New Books in Environmental Studies Ann-Christine Duhaime, "Minding the Climate: How Neuroscience Can Help Solve Our Environmental Crisis" (Harvard UP, 2022)
Nov 22, 2022
Neuroscience expert, Ann-Christine Duhaime, discusses the intersection between neuroscience and environmental sciences. She explores the challenges of adopting sustainable behaviors, the concept of biofilia, and the need for pro-environmental decision making. The podcast also delves into the relationship between nature and humans, the rapid pace of change in science and technology, and the role of neuroscience in addressing the environmental crisis.
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Brain Lens On Climate Behavior
- Neurosurgeon Ann-Christine Duhaime frames the climate crisis through brain function and behavior shaped by evolution.
- She argues our behavioral choices, driven by brain design, explain why the crisis emerged and why change is hard.
Reward System Mismatch
- The brain's reward system evolved to mark importance and teach repeatable survival behaviors across deep evolutionary time.
- That system poorly matches modern collective problems like climate change because it prioritizes immediate, perceivable rewards.
From Bacteria To Brains
- Duhaime traces decision-making back to single-celled organisms using sensor molecules to move toward sugar or away from toxins.
- She uses this evolutionary story to show how basic decision mechanisms scaled into our modern brain.