Moshe Bar

How Your Constant Mental Drift Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity

Mindwandering

Of our mental lives. Readership: Professional/ Scholarly

Using Our Past to Generate a Future

Predictions in the Brain

When one is immersed in the fascinating world of neuroscience findings, the brain might start to seem like a collection of "modules," each specializes in a specific mental feat. But just like in other domains of Nature, it is possible that much of the brain and mind's operation can be explained with a small set of universal principles. Given exciting recent developments in theory, empirical findings and computational studies, it seems that the generation of predictions might be one strong candidate for such a universal principle. This is the focus of Predictions in the brain. From the predictions required when a rat navigates a maze to food-caching in scrub-jays; from predictions essential in decision-making to social interactions; from predictions in the retina to the prefrontal cortex; and from predictions in early development to foresight in non-humans. The perspectives represented in this collection span a spectrum from the cellular underpinnings to the computational principles underlying future-related mental processes, and from systems neuroscience to cognition and emotion. In spite of this diversity, they share some core elements. Memory, for instance, is critical in any framework that explains predictions. In asking "what is next?" our brains have to refer to memory and experience on the way to simulating our mental future. But as much as this collection offers answers to important questions, it raises and emphasizes outstanding ones. How are experiences coded optimally to afford using them for predictions? How do we construct a new simulation from separate memories? How specific in detail are future-oriented thoughts, and when do they rely on imagery, concepts or language? Therefore, in addition to presenting the state-of-the-art of research and ideas about predictions as a universal principle in mind and brain, it is hoped that this collection will stimulate important new research into the foundations of our mental lives.

'An original, provocative and fascinating new theory by one of the world's leading neuroscientists about why the mind wanders - and when and why it's good for you' Daniel Gilbert Your brain is noisy. Certain regions are always grinding away at involuntary activities like daydreaming and intrusive thoughts – taking up to forty-seven percent of your waking time. This is mindwandering. Mindwandering is the first popular book to explore the phenomenon of our wandering minds and the cutting-edge new research behind it. Cognitive neuroscientist Moshe Bar combines his decades of research to explain the benefits and the possible cost of mindwandering within the broader context of psychology, neuroscience, psychiatry and philosophy. He provides you with practical knowledge that can help strengthen your relationships with others, increase your concentration at work and reduce your anxiety. 'Bar's revelatory, pioneering studies are finally available for everyone to enjoy, so we can optimally direct our states of mind to better align with the moment' David Eagleman, New York Times-bestselling author of Incognito and Livewired 'Highlights the role of mindwandering in solving problems, inducing happiness and in teaching us to bring the right mind to the right time' Dr Nancy Etcoff, psychologist at Harvard Medical School 'A gentle and humane book that should be read by everyone interested in the human mind and the human brain' Andy Clark, Professor of Cognitive Philosophy, University of Sussex

How It Can Improve Your Mood and Boost Your Creativity

Com base na psicologia, neurociência, psiquiatria e filosofia, o renomado neurocientista cognitivo Moshe Bar explora os benefícios comprovados da divagação da mente e seu impacto positivo no humor e na criatividade. Diversas regiões do cérebro realizam atividades involuntárias, que os neurocientistas chamam de "divagação da mente". Do sonho acordado ao monólogo interior constante, passando pela ruminação do passado e pelas preocupações com o futuro, toda essa comoção interna não apenas afasta nossa atenção do presente como diminui a qualidade de nossa experiência, piorando nosso humor e contribuindo para potencializar a ansiedade e a depressão. No entanto, nada disso é por acaso. O ato de divagar desenvolve nosso senso de identidade, porque é nesse momento que tentamos entender o que os outros estão pensando e buscamos associações que nos ajudem a interpretar o que está acontecendo em nossas vidas. Esse passeio da mente pode ser positivo ou negativo: por um lado, ficamos tão imersos em considerações sobre o passado e previsões sobre o futuro que nos desconectamos do presente. Por outro, quando nos tornamos mais conscientes do que acontece em nossa mente, podemos aprender a direcioná-la para estimular a criatividade, aumentar nossa capacidade de foco e melhorar nosso humor. A arte da divagação apresenta a nova e fascinante pesquisa do cérebro e mostra como esse tipo de pensamento é, na verdade, fundamental para o nosso bem-estar. "Nosso cérebro está sempre tentando equilibrar dois estados: traçar caminhos conhecidos e partir para novas aventuras. Os estudos pioneiros e reveladores de Moshe Bar nessa área estão finalmente disponíveis para todos. É uma leitura fascinante." — David Eagleman, autor do best-seller Como o cérebro cria. "Uma teoria original e fascinante de um dos mais renomados neurocientistas do mundo." — Daniel Gilbert

Como uma mente livre pode melhorar o humor e turbinar a criatividade

A arte da divagação

Kestutis Kveraga

In this volume, pioneering researchers address the visual cognition of scenes from neuroimaging, psychology, modeling, electrophysiology and computer vision perspectives.

Making Sense of What We See

Scene Vision

Karl Fogel

The popular first edition was one of the first books available on development and implementation of open source software using CVS. The second edition explains how CVS affects the architecture and design of applications, and has been enhanced with more value-added material covering strategies, third-party tools, scalability, client access limits, and overall server administration for CVS.

Open Source Development with CVS

Furnishing in-depth coverage of Linux source-code internals, this high-level handbook explains how the Linux system operating system works and how to use it with various programming applications, discussing the various Linux versions, performance and tuning issues, kernel programming, troubleshooting details, and other important topics. Original. (Intermediate)

Moshe Bar

About

Books

Join the club