Scientific American: Special Editions

Special Editions

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Scientific American Mind

Studying how the mind and brain work sounds like it ought to be about as futile as trying to grab handfuls of air. Yet psychology, neuroscience and related fields have made amazing progress. This special issue introducing Scientific American Mind reviews just a sliver of the discoveries that investigators from around the globe have made about the workings of our inner lives.

The breadth of subjects tracks the vastness of thought. Several of our authors grapple with supremely tough questions: How does the gray matter in our skulls give rise to self-awareness? How can we have free will if our brains are bound by predictable mechanisms? How does memory work? Other articles describe how new genetic and biochemical findings elucidate causes of mental illness but also pose ethical quandaries. They illuminate mysteries of sensory perception. They explore how understanding of mental function can help us deal with mundane issues, such as solving problems creatively or making our arguments more persuasive. And a few celebrate the strange, unexpected beauties of the human condition.- The Editors

Islands of Genius by Darold A. Treffert and Gregory L. Wallace
Artistic brilliance and a dazzling memory can sometimes accompany autism and other developmental disorders.

Music in Your Head by Eckart O. Altenm�ller
Listening to music involves not only hearing but also visual, tactile and emotional experiences.

The Quest to Find Consciousness by Gerhard Roth
By studying the brain's physical processes, scientists are seeking clues about how the subjective inner life of the mind arises.

Does Free Will Arise Freely? by Michael Pauen
How consciousness is produced influences such issues as when we can regard fetuses as individuals and whether courts can hold us accountable for our actions.

Television Addiction by Robert Kubey and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Understanding how closely compulsive TV viewing resembles other forms of addiction may help couch potatoes control their habit.

Sussing Out Stress by Hermann Englert
Chronic stress makes people sick. But how? And how might we prevent those ill effects?

Fear Not by R�diger Vaas
Anxieties can be strongly etched into the brain. But don't worry-researchers may find ways to erase them.

The Science of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
Social psychology has determined the basic principles that govern getting to "yes."

Memories of a Fly by Rapha�l Hitier, Florian Petit and Thomas Pr�at
Tiny and ubiquitous, the fruit fly is a helpful model for the study of memory.

Humbled by History by Robert-Benjamin Illing
Over the centuries, many "proven" ideas about the brain were later found lacking, a lesson worth remembering today.