Mind and Brain Sciences in the 21st Century

The approach of the new millennium encourages people to stop and think about where we have been and where we are going. In these essays, all but one written for this book, many of those who have helped to shape the fields of neurocognition, cognitive science, and psychology give their thoughts on the past and future of the science of mind. Ernest R. Hilgard's foreword presents "A Personal View of 20th Century Psychology: With an Eye to the 21st Century." Some of the essays offer specific ideas about what the future may hold, while others prefer the grand overview. Some touch on the philosophical, social, and scientific implications of the science of the mind; a few border on whimsy or science fiction. All are written to be understood by the informed layperson, as well as professionals and students. The authors of the essays describe their visions of what might be, not what is determined to be. A major goal of the volume is to encourage scientists and scholars to consider alternative worlds--to help us to avoid many of the problems of the past and to create a healthier and more humane future. A Bradford Book