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Quote by David Eagleman

“Scientists often talk of parsimony (as in "the simplest explanation is probably correct," also known as Occam's razor), but we should not get seduced by the apparent elegance of argument from parsimony; this line of reasoning has failed in the past at least as many times as it has succeeded.”

Quote by David Eagleman

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Work

Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

This book delves into the complex workings of the brain, particularly the subconscious aspects, and how they shape our actions and perceptions. more

Author

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist born on April 25, 1971. His research focuses on visual perception, time perception, and brain plasticity. Eagleman has made significant contributions to the field of neuroscience and has ventured into various scientific and artistic domains. more

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“It is more parsimonious to assume that the sun goes around the Earth, that atoms at the smallest scale operate in accordance with the same rules that objects at larger scales follow, and that we perceive what is really out there. All of these positions were long defended by argument from parsimony, and they were all wrong.”

Long Earth Sun Position Objects Argument Assuming Scales Perceive Atoms Smallest Parsimony

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“In my view, the argument from parsimony is really no argument at all - it typically functions only to shut down more interesting discussion. If history is any guide, it's never a good idea to assume that a scientiﬁc problem is cornered.”

Ifs Ideas Problem Interesting Views Argument Function Assuming Guides Discussion Good Ideas Cornered Parsimony

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“I grew up in a pretty tough neighborhood.”

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“After all, across the population there are slight differences in brain function, and sometimes these translate directly into different ways of experiencing the world. And each individual believes his way is reality.”

World Way Believe Different Sometimes Reality Individual Differences Brain Function Population Different Ways Translate Brain Function Experiencing The World

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“Even while it's true that we are tied to our molecules and proteins and neurons - as strokes and hormones and drugs and microorganisms indisputably tell us - it does not logically follow that humans are best described only as pieces and parts.”

Humans Doe Pieces Drug Tied Strokes Molecules Protein Hormones Neurons Microorganisms

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“All life will die, all mind will cease, and it will all be as if it had never happened. That, to be honest, is the goal to which evolution is traveling, that is the "benevolent" end of the furious living and furious dying.”

Ifs Mind Ends Dies Goal Happened Honest Dying Evolution Cease Being Honest Furious Benevolent

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“All life is no more than a match struck in the dark and blown out again.”

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“Modern neuroimaging is like asking an astronaut in the space shuttle to look out the window and judge how America is doing.”

Looks America Space Modern Judging Window Asking Astronaut Space Shuttle

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“When one part of the brain makes a choice, other parts can quickly invent a story to explain why. If you show the command "Walk" to the right hemisphere (the one without language), the patient will get up and start walking. If you stop him and ask why he's leaving, his left hemisphere, cooking up an answer, will say something like "I was going to get a drink of water."”

Ifs Stories Shows Choices Asks Left Language Water Answers Walks Brain Walking Drink Cooking Patient Leaving Command Get Up Hemisphere

Book:Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain

“The left hemisphere acts as an "interpreter," watching the actions and behaviors of the body and assigning a coherent narrative to these events. And the left hemisphere works this way even in normal, intact brains. Hidden programs drive actions, and the left hemisphere makes justifications. This idea of retrospective storytelling suggests that we come to know our own attitudes and emotions, at least partially, by inferring them from observations of our own behavior.”

Source: Incognito: The Secret Lives of The Brain