Looking at the brain as a computer-like organ ignores the influence our bodies have our psychology, from chemicals in the blood to bacteria in the gut, says a new book.
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The idea that our brains are like giant supercomputers, orchestrating and determining everything we do, has gained ground in recent years. So too have ideas that a short time ago would have been regarded as science fiction, like downloading the Internet directly to our brains, or creating a new kind of human, one with enhanced cognitive powers.
In his new book, The Biological Mind, Alan Jasanoff, professor of biological engineering at MIT, explains why this “cerebral mystique” creates a false dichotomy between the brain and the body and ignores bodily influences on our psychology, from chemicals in the blood to bacteria in the gut.
Speaking from his office at MIT, he explained why Red Sox legend Ted Williams had his
