Reading and the Brain (BSP 24)

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proustandthesquid.jpg Listen to this episode now. Show Notes Dr. Wolf's book Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, is divided into three main topics: the history of how writing and reading developed over the last few thousand years, the developmental stages involved in learning how to read, and what happens when the brain can't learn to read. My podcast concentrates on the main ideas from the first two topics. History of Writing:
  • the discovery of symbols
  • Early writing systems- cuneiform and hieroglyphics
    • why Chinese gives us a window into the past
  • Importance of the Alphabet
    • some claims and conclusions
  • Why Socrates opposed literacy
The Stages of Becoming a Reader:
  • the early pre-reader-with emphasis on language development
  • the novice reader-connecting letters to the sounds of language
  • the decoding reader-
  • the fluent comprehending reader-learning to "read between the lines"
  • the expert reader-why reading continues to change us throughout our lives
What goes wrong when the brain can't learn to read: how new findings are leading to new solutions Links and References
  • FastForward-an successful approach to treating dyslexia
  • Michael Posner-a psychologist who used PET scans to study what happens during shifts of attention (a necessary first step in reading)
Listen to this episode now. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Dr. Pamela Gay from "Astronomy Cast" (B&I 14)

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pgay_headshot.jpg Listen Now Show Notes for Books and Ideas Podcast #14 This episode is a conversation with Dr. Pamela Gay from the Astronomy Cast. Dr. Gay teaches astronomy and physics at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Before the Astronomy Cast she was one of the hosts of one of the first science podcasts, Slacker Astronomy. I think her enthusiasm for science and especially for astronomy comes through in this interview. Besides astronomy we talked about the challenges of teaching science as well as the challenges of being a female scientist. Links: Astronomy Cast Pamela Gay's Blog FemaleScienceProfessor Blog Chandra: A Biography of S. Chandrasekhar by Kameshwar C. Wali Buffy Between the Lines: an audio drama definitely worth checking out if you love the Buffyverse Pushing Daisies my favorite new TV show Listen to Books and Ideas Episode 14 Download Episode Transcript Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe by email Leave comments at the Discussion Forum
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Julie Foudy gets my vote for the next coach of the US Women's Soccer Team

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. wwcjulie.jpg When Greg Ryan benched Hope Solo to play Briana Scurry in Women's World Cup semi-final game against Brazil, he showed that he is clueless about coaching women. In a way he was lucky that Hope Solo diverted attention from his coaching with her blow-up after the loss, but yesterday the US Soccer powers announced that his contract will be allowed to expire. (A good summary of events was written by Steve Davis for ESPNsoccernet.) I want to put my vote for Julie Foudy even though I haven't seen her name mentioned. I totally agreed with what she said during the coverage of the World Cup, but the main reason is that I think she should be the next coach is that her years as captain of the team give her a proven track record as a team leader. Tony DiCicco was a great coach, but he has already committed to coaching a team in the new professional league that is scheduled to launch in 2009. The team needs to move forward without losing sight of its unique tradition as a team-player's team. Many fans may not realize that former coach April Heinrichs was a star and team captain of the US Team that won the first Women's World Cup that was played in China in 1991. Therefore, I would argue that being a team captain at this high level is a proven training ground. Some critics seem to think that the team should throw away its past completely, but I think that Foudy symbolizes what made that 1999 team so special. They were not just great players but they stuck together. I can imagine any of them pulling a stunt like Hope Solo's. Its not like she was the first player ever to get benched by bad coaching. Foudy understands the Women's game as well as anyone out there. Plus, she has the kind of creditability that only an ex-player can bring to the team
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Interview with Sandra Blakeslee (BSP 23)

