplasticity or, more simply, mental force. It describes his work with noted physicist Henry Stapp and connects the concept of 'mental force' with the ancient practice of mindfulness in Buddhist tradition. And it points to potential new applications that could transform the treatment of almost every variety of neurological dysfunction, from dyslexia to stroke–and could lead to new strategies to help us harness our mental powers. Yet as wondrous as these implications are, perhaps even more important is the philosophical dimension of Schwartz's work. For the existence of mental force offers convincing scientific evidence of human free will, and thus of man's inherent capacity for moral choice.
Jeffrey M. Schwartz
Jeffrey M. Schwartz M.D. is an internationally-recognized authority on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and is the author of the bestseller Brain Lock. He is a Research Professor of Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine.
Read more from Jeffrey M. Schwartz
Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mind & The Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Power of Mental Force Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDear Patrick: Life Is Tough--Here's Some Good Advice Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to The Mind and the Brain
Related ebooks
Into the Abyss: A neuropsychiatrist's notes on troubled minds Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Embodied Mind: Understanding the Mysteries of Cellular Memory, Consciousness, and Our Bodies Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Symphony in the Brain: The Evolution of the New Brain Wave Biofeedback Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain Knows More Than You Think: the new frontiers of neuroplasticity Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5Toward a Psychology of Being Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Power of Neuroplasticity Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Owner's Manual for the Brain (4th Edition): The Ultimate Guide to Peak Mental Performance at All Ages Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Neurology of Consciousness: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropathology Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Left Brain Speaks, the Right Brain Laughs Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Consciousness Instinct: Unraveling the Mystery of How the Brain Makes the Mind Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Top Brain, Bottom Brain: Surprising Insights into How You Think Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Neuroscience of Mindfulness: The Astonishing Science behind How Everyday Hobbies Help You Relax Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Core Ideas in Neuroscience Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Connectome: How the Brain's Wiring Makes Us Who We Are Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wet Mind: The New Cognitive Neuroscience Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Neurobiology of Brain and Behavioral Development Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Neuroplasticity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Looking for Spinoza: Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rewiring Brain: A Computational Approach to Structural Plasticity in the Adult Brain Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Neuroscience of Mind Empowerment: Epigenetics, Neuroplasticity, Meditation, and Music Therapy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsNeuroscience of Preference and Choice: Cognitive and Neural Mechanisms Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsScience And Human Behavior Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Adventures in Memory: The Science and Secrets of Remembering and Forgetting Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Neuroscience of Pain, Stress, and Emotion: Psychological and Clinical Implications Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Future of the Brain: Essays by the World's Leading Neuroscientists Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Stimulated Brain: Cognitive Enhancement Using Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Philosophy For You
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Courage to Be Happy: Discover the Power of Positive Psychology and Choose Happiness Every Day Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sun Tzu's The Art of War: Bilingual Edition Complete Chinese and English Text Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Human Condition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Beyond Good and Evil Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar...: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of War Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Be Here Now Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Inward Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Republic by Plato Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Loving Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Experiencing God (2021 Edition): Knowing and Doing the Will of God Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tao Te Ching: A New English Version Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Meditations: Complete and Unabridged Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Denial of Death Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Complete Papyrus of Ani Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Daily Stoic: A Daily Journal On Meditation, Stoicism, Wisdom and Philosophy to Improve Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Plato's Republic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Allegory of the Cave Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lying Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fear: Essential Wisdom for Getting Through the Storm Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5History of Western Philosophy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Course in Miracles: Text, Workbook for Students, Manual for Teachers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Little Book of Stoicism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Mind and the Brain
30 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I have learn a lot. However, form what I have grasped is that everything is base theory, and little on experience.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Fascinating subject capable of changing our approach to life. However this book is heavy going. It is far too technical for the everyday reader, especially with its heavy emphasis on quantum physics.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Amazing book - how to understand the power of mind and see how the study of brain anatomy reveals incredible complexity ! Sunday, Sept 18 - 2011
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5One central thesis of the book is very attractive - that our brain continues to grow and change as we get older, and that there is something we can do about it. The most interesting part was the discussion of treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, which was too short.But when Schwartz gets onto the bigger canvas of mind-brain relationship that he so wants to paint on, he is just sloppy. He portrays himself and the people he has worked with as rebels against an establishment, but I think he is just wrong.His take on Buddhism is limited. His ideas about "quantum consciousness" are very simplistic. His interpretation of other, more subtle, thinkers are, in the cases I know, wrong. His discussions of mind-brain relationship are sloppy in the extreme.If you follow this by something like "Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction" by Susan Blackmore, you'll see the difference. Blackmore says far more in a much shorter book.Disappointing.
2 people found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I enjoyed hearing Dr. Schwartz speak in person on this topic at the U of MN some years ago and finally got a hold of this book. The concepts and evidences presented are very interesting and I think immediately useful. The writing itself is a bit repetitive, but I'm glad I stuck it out. The measurable data and the relationship to quantum theory are fascinating.BTW, I wa able to check this out for free as an .epub from the Saint Paul Public Library system.
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jeffrey Schwartz, M.D., with help from the talented Sharon Begley, has written a sort of masterpiece exploring the mind's effect on the brain. He restores volition as agent in what has been predominantly a materialistic reduction in the explanation of the mind. In this terrific book, he explores how history has reduced the view to mainly one that states that the mind arises solely and deterministically from the biological functioning of the brain.What is particularly fascinating is his assertion that this view is wrong - that the mind, to a great exent, actually "creates the brain" - which he supports by his own well-known work with helping (and studying) patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), as well as related work by other imminent researchers, such as Michael Merzenich, Edward Taub, and many others. He indicates that OCD is particularly valuable to studying the mind and brain, because OCD sufferers are cognizant of the faulty nature of their obsessions and compulsions, even if unable to control them. Hence, there is an opportunity to study what appears, at first, as a mind/brain dichotomy in OCD sufferers, and Schwartz has helped patients use their "independent observer" (mindfulness) ability to build mindful awareness and attention in a four step program to re-label, re-attribute, re-focus, and revalue to overcome their disorder and actually physically change their brains. Volition in choosing what what pays attention to is what effects the change, and is, according to the great American psychologist William James, an essentially moral act. The mind and brain appear to be both separate and united at once.There is brief periodic mention of Buddhist prescient observations about much of what neuroscience is now discovering - many parallels can be noted.Schwartz explains how he and physicist Henry Stapp have collaborated to theorize how quantum physics explains the probabilistic window of opportunity in which volition and attention can act to change the brain.It is somewhat difficult to do justice to, and accurately explain, the concepts in this book in a short review, because the book itself carefully builds in a way that I cannot do in a few sentences. I therefore recommend that one read this very interesting book!
2 people found this helpful