Brain Bugs: How the Brain's Flaws Shape Our Lives

by Dean Buonomano

Overview

“Excellent. . . . [Buonomano] reveals the intricate limitations and blessings of the most complex device in the known universe.”—The Atlantic

The human brain may be the best piece of technology ever created, but it’s far from perfect. Drawing on colorful examples and surprising research, neuroscientist Dean Buonomano exposes the blind spots and weaknesses that beset our brains and lead us to make misguided personal, professional, and financial decisions. Whether explaining why we are susceptible to advertisements or demonstrating how false memories are formed, Brain Bugs not only explains the brain’s inherent flaws but also gives us the tools to counteract them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393081954
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	08/06/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Dean Buonomano is a professor of neurobiology and psychology at UCLA and a leading theorist on the neuroscience of time. His previous book, Brain Bugs: How the Brain’s Flaws Shape Our Lives, was a Wall Street Journal bestseller.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

1 The Memory Web 19

2 Memory Upgrade Needed 47

3 Brain Crashes 70

4 Temporal Distortions 94

5 Fear Factor 120

6 Unreasonable Reasoning 142

7 The Advertising Bug 171

8 The Supernatural Bug 197

9 Debugging 220

Acknowledgments 237

Notes 241

Bibliography 263

Credits 297

Index 299

Editorial Reviews

[Buonomano] takes readers on a lively tour of systematic biases and errors in human thinking, citing examples that are staples of psychology courses and other popular books. What is new, however, is Buonomano's focus on the mechanisms of memory, especially its "associative architecture," as the main causes of the brain's bugs.
—The New York Times Book Review

Christopher Chabris

"An ingenious idea, and Buonomano has fully delivered on its promise. . . . A remarkably accessible and engaging introduction to the neuroscience of the human condition."

Sam Harris

"A great book, filled with nuggets about how the brain works—and falters—and even some suggestions on how to put it to better use."

Joseph LeDoux

UCLA neurobiology and psychology professor Buonomano presents an interesting study of how and why our brains sometimes fail when we try to remember long lists of information, add large numbers, or make long-term decisions. While the intelligence of humans continues to evolve, our brains remain far from perfect, exemplified by unreliable memory manipulated by advertising, distrust of people different from us, and belief in superstitions and the supernatural. In explaining these "bugs," the author delves deep into the fascinating realm of the brain's innermost workings, using the identifiable metaphor of computer hardware and software. The focus on lay language helps to connect listeners with the author's research, which suggests that human successes, failures, joys, and sufferings are the product of protein interactions and electrical changes taking place inside the brain. Buonomano's heavily researched, highly specialized work is well read by Southern Oregon University political science professor William Hughes. While this title is best suited to students and faculty in clinical neuroscience fields, Buonomano still manages to make highly sophisticated brain research understandable to lay audiences interested in human behavior. [Includes a PDF of diagrams and illustrations from the text.—Ed.]—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

Library Journal

The human brain is endlessly complex—it’s no wonder that it doesn’t work perfectly. This book explores the bugs that plague the human brain, answering questions like why we can’t do advanced math in our heads and why we’re susceptible to superstition and advertising. It touches on the evolutionary reasons for these “flaws” and how they help (or hinder) us in functioning in our fast-paced, high-tech modern world. Narrator William Hughes has a pleasant, slightly rough voice that puts the listener in mind of a professor. His friendly tones draw listeners in and focus their attention. Although some of the quizzes the book offers might work better in print, this is a worthwhile audio experience. G.D. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine

MARCH 2012 - AudioFile

Putting the analogy of the computer to good use, Buonomano (Neurobiology and Psychology/UCLA) makes the case that "our lives are governed by brain bugs" of which we are unaware, although unfortunately there are no "patches, updates or upgrades" to easily remedy the situation.

While digital computers surpass the human brain when it comes to processing information and performing numerical calculations, our brains operate by pattern recognition, which simultaneously accounts for their strengths and their weaknesses. A trivial example is the use of CAPTCHA authentication software, which bars web robots from spamming websites. The author compares the "approximately 90 billion neurons linked by 100 trillion synapses in the human brain" to the "approximately 20 billion Web pages connected by a trillion links." The key, however, is not the brain's numerical advantage but our ability to extract meaning from the context in which words appear—e.g., the difference between the household pet and the computer mouse. Human learning occurs by association as new synapses are weakened, strengthened or newly formed between neurons that fire simultaneously. This leave us vulnerable to marketers, as was the case when ads showcased celebrities smoking cigarettes. Similarly, the way a question is framed can bias the response, and a lie repeated often enough is fixed in our memory. Buonomano suggests that while we associate cause and effect for things that occur within seconds, over longer periods are judgment becomes weaker. For example, we often fail to save enough for retirement, and the lure of instant gratification makes us vulnerable to manipulation in our purchases and our political choices.

Intriguing take on behavioral economics, marketing and human foibles.

Kirkus Reviews