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sblackslee.jpg Listen to the Interview Now Show Notes Episode 23 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Sandra Blakeslee, co-author (with her son Matthew) of The Body Has a Mind of Its Own: How Body Maps Help You Do (almost) Everything Better, which we discussed in episode 21. I asked Blakeslee to tell me a little bit of her background as a science writer. She wrote for the New York Times for many years and was the co-author of both Jeff Hawkins groundbreaking book, On Intelligence and VS Ramachandran's modern class Phantoms in the Brain (1998), which was one of the first books to explore neuroplasticity. In this interview we explored the relationship between body maps and neuroplasticity, as well as questions from listeners about out of body experiences and other oddities once considered "paranormal." We talked about how body maps are relevant to understanding why some methods of alternative healing appear to be effective. I asked her to tell me which scientist she met made the biggest impression. Here are a few of those she mentioned: Blakeslee told me about some of the pioneering work that Merzenich is doing to apply his discoveries to help people, both those with disabilities and those who just want to combat aging. You can learn more about his work at http://www.positscience.com/. If you would like to contact Sandra Blakeslee to give her feedback or ask her questions she has a contact form on her books website at http://www.thebodyhasamindofitsown.com/. She is going to let me know when she gets the references posted on the site. Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey Click Below to Listen to Podcasts itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe in a reader Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email

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Review: Buffy Between the Lines is a must listen for Buffy fans

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buffybtwl250.jpg Although I am a huge fan of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly/Serenity, I have never really gotten into fan fiction, but I am making an exception for the new audio drama, Buffy Between the Lines, which debuted earlier this month. The story is set between the end of season 5 and the beginning of season 6, which every Buffy fan knows is the period when Buffy was dead (and fans didn't know if there would be a season 6). This show is being produced as a twice a month podcast and I think the first episode showed lots of potential. The storyline is clever (what fan doesn't want to know what happened that summer) and Tabitha Smith captured the dialog of each character perfectly. The voice acting is surprisingly good although I found some of the female voices hard to tell apart. The voice of Xander (Chris O) sounded just like Nicholas Brendon and the voice of Spike (Nick Edwards/lemming) also stood out. I have three suggestions, which I hope will be taken as constructive criticism. First, the story begins with Giles writing in his Watcher's Journal. This is a great touch since he and Buffy had had a conversation about why Watchers never recorded the deaths of their slayers. However, I did not like the scratching sound in the background. This was apparently supposed to be the sound of him writing in the journal, but I thought this sound effect was both superfluous and annoying. Otherwise, the sound effects were very good. Second, and this is my biggest complaint: there is a need for a bit more narration. I don't want to give anything away for new listeners, but I found several scenes a little confusing. Use of sound effects is good, but it wouldn't hurt to have an occasional description of the scene, especially when they change locations. Finally, I thought there were too many promos breaking up the show. The producers were trying to emulate the show (TV commercials) but I think they should cut back on the frequency of promos. I did enjoy learning about how many different sites and podcasts are devoted to the Buffy Verse, but by the end I was going, "shut up and finish the story!" Despite these criticisms I recommend that all Buffy fans check out Buffy Between the Lines. The crew has a long track record in podcasting, so you can count on them to improve the show and to bring out something really great by the end of the season.
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Nature Relaunches its neuroscience podcast

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I am happy to report that Nature has relaunched its neuroscience podcast under the new name NeuroPod. If you like the Nature podcast but would rather hear a show devoted to the latest Nature articles on neuroscience, you will want to check this out at http://www.nature.com/neurosci/neuropod. If you prefer blogs, you might want to check out Action Potential (also from the editors of Nature). I am not very good at keeping my blogroll up-to-date, but another site worth checking out (suggested to me by Adam Rutherford at Nature) is Mind Hacks. As always, remember that you can submit your favorite podcasts, blogs, and other neuro-related websites at the Brain Science Podcast Discussion Forum.
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Christof Koch discusses Consciousness (BSP 22)

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questforconsciousness.jpg Listen to the Interview Now Brain Science Podcast #22 is an interview with Dr. Christof Koch of Cal Tech, one of the pioneers in the neurobiological study of consciousness. About two decades ago when Koch and Francis Crick began looking for what they called the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC), such a quest was considered controversial, but now the field is increasing in popularity. In our interview we talked a little about his book, The Quest for Consciousness, as well as his on-going research and his thoughts about what the future might bring. Show Notes Here is a list of some of the topics we discussed:
  • Why Francis Crick was an outstanding mentor and colleague
  • A Working definition of consciousness
  • How consciousness relates to awareness
  • What are neural correlates of consciousness
  • Why vision is the focus of Koch's research
  • The search for the "footprints" of consciousness
  • The role of functional imaging and the use of monkeys
  • Neurons-"the atoms of perception"
  • Why we need a theory of consciousness
  • The role of the frontal lobes in consciousness
  • Is consciousness an emergent property?
  • What about zombies?
  • Why do we need consciousness?
  • Will artificial intelligence become conscious?
  • The hard problem: how does the brain generate subjective experience (qualia)
Links: Christof Koch's homepage The Quest for Consciousness: A Neurobiological Approach (2004) Listen to the Episode Now Share your comments on the Discussion Forum Audience Survey

