Book Review: Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain by David Eagleman
Review by Laura Sanders
By Science News
People only think they know what they’re doing. In reality, great ideas, decisions and opinions are all generated well before the conscious brain is in on the task, argues Eagleman, a neuroscientist.
In fresh, clear prose unencumbered by neuro-jargon, Eagleman weaves descriptions of simple, relatable experiments and compelling case studies throughout the book, convincing the reader that deep, mysterious machinations of the brain are calling the shots.
The insight that much of what drives behavior happens behind the scenes of conscious thought has huge implications for the justice system, a topic that Eagleman tackles with relish in later chapters. He invokes the infamous case of Charles Whitman, the University of Texas at Austin’s clock-tower sniper. An autopsy revealed a nickel-sized tumor that was impinging on parts of the brain linked to aggression and fear in Whitman, a former Eagle Scout and U.S. Marine.