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More than fifty years ago, Michael S. Gazzaniga was in the middle of the most important observation in all of neurosciencethe now foundational theory that the right and left hemispheres of the brain can act independently from one another and have different strengths. Hailed "the father of cognitive neuroscience," Gazzaniga's work is renowned for its wit and accessibility, as well as its scientific elegance, and has inspired some of the most important minds in the field including Steven Pinker, Oliver Sacks and V.S. Ramachandran.
Now, for the first time in his new book, Tales from Both Sides of the Brain, Gazzaniga looks back over the evolution of an idea, and the incredible characters from famous scientists to split-brain patients, and to many curious souls along the way (comedian Steve Allen, William F. Buckley and other non-scientists) who have accompanied him on the road of intellectual discovery. Part field guide, part memoir, this unprecedented work describes a life in science that has exemplified the epitome of collaboration and networking to move the science forward.
From his early days in Roger Sperry's Caltech lab to today's counterintuitive view that each of us actually has multiple minds, Gazzaniga tells the impassioned story of his life in science and his decades-long journey to understand how the separate spheres of our brains communicate and mis-communicate with their separate agendas. Over the course of his career Gazzaniga has studied countless neurologic patients. Tales from Both Sides of the Brain focuses on six split-brain patients who have changed the way we think about how the brain carries out its work. These include two famous cases: Case W.J. his first human study that showed that the left and right side of the brain could act independently from one another; and Case P.S. which showed that the left hemisphere could understand language and speech, while the right could understand language, but not speech.
Michael S. Gazzaniga is the director of the SAGE Center for the Study of the Mind at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He is the president of the Cognitive Neuroscience Institute, the founding director of the MacArthur Foundation's Law and Neuroscience Project, and a member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Academy of Sciences.
Gazzaniga offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how breakthrough science is achieved and all the people that play a role in its discovery, a look both humorous and moving.
Talking with Gazzaniga this evening is Emiliana Simon-Thomas, the science director of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, A neuroscientist who earned her doctorate from UC Berkeley, her research has explored the neurobiological roots of pro-social emotion and behavior, as well as the psychosocial benefits of emotional authenticity and connection. A gifted teacher, Simon-Thomas has presented on the science of happiness and compassion to the Dalai Lama and audiences worldwide.
7:30 PM at the Hillside Club (2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley)
Tickets $15 ($8 students) in advance only at Brown Paper Tickets online (or 800-838-3006); tickets at the door $20
Books will be available; book signing follows the program.
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LocationHillside Club (View)
2286 Cedar Street
Berkeley, CA 94709
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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