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Meet me at the Podcast and New Media Expo

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expo125×125.gif I am looking forward to my first Podcast and New Media Expo this week in Ontario, California. My goals are to learn a lot and to meet lots of new people. Obviously, I will be promoting the Brain Science Podcast and Books and Ideas, but I also hope to make contacts that could lead to new opportunities in the field since my longterm goal is to build a new full-time career. I will be meeting with fellow health and science podcasters on Thursday evening at 8PM at the  entrance to the D Street Bar & Grill (located in the Marriott). (Updates) I will be helping out at at the iProng booth on Saturday from noon until 2 PM. If you stop by to say Hi you can also play with an iPhone™ or the new iPod Touch™.
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Body Maps (BSP 21)

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Featured in this episode: The Body has a Mind of Its Own: How Body Maps in Your Brain Help You Do (Almost) Everything Better (2007), by Sandra Blakeslee and Matthew Blakeslee. (Also available on from Audible.com) Listen to the podcast now

SHOW NOTES Topics:
  • Body Maps and the role of embodiment
  • Basic ideas about the body maps in the brain
  • Mapping the world around us
  • How Body maps differ between species
  • Body Schema and Body image
  • The role of body maps in disease
  • The role of belief in health and illness
  • How body maps explain non-traditional healing methods and unusual experiences
  • The role of motor imagery in improving motor skills
  • Mirror Neurons
  • Place and grid neurons in the hippocampus (see more on Scholarpedia)
  • How sensation and emotions come together (the role of the insula)
Scientists mentioned in the podcast: Other scientists mentioned in The Body has a Mind of Its Own: Note: This list is not exhaustive. I know I left off VS Ramachandran and several others, but those listed above did work that was addressed, directly or indirectly, in my podcast. Brain Structures (links include diagrams of the brain): Listen to the podcast now

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Reflections on Dragon*Con 2007

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dragoncon07.jpgWell its been a week since I got back from my first Dragon*Con in Atlanta, Georgia and I have decided that I am not going record a podcast about my experiences. I got to meet many podcasters that I knew only by voice or from email, and I learned some stuff that I hope will help me improve my future podcasts. One of the highlights of the weekend was the Second Annual Parsec Awards because I learned about some great podcasts that I haven't listened to yet. I am looking forward to trying these out. I do want to mention a few of the people I met at the Con. First, I want to thank Derek and Swoopy from Skepticality for inviting me to participate in the podcasting track. Skepticality was one of the first podcasts I ever heard when I discovered podcasting on iTunes™ back in July of 2005. It was also great getting to meet Rob Walch of Podcast 411 since he has helped me out of several jams in the last few months. Because I am into science podcasting I was especially impressed with Dr. Pamela Gay from The Astronomy Cast and I am looking forward to having her on my Books and Ideas podcast soon. Atlanta is a hotbed for podcasting. So while I was there I got to see several people I had met this spring at Podcamp Atlanta. I want to congratulate Les from The Signal on his team's Parsec Award. It was also great seeing Laura Ross of The Rocky Horror Podshow and Steve Ely from Escape Pod. Mur Lafferty, one of my inspirations for getting into podcasting, also won a Parsec for her show I Should Be Writing. One of the highlights of the weekend was her reading some of her work including excerpts from her new novel. I also enjoyed meeting Michael A Stackpole, who is a very successful fantasy writer and impressed me with his generosity toward younger writers looking for guidance. It was also great meeting listener Doc Kos and Tabitha Smith from Buffy Between the Lines. I met several people from FarPoint Media including Kris Mayo and Michael R Mennenga, who gave me some valuable gear tips. I met so many people I am sure I am leaving some out. If you were there and would like me to link to you in this blog, just drop me an email.
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"The Female Brain" with Dr. Louann Brizendine (BSP 20)

