Mindfield: How Brain Science is Changing Our World by Lone Frank
the fifth scientific revolution
Lone Frank scrutinises the fifth revolution in science, that of neuroscience after those of Copernicus, Darwin, Freud, and Crick and Watson. She chooses the themes of religiosity, morality, happiness, social skills, economics, commercial and the detection of lies to explore aspects of emergent neuroscience. While the religiosity discussion gets a little full on, albeit enjoyably, Frank reviews these areas through her trademark refreshing and sceptical interviews with leaders in the fields of neuroscience. I have followed the experts to whom Frank has introduced me through her books and found she is always near the mark. I now regularly check their work as well.
There is a general disciplinary focus on social neuroscience and an underlying theme of better exposition of neuroscience breakthroughs to improve society. Specific studies on areas from mirror neurones to meditation are difficult to tie together, but Frank achieves this successfully. The discussion of lie-detecting reveal unexpected future consequences, to me at least, which set the stage well for Frank's final consideration of neuroethics and our place in the world. The argument that society and its policy makers are ill prepared for the ramifications of neuroscience, as these roll out over a decade or so, is compelling. Frank also amply justifies her earlier foray into metaphysics.
Half an hour after finishing this book and doing other things, I found myself sitting back and thinking "Wow". This is my usual reaction to this exciting and engaging author and I can see her work in print and other media getting better and better.