''The Mind and the Brain'', written by Jeffrey M. Schwartz and

Sharon Begley Sharon Begley (June 14, 1956 – January 16, 2021) was an American journalist who was the senior science writer for ''Stat (website), Stat'', a publication from ''The Boston Globe'' that covers stories related to the life sciences. She regularly ...

, published in 2002, examines the mind-body problem introduced by Descartes, and attempts to reconcile material

determinism Determinism is the Metaphysics, metaphysical view that all events within the universe (or multiverse) can occur only in one possible way. Deterministic theories throughout the history of philosophy have developed from diverse and sometimes ov ...

with

free will Free will is generally understood as the capacity or ability of people to (a) choice, choose between different possible courses of Action (philosophy), action, (b) exercise control over their actions in a way that is necessary for moral respon ...

, and resolve the conflict between science and

moral philosophy Ethics is the philosophical study of moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches include normative ethics, applied et ...

. In this effort, the book cites past thinkers such as the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha (),* * * was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist legends, he was ...

and

William James William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was an American philosopher and psychologist. The first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States, he is considered to be one of the leading thinkers of the late 19th c ...

, and discusses research in the areas of

neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity, also known as neural plasticity or just plasticity, is the ability of neural networks in the brain to change through neurogenesis, growth and reorganization. Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to reorganize and rewir ...

mindfulness meditation Mindfulness is the cognitive skill, usually developed through exercises, of sustaining metacognitive awareness towards the contents of one's own mind and bodily sensations in the present moment. The term ''mindfulness'' derives from the Pali ...

and

quantum physics Quantum mechanics is the fundamental physical Scientific theory, theory that describes the behavior of matter and of light; its unusual characteristics typically occur at and below the scale of atoms. Reprinted, Addison-Wesley, 1989, It is ...

, to support the concept of mental force as a force that can be developed and applied to exercise free will at the quantum level in the brain, to use the power of the mind to shape the brain.

Reviews

Several reviewers have praised the book: * Mohamed Sabaawi wrote in ''

Journal of Child and Family Studies ''Journal of Child and Family Studies'' is a quarterly peer-reviewed academic journal published by Springer Science+Business Media that focuses on family child, adolescent, and family psychology. The editors-in-chief are Cheri J. Shapiro and An ...

'', " e authors offer the first scientific proof that validates the power of mindfulness in shaping the brain. This work opens new vistas for revolutionary applications of mindfulness-based treatment in neuropsychiatric dysfunction." * A review by Richard Barbieri stated, "Schwartz's book is ... about the classic mind-body debate. He argues quite effectively that if a person can, by conscious effort, change the physical structure of his brain, then we need not accept the post-Cartesian view that 'the mind is what the brain does' ..." * Maria Albergato's review expressed the opinion, "The concepts in the book are profound. They are grounded in science and philosophy and expressed with clarity and insight." * A review by David L. Johnson, Ph.D., concluded, "This promising model of brain functioning and the need to literally pay attention for change has prospective applications to and many implications for medicine, rehabilitation, mental health treatment, social service, addiction intervention, and the moral education practices in today's changing world." * In his review John Abbondanza wrote,"The actual citations in the book go on and on, but the main point is clear. The brain reorganizes itself based on its use. This is called 'use-dependent cortical reorganization', and is thought to be the basis of recovery after brain injury or stroke." Others have found the evidence and arguments presented in the book unsatisfactory: * In ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a popular science magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organ ...

'', Itiel Dror wrote, "I was disappointed to discover that Schwartz merely provides a “new cover to an old book” rather than using new research and technology to provide new ideas and insights" * A review in ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' concluded, "Unfortunately, their integration of quantum mechanics and Buddhism into a search for a mechanism to explain the patterns scientists have been discovering is too superficial to fully engage readers. Nonetheless, a great deal in this book is sure to motivate discussion and more research."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mind and the Brain, The 2002 non-fiction books English non-fiction books Neuroplasticity ReganBooks books