As Matthew Cobb explains, The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience is not "a history of neuroscience, nor a history of brain anatomy and physiology, nor a history of the study of consciousness, nor a history of psychology." It is, rather, a fascinating amalgamation of all of these sciences, with a fair dose of technology and philosophy thrown in.
Starting from the ancient era, Cobb (Life's Greatest Secret; Generation) traces musings on the brain by Greek physicians, such as Galen, and other early thinkers, like Avicenna, through the French philosophers and the English humanists, to the American scientists of the early 20th century. He shows how ideas changed over time, with each era comparing the brain with the most advanced technology of the day--whether that was galvanism, automatons or telephones.
The large middle section of the book is dedicated to the present day, and the frequent comparison of the brain to computers or coding, although he says these examples aren't fully accurate either. As Cobb points out, "the structures in the brain are not modules that are isolated from one another--they are not like the self-contained components of a machine"--making it, ironically, hard for our brains to comprehend our brains.
So, what will be the future of neuroscience? Cobb explores this with nuance and openness, detailing potential future options sure to intrigue readers. Scientists as well as the less technically minded are sure to be fascinated by The Idea of the Brain. --Jessica Howard, bookseller at Bookmans, Tucson, Ariz.