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The men of old, reported Socrates, saw madness as a gift that provides knowledge or inspiration. “It was when they were mad that the prophetess at Delphi and the priestesses at Dodona achieved so much; . . . when sane they did little or nothing.” Today, insanity can still bring the gift of knowledge, but in a different manner. Much of what we know about the brain comes from seeing what happens when it is damaged, or affected in unusual ways. If the Delphic seer were to turn up tomorrow, neuroscientists would whisk her straight off into a brain scanner.
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What follows are links to
The Tell-Tale Brain by VS Ramachandran. Ramachandran has his critics. Even so, he and his colleagues are investigating serious issues about how the brain functions. His work now has others following in his path.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011...handran-review
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/bo...eb-t.html?_r=1