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Click here to here episode #20 I still can't get the link to the audio to show up in WordPress although the link in the sidebar works just fine. For those of you who get this as a Feed or Email and therefore can't see the sidebar, here is an alternative link: http://brainsciencepodcast.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=253174
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Mini-Review: "Empire" by Orson Scott Card

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empire.jpgThose of you familiar with Orson Scott Card's long-running Ender series know that he has an unusual interest in history and how it shapes political events. In his latest novel, Empire, the assassination of the US president and vice-president lead to a civil war between the extreme right wing and the extreme left wing. The scenario he presents challenges our tendency to assume that such an event could never occur. The near-realism of the story is both chilling and thought-provoking. This is not a feel-good book, but while it is disturbing, it also provides a strong argument in favor of a return to a politics of moderation, in contrast to the increasing polarization of the current political landscape. In the tradition of great science fiction and great storytelling in general, Card uses his characters to communicate an important message. No matter what your political beliefs you will find characters in the story that you can respect and root for. The book comes to a conclusion that is both satisfying and open-ended. The narration by Stefan Rudniki is excellent though you might find yourself wishing for the print version so that you can re-read some of the more complicated arguments. If you want to get this as a free audio download from Audible.com be sure to click on the ad on this page (sorry new members only). I recommend this to all OSC fans and to anyone who enjoys speculative, political fiction.
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Review: "Gut Feelings" (BSP 19)

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gutfeelings.jpgClick here to listen to this episode. Listen to Brain Science Podcast #19: Gut Feelings Show Notes for Brain Science Podcast #19: Gut Feelings This episode is a discussion of Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious (2007) by Gerd Gigerenzer Dr. Gigerenzer argues that unconscious decision-making or intuition is actually based on the use of hueristics (rules of thumb) that can be explored, and even brought into awareness. In this episode I discuss his basic arguments with an emphasis on the differences between intuitive reasoning and formal logic. Then we explore some examples including the application of these ideas to more controversial areas like morality and social instincts. Listen to episode. Some of his ideas are provocative and I hope you will discuss them on the Brain Science Podcast Discussion Forum. References Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious (2007) by Gerd Gigerenzer Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking (2005) by Malcolm Gladwell See also Brain Science Podcast #13: Unconscious Decision Making Links of Interest Gerd Gigerenzer-wikipedia Gerd Gigerenzer-home page at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development Jonathan Haidt-social psychologist mentioned in this episode Listen to Brain Science Podcast #19: Gut Feelings itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email Visit the new Brain Science Podcast Forum
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Wizzard Media chooses the Brain Science Podcast as a featured podcast

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wizzard.jpg I am proud to announce that Wizzard Media, the new owner of Libsyn, has chosen the Brain Science Podcast to be part of its network. You can find the Brain Science Podcast on the Wizzard.tv Science and Medicine page, and I have been told that it will also appear on the Wizzard Media page of the iTunes Store when it is updated. Since Rob Walch has recently been named vice-president in charge of podcaster relations at Wizzard Media, I am hopeful that this will help the Brain Science Podcast reach a larger audience, and perhaps give me a chance to make a little advertising revenue. Obviously, a podcast like mine is never going to appeal to a mass audience, but it does have a very loyal following. Potential advertisers like to reach audiences that are intelligent and well-educated. However, I need some data to show who is listening to the show. Wizzard Media has set up an anonymous survey that I hope you will take a few minutes to complete. Complete the Survey Now
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Dr. Eric Kandel talks about Memory on Futures in Biotech

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fib-thumbnail.jpg The lastest episode of Futures in Biotech (FiB 20) is an interview with Dr. Eric Kandel, who won a Nobel Prize in 2000 for his discoveries about how memory works. I think you will enjoy listening to Dr. Kandel's interview. I discussed Dr. Kandel's book In Search of Memory in episode 3 of the Brain Science Podcast. I also discussed his textbook, Memory: From Mind to Molecules in episode 12. For anyone who would like to go back and listen to these episodes, I have provided direct links to the audio files below: #3: In Search of Memory #12: Memory: From Mind to Molecules
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More on Neuroplasticity from author Sharon Begley

