Indre Viskontas
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How can certain songs carry us through a tough workout, comfort us after a breakup, or unite 50,000 diverse fans? In this fascinating field guide, neuroscientist and opera singer Indre Viskontas investigates what music is and how it can change us for the better-from deep in our neurons to across our entire society. Whether hip-hop fans, classically trained pianists, or vinyl collectors, readers will think about their favorite songs in a whole new...
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Science is such a vast arena of knowledge that people looking for a better grasp of its secrets often wonder where to begin. The answer: with the essentials. Now, finally satisfy your desire for scientific inquiry in a way that makes this enormous field accessible, understandable, and undeniably captivating. Professor Viskontas boils down the scientific world into 12 key concepts every educated person should know. Devoting two lectures to each concept...
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Most adults are concerned that children have much too much technology in their lives these days and are spending way too much time on screens. But as Professor Indre Viskontas points out in How Digital Technology Shapes Us, we are not the first to worry that new technology will harm our children and future generations. At least since the beginning of recorded history, we have been underestimating the capacity of the human brain to adapt to and take...
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Shedding light on what creative people do, and how they do it, neuroscientists are mapping the regions of the brain that come into play during creative work, showing that creativity is a skill and something that all of us can cultivate.
In these 24 compelling lectures, Professor Viskontas takes you on a deep dive into the human creative faculty, exploring core themes, such as:
• How Creative Work Activates the Brain: Study the regions of the...
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 22
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The metaphors we use when talking about the brain can limit our ability to think "outside the box" and perceive the real workings of the brain in all its complexity. Consider the many ways in which the computer metaphor, although popular, is a poor match for the human brain, and what scientists might miss by continuing to use it.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 2
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Teachers claim that students' attention spans have drastically changed because technology is eroding their ability to focus. But what about adults? Explore the impact of technology on our own ability to perform "deep work" and whether or not multitasking is even a neurological possibility.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 17
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It is well established that the internet and other technologies can shape our political behavior and give one candidate an advantage over another. But what are the mechanisms by which we make our political decisions? You might be surprised to learn that differences between different political alignments can be seen in our brains.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 10
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Have you ever used a search engine for medical advice? If so, you're certainly not alone. But how often does that search result in more harm than help? Consider the many ways in which technology has impacted the practice of medicine and the doctor-patient relationship, and the moral dilemmas that have resulted.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 24
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A society with increased AI and robotics is not necessarily a dystopian environment with increased human isolation and decreased human activity. Explore our current definitions of human life and death to better understand where we are now and where we might be headed.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 9
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Although studies show we are not sleeping fewer hours than before the days of technology on the nightstand, the quality of our sleep has likely been affected. Better understand the lifesaving functions your brain performs while you sleep and how technology, used the right way, just might help you sleep better, allowing your cognitive functions to be stronger the next day.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 14
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Studies have shown that the use of Facebook (more than 1 billion users worldwide) often results in increased feelings of sadness, jealousy, and envy. Explore the neurological basis of our social interactions, where we focus our attention and why, how we make choices, and what is required for humans to maintain stable relationships. How do those factors interact with our social media usage?
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 4
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Has our ability to remember details declined as more and more information becomes instantly available on the internet? After all, why bother memorizing a fact you can so easily look up? Explore the positives and negatives of the internet with respect to memory creation, and learn how the latest technology might help us expand our memories to take full advantage of our human potential.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 16
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Substance addiction leaves traceable changes in the brain, from the structure of brain cells and regions to their connections. Learn how technology can "supercharge" experiences to affect us neurologically and biologically overall, particularly with respect to one of our strongest motivational drives: sex.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 15
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Examine the potential differences between relationships that begin through online dating services versus those that begin more traditionally. Discover which neurological processes we use in making our choices, whether a new car, new house, or a mate. How can we make sure we assess potential mates with careful deliberation if we use an online service?
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 13
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Examine the privacy paradox, our increasingly lax attitude toward our own privacy and its many implications for our future. How often do you unwittingly sell your privacy for a store discount, a few more social media "likes," or the convenience of choosing specific amenities at a vacation spot? Learn about the complex relationship between privacy and trust in the digital age.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 11
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Is on-screen talk therapy as effective as in-person therapy? Studies show it is. And in some respects (with the addition of virtual reality, for example) it can be more helpful than in-person talk therapy alone. Explore the many ways in which technology can help both mental-health patients and researchers, as well as the associated risks.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 6
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Given that our experiences affect not only how are brains are activated but also their structural anatomy, explore the many ways in which virtual reality can affect us. Learn why leaders of VR research are calling for a code of ethics, and why VR could also be a place where human imagination could thrive, leading to new ideas and inventions.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 21
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Learn what makes blockchain a social technology and why some researchers say it could be a force for good, bringing together disparate elements in a framework of trust. Could blockchain represent a giant leap forward in allowing us to be more confident in online transactions? Explore the potential of this technology to take us both back to basics and into the future.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 7
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Does increased screen time enrich or impoverish children's environments and how are their emotions influenced by digital media? You might be surprised to learn that "it depends," just like almost every other aspect of parenting. Explore the many factors scientists are studying to help answer these crucial questions.
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How Digital Technology Shapes Us volume 18
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In the digital age, who decides which art is of the best quality? Or rather, who builds the algorithms that decide? In a time of almost infinite choices, is there greater or lesser opportunity for unknown artists to put their work out there? And how has technology affected the artist's ability to learn deliberatively and experiment with all options?