Jim Davies is a professor at the Institute of Cognitive Science at Carleton University. He is the director of the Science of Imagination Laboratory and the co-author on two editions of The GNU Scientific Library Reference Manual. He is the author of Riveted and Imagination: The Science of Your Mind’s Greatest Power, also available from Pegasus Books. He lives in Ottawa, Canada.
"A spirited overview of one of neuroscience’s most complex topics.
Davies’s knack for translating the abstract into the tangible—while
also doing justice to the original ideas—will make this scientific
take on imagination appealing to generalists and specialists
alike."
*Publishers Weekly*
"An ever engaging book. A worthy companion to books by Oliver
Sacks, Daniel Dennett, and other students of the always puzzling
human mind."
*Kirkus Reviews*
"A smart and fascinating look at how humans build worlds inside
their heads—and why it matters."
*Daniel Gilbert, Harvard University, author of Stumbling on
Happiness*
"A highly readable book on the science, usefulness, and power
of imagination. Chock full of interesting ideas,
and will get you thinking—and imagining."
*Elizabeth Loftus, co-author of Human Memory: The Processing of
Information, and 100 most influential psychological researchers of
the 20th century*
"Scientific books on creativity abound. But this deeply researched
study of imagination ”ranging from everyday practicalities such as
planning a shopping list, to dreams and hallucinations” is not one
of them. Cognitive scientist Jim Davies, who heads a Science of
Imagination Laboratory in Canada, researches how to get software to
replicate the processes our brains use to create visual scenes in
our minds. But, as Davies admits, in psychology the jury is still
out on whether "mental imagery exists as its own separate
representation".
*Nature*
"The sections are concise but thorough and provide readers with
thoughtful presentations on just how complex the concept of
imagination can be. This is serious brain science coupled with
familiar topics, like ear worms, and Davies does a first-rate job
of tying it all together with many a wink and nod along the way.
Science book clubs will find this title well worth their time, and
it's a certain winner for general readers."
*Booklist*
"The book’s wide range gives readers a lot to think about."
*The American Scientist*
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