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Science writer Sharon Begley was interviewed about neuroplasticity. on the August 7 episode of Science Talk, the podcast from Scientific American. I discussed her book Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain: How a New Science Reveals Our Extraordinary Potential to Transform Ourselves on episode 10 of the Brain Science Podcast. Listen to Science Talk interview of Sharon Begley Listen to the Brain Science Podcast #10: Neuroplasticity You can also find more on neuroplasticity, including links to some of the scientists she mentions in her interview here.
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Interview with Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg (BSP 18)

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Brain Science Podcast #18 is an interview with Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, PhD.elkhonongoldberg.gif Listen to Brain Science Podcast #18 Now Show Notes:
  • I apologize for the uneven sound quality of this episode. If any one out there has any suggestions please drop me an email.
  • Dr. Goldberg shared a little bit about the breadth of his work as a neuropsychologist.
  • We talked about his rather unique perspective on the difference between the right and left brain hemispheres. He explained why he feels that as we get older we move from reliance on the right hemisphere, which he feels is the novelty hemisphere, to a reliance on the left hemisphere, where our lifetime store of patterns enables us to use pattern recognition as a short cut in problem solving.
  • We talked about the importance of constant mental challenge, and Dr. Goldberg gives his advice about how we can keep our brains healthy through out our lives.
Links: The following are two companies that Dr. Goldberg is working with to provide information to the public and also tools for cognitive enhancement:
  • SharpBrains-this is a clearing house for information and they evaluate many of the products currently being offered.
  • HeadStrong Cognitive Fitness-this Australian company offers a net-based program for cognitive enhancement based on Dr. Goldberg's research. I am hoping to test their products in the near future.
Listen to Brain Science Podcast #18 Now itunes-chicklet.gif Subscribe via iTunes™ The Brain Science Podcast feed is available here. Subscribe to Brain Science Podcast with Dr. Ginger Campbell by Email Visit the new Brain Science Podcast Forum
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Harry Potter with Guest Co-host, Patrick Pricken (B&I 13)

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kelly-web.jpg Even if you haven't finished reading Book 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by JK Rowling you can enjoy this podcast, which features guest co-host Patrick Pricken, from Germany. Patrick's blog, which features movie and book reviews can be found at http://www.p-pricken.de/. (The blog is in German, but translation to English is available from Google.) We talked about what why JK Rowling's work has international appeal, even among adult readers. We explore our favorite characters and talk about whether Book 7 lived up to our expectations. The episode is spoiler-free up to the 17 minute mark. The last 15 minutes does contain specific material from the last book, so if you haven't read it yet you will want to stop listening at 17:00, until you finish the book. If you would like to talk about the podcast or share your favorite Harry Potter memories, please join us in the the special section with in the Brain Science Podcast Discussion Forum. Listen to Episode 13 Download Episode Transcript Subscribe to this podcast Subscribe via iTunes™ Join email list
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Will Harry Potter Survive?

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harry_potter_stamps.jpg While I won't be standing in line tonight at midnight to buy the last Volume of the Harry Potter series, but I will be watching my mailbox eagerly tomorrow morning waiting for the UPS truck to bring the copy I pre-ordered back in February. When it arrives I will probably start a marathon reading session, because I don't want to hear how the story ends from someone else. Fortunately, since I am a fast reader, it will probably take me only 8-10 hours. I must say that I regret that all the hype will preclude a slower reading. I am planning to do a Books and Ideas Podcast after I finish, but I wanted to get this post up, because I wanted to get my personal predictions on record before the release (yes I know there are spoilers out on the internet, but I assume if you read this blog regularly you know I have avoided these). The big debate seems to be over who is going to die in Book 7. I am not going to hazard a guess, but I don't think it will be Harry. First of all this would violate the basic principle of telling an heroic tale. I am comfortable that JK Rowling has good enough instincts as a storyteller not to kill off her main character. Thus, it is not even necessary to offer the more comercial reason that killing off Harry would also kill off future sales because it won't take long for the word to get out. Another debate seems to center on what really happened to Dumbledore. Most readers agree that his appearance in the portrait in the headmaster's office at the end of book 6 removes any doubt that he is actually dead. However, I predict he will still be an important character in Book 7. I think he knew that he was likely to die (which is why he froze Harry to keep him from sacrificing himself), and that he has left something behind for Harry to help him. Plus, we don't really know much about what the characters in the portraits are really able to do. I am just listening to the end of Book 6 and I was surprised how sad I feel about Dumbledore's death-two years later! I think when I read the book the first time I saw it coming and I did not have a full emotional reaction.

