#129 – Lisa Feldman Barrett: Counterintuitive Ideas About How the Brain Works

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Oct 4, 2020

Lisa Feldman Barrett, a groundbreaking neuroscientist and psychologist, shares fascinating insights into how our brains process emotions. She challenges the traditional views of emotional origins, explaining that emotions are constructed through context and experience. The discussion touches on the brain as a predictive engine, the role of empathy in human interactions, and the complexities of emotional perception. Barrett also explores how these insights relate to societal issues, emphasizing the importance of kindness in a polarized world.

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INSIGHT

Diverse Intelligence

Human brains aren't the only impressive ones.
Octopus brains, for example, possess remarkable abilities like limb regeneration and camouflage, surpassing human capabilities.

INSIGHT

Collective Brainpower

Human brains, through their size and structure, especially the cortex, enable complex social coordination and abstract thought.
This allows for constructing social realities like countries and citizens, which profoundly impact human lives.

INSIGHT

Triune Brain Myth

The triune brain model, popularized by Carl Sagan, is a myth.
Evidence suggests the brain didn't evolve in distinct layers, impacting law and economics.

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How Emotions Are Made

The Secret Life of the Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett

In this book, Lisa Feldman Barrett presents a new neuroscientific explanation of emotions, overturning the widely held belief that emotions are automatic, universal, and hardwired in different brain regions. Instead, she argues that emotions are constructed in the moment through a unique interplay of brain, body, and culture. Barrett's theory, known as the 'Theory of Constructed Emotions,' suggests that emotions are highly individualized and vary by culture. The book explores how this new understanding has significant implications for fields such as psychology, medicine, law, parenting, and national security. Barrett uses clear, readable prose and practical examples to make her complex theories accessible to a broad audience.

Seven and a Half Lessons about the Brain

Lisa Feldman Barrett

In this book, Lisa Feldman Barrett demystifies the brain through seven short essays and a brief story on its evolution. She explains where brains came from, their structure, and how they function in tandem with other brains. The book dispels myths such as the 'lizard brain' and the battle between thoughts and emotions or nature and nurture. Barrett highlights the brain's primary role in controlling the body, discusses brain development, and emphasizes the social and cultural aspects of cognition and consciousness.

The Dragons of Eden

Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

Carl Sagan

In 'The Dragons of Eden', Carl Sagan delves into the evolution of human intelligence, discussing topics such as the brain to body mass ratio, the function of the neocortex, the evolutionary purpose of sleep and dreams, and the cultural significance of myths and legends. The book uses a multidisciplinary approach, drawing from anthropology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and computer science to provide a comprehensive perspective on human intelligence. Sagan also explores the cosmic calendar, a timeline that scales the entire history of the universe to a single year, highlighting the relatively recent emergence of human civilization. The book won a Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for its engaging and insightful exploration of human evolution and intelligence.

Sapiens

A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

This book surveys the history of humankind from the Stone Age to the 21st century, focusing on Homo sapiens. It divides human history into four major parts: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. Harari argues that Homo sapiens dominate the world due to their unique ability to cooperate in large numbers through beliefs in imagined realities such as gods, nations, money, and human rights. The book also examines the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem and speculates on the future of humanity, including the potential for genetic engineering and non-organic life.

The botany of desire

a plant's eye view of the world

Michael Pollan

In 'The Botany of Desire,' Michael Pollan examines how people and domesticated plants have formed a mutually beneficial relationship. He links four basic human desires—sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control—with the plants that fulfill them: the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato. Pollan illustrates how these plants have evolved to meet human needs and how, in turn, humans have helped these plants spread and thrive. The book delves into the history and impact of these plants on human society, highlighting the complex and often reciprocal nature of the relationship between humans and plants.

The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich

A History of Nazi Germany

William L. Shirer

This book is a monumental study based on extensive documentation, including testimony from Nazi leaders and concentration camp inmates, diaries of officials, transcripts of secret conferences, army orders, and private letters. Shirer spent five and a half years sifting through this massive documentation to create a definitive record of one of the most frightening chapters in human history. The book explores how Hitler's regime came to power, its impact on Germany and the world, and its eventual downfall. It is widely acclaimed as the definitive work on Nazi Germany and has won several awards, including the National Book Award for Nonfiction.

The Evolution of Beauty

How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us

Richard Prum

In 'The Evolution of Beauty', Richard Prum argues that Darwin's theory of sexual selection, often overshadowed by natural selection, plays a crucial role in shaping the natural world. He highlights the importance of female mate choice and aesthetic preferences in driving evolutionary changes, using examples from bird species and extending these principles to human evolution. The book challenges traditional views of evolution by placing beauty and desire at the forefront of evolutionary dynamics.

The System

Who Rigged It, How We Fix It

Robert Reich

In 'The System', Robert B. Reich examines how wealth and power have combined to install an oligarchy, eroding democracy and exacerbating income inequality. He critiques myths like meritocracy and corporate social responsibility, arguing that these concepts are used to justify the accumulation of wealth by the elite. Reich advocates for systemic change to reclaim power for the majority.