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Decisions, Uncertainty, and the Brain: The Science of Neuroeconomics
In this provocative book, Paul Glimcher argues that economic theory may provide an alternative to the classical Cartesian model of the brain and behavior. Glimcher argues that Cartesian dualism operates from the false premise that the reflex is able to describe behavior in the real world that animals inhabit. A mathematically rich cognitive theory, he claims, could solve the most difficult problems that any environment could present, eliminating the need for dualism by eliminating the need for a reflex theory. Such a mathematically rigorous description of the neural processes that connect sensation and action, he explains, will have its roots in microeconomic theory. Economic theory allows physiologists to define both the optimal course of action that an animal might select and a mathematical route by which that optimal solution can be derived. Glimcher outlines what an economics-based cognitive model might look like and how one would begin to test it empirically. Along the way, he presents a fascinating history of neuroscience. He also discusses related questions about determinism, free will, and the stochastic nature of complex behavior.
400 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 7, 2012
This book clearly defined how physiology, physics, mathematics, computational neuroscience, and economics fuse into the study of neuroeconomics. This progressed very well and was one of the best backgrounds to the sciences that I have encountered. However, there is a somewhat unrelated divergence of content at about the 2/3 mark in which he begins to incorporate his own research. This is supported by fairly weak ties and suppositions from one-neuron experiments. Very good read overall
June 5, 2008
Mind-bending geekery! As an economist I found it very, very interesting. Given my limited understanding of neuroscience though it's been a slow read. All in all I recommend it.
September 10, 2018
Very accessible guide to a very fascinating topic in neuroscience.
May 16, 2020
Para un economista, como yo, el libro resulta de gran utilidad para entender el papel de la economÃa en la biologÃa, sobre todo, la primera (magnÃfica) sección del libro.
January 25, 2024
Cannot wait to study under him in the fall
February 6, 2024
Para los que les guste la lectura cientÃfica (concretamente biológica y matemática) es buen libro, pero en mi caso no me llamo mucho la atención
May 26, 2021
Absolutely fascinating book. I recommend that readers familiarize themselves with how the brain processes vision before you start the book. Otherwise the chapters where he discusses his own research involving vision will be a little hard to follow. Otherwise this is a very accessible book that motivates every concept carefully. Excellent historical and practical look on multiple interdisciplinary fields such as biology, mathematics, statistics, psychology, and computer science.
January 28, 2021
Not A Review!
I am sure there are out there some better books on the subject! Or there will soon be. It's scientifically and philosophically mind-bending. Even though after reading this book, it seems the author's conclusions are pretty standard and common sense yet the conflict between dualists and monists still exists at large. Either you believe in free will or you don't, there is no middle ground. Even with science coming fast and proving that everything can be explained in physical terms, lately, it seems that true uncertainty is real. And free will is both real and an illusion. It can be explained mathematically but it's still random and hard to classify.
I am already talking about the end of the book but the author makes a tremendously good job in presenting the history of biology, economics, and philosophy, sciences that concerned themselves with the study of human mind and behavior. Except for one chapter about the author's research which felt out of place and pretty difficult to understand if you're not a neurobiologist, everything else is interesting and easy to grasp.
The future of human behavior should continue on these bases. And we should remove reflex from our vocabulary, it's a theory that is outdated but unfortunately, it will stick around because it's easy to demonstrate and explain. Even though it's not correct for our knowledge and technology.
I am sure there are out there some better books on the subject! Or there will soon be. It's scientifically and philosophically mind-bending. Even though after reading this book, it seems the author's conclusions are pretty standard and common sense yet the conflict between dualists and monists still exists at large. Either you believe in free will or you don't, there is no middle ground. Even with science coming fast and proving that everything can be explained in physical terms, lately, it seems that true uncertainty is real. And free will is both real and an illusion. It can be explained mathematically but it's still random and hard to classify.
I am already talking about the end of the book but the author makes a tremendously good job in presenting the history of biology, economics, and philosophy, sciences that concerned themselves with the study of human mind and behavior. Except for one chapter about the author's research which felt out of place and pretty difficult to understand if you're not a neurobiologist, everything else is interesting and easy to grasp.
The future of human behavior should continue on these bases. And we should remove reflex from our vocabulary, it's a theory that is outdated but unfortunately, it will stick around because it's easy to demonstrate and explain. Even though it's not correct for our knowledge and technology.
February 11, 2017
Long excursus trough the philosophy of science and the precursor of Neuroeconomics, such as Neurobiology for example. There is also the first explanation of Nash's game theory that I maybe understood, that is to say that the book is very well written, but sometimes can be a little bit boring.
Lungo viaggio attraverso la filosofia della scienza ed i precursori della Neuroeconomia, come per esempio la neurobiologia. Inoltre in questo libro c'é anche la prima spiegazione della teoria dei giochi di Nash che forse ho capito, tanto per dire quanto possa essere ben scritto il libro, che peró potrebbe anche risultare un po' noioso.
Lungo viaggio attraverso la filosofia della scienza ed i precursori della Neuroeconomia, come per esempio la neurobiologia. Inoltre in questo libro c'é anche la prima spiegazione della teoria dei giochi di Nash che forse ho capito, tanto per dire quanto possa essere ben scritto il libro, che peró potrebbe anche risultare un po' noioso.
May 12, 2015
Never have I read a book so economically, philosophically, and biologically influential yet so easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
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