Reflections on Harry Potter: the first six books

I am proud to say that I have been a Harry Potter fan since before the media frenzy hit, which I think was around the release of Book 4 in July of 2000. I started reading in 1998, when book 2 was still in hardback. At the time I was following the Publishers' Weekly Best Seller list fairly closely and I noticed that books 1 and 2 were topping the adult best seller list. I bought book one because I was curious about how a children's book had become an adult best seller. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is still a magical book that I recommend to everyone. After that I was hooked. I have been pre-ordering from Amazon since Book 4. In fact, looking back at my records I discovered that when I pre-ordered that book in March of 2000, its pre-release title was Harry Potter and the Doomspell Tournament. (The final title was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.) Some literary snobs are critical of JK Rowling's writing, but I think there are several things that set this series apart. First, it has great characters. My first rule when I read fiction is that I have to care about the characters. This is never a problem when reading Harry Potter, even when he is going through the awkward changes of adolescence and one would occasionally want to throttle him. Which brings me to what I think is perhaps Rowlling's most outstanding achievement: the way she allows the characters to grow and change feels totally real. Lots of series, for both adults and children suffer from becoming repetitive and predictable. (A Series of an Unfortunate Events is like the old Shirley Temple movies, once you've read one you know what will happen). Every Harry Potter book has been unique. The story has become darker and more complex, but I think Rowling is also showing a tremendous amount of respect for her younger readers. The changes her characters face mirror the changes adolescents face in real life. There are many examples of this, but of course, the most obvious is Harry's relationship with Dumbledore. Fortunately, most of us don't face the literal loss of our adult mentors so soon, but everyone experiences the painful lesson of realizing a parent or similar figure is not perfect and can not rescue us. In book 6 we clearly saw Harry growing into a mature, responsible young man. This development is all the more satisfying since we have followed him through his tempestuous early teenage years. Rowling certainly has a more positive attitude toward teenagers than most of the people who write television shows. Besides helping millions of young people discover the joy of reading, she has also provided a story with a solid message about the value of love and friendship. That is why these books are great to read whatever your age.
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Does Free Will Exist? (B&I 12)

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This episode is my response to the The Myth of Free Will (2007), which was sent to me by the book's editor Cris Evatt. I felt the topic was very relevant to my recent discussions on the Brain Science Podcast, where we have been exploring the evidence that a surprising amount of decision-making occurs beyond our conscious control. Listen to Books and Ideas #12 Now I have tried to include some interesting references and links below, but I hope you will share more links (especially good blogs) at the new Brain Science Podcast Forum, which is located at http://brainscienceforum.com. I have set aside a section under "Off-Topic Discussions" for discussions about Books and Ideas. The subject of free will is quite controversial. This episode is intended to stimulate thought and discussion, rather than to convince you that I have the answers. Show Notes The difference between political and psychological free will Can a non-physical soul or spirit be controlling our brain's decisions? Naturalism (What is Naturalism? by Thomas W. Clark founder of The Center For Naturalism) What about choice and responsibility? What does neuroscience have to say about free will? Partial List of Writers Whose Work I discuss References and Further Reading Why Choose This Book?: How We Make Decisions (2006) by Read Montague (Dr. Montague was interviewed on the Brain Science Podcast #15.) The Problem of the Soul: Two Visions of Mind and How to Reconcile Them (2003) by Owen Flanagan Freedom Evolves (2003) by Daniel C. Dennett Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul (1994) by Francis Crick Links of Interest Center For Naturalism The Garden of Forking Paths-A philosophy blog devoted to agency theory, including related issues in Philosphy of Action, Moral Psychology, Metaphysics and Ethics I will try to expand this list in the future.
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