The mimetic brain
The discovery of mirror neurons in the 1990s led to an explosion of research and debate about the imitative capacities of the human brain. Some herald a paradigm shift on the order of DNA in biology, while others remain skeptical. In this revolutionary volume Jean- Michel Oughourlian shows how the h...
Summary: | The discovery of mirror neurons in the 1990s led to an explosion of research and debate about the imitative capacities of the human brain. Some herald a paradigm shift on the order of DNA in biology, while others remain skeptical. In this revolutionary volume Jean- Michel Oughourlian shows how the hypotheses of Ren ̌Girard can be combined with the insights of neuroscientists to shed new light on the "mimetic brain." Offering up clinical studies and a complete reevaluation of classical psychiatry, Oughourlian explores the interaction among reason, emotions, and imitation and reveals that rivalry-the blind spot in contemporary neuroscientific understandings of imitation-is a misunderstood driving force behind mental illness. Oughourlian's analyses shake the very foundations of psychiatry as we know it and open up new avenues for both theoretical research and clinical practice |
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Item Description: | Includes bibliographical references and index |
ISBN: | 1609174763 |