Comments for Books and Ideas with Ginger Campbell, MD http://booksandideas.wordpress.com Ideas from Books you may not have time to read Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:17:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Books and Ideas Podcast #14: Dr. Pamela Gay from Astronomy Cast by Dr. Pamela Gay talks about the Milky Way on Brains Matter « Books and Ideas with Ginger Campbell, MD http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/books-and-ideas-podcast-14-dr-pamela-gay-from-astronomy-cast/#comment-733 Dr. Pamela Gay talks about the Milky Way on Brains Matter « Books and Ideas with Ginger Campbell, MD Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:26:21 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/books-and-ideas-podcast-14-dr-pamela-gay-from-astronomy-cast/#comment-733 [...] two arms instead of four. I recommend this episode to everyone who enjoyed Pam’s interview in Episode 14 of Books and Ideas and to all the fans of the Astronomy [...] [...] two arms instead of four. I recommend this episode to everyone who enjoyed Pam’s interview in Episode 14 of Books and Ideas and to all the fans of the Astronomy [...]

]]> Comment on Books and Ideas Podcast #14: Dr. Pamela Gay from Astronomy Cast by scmuth http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/books-and-ideas-podcast-14-dr-pamela-gay-from-astronomy-cast/#comment-726 scmuth Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:56:24 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/books-and-ideas-podcast-14-dr-pamela-gay-from-astronomy-cast/#comment-726 I'd love to hear some comments on my related blog on astronomy and astrophysics. Take a look and let me know what you think... http://myastonomyandphysics.wordpress.com I’d love to hear some comments on my related blog on astronomy and astrophysics. Take a look and let me know what you think…
http://myastonomyandphysics.wordpress.com

]]> Comment on The Myth of Free Will: Revised and expanded by docartemis http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2008/03/29/the-myth-of-free-will-revised-and-expanded/#comment-719 docartemis Sun, 25 May 2008 12:33:41 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/?p=91#comment-719 Pat, Thank you for putting so much time into the comment you posted about Episode 12 of Books and Ideas. I agree with you that it is "an illogical leap to the assumption that the absence of free will implies freedom from responsibility." It was actually that leap that I was attempting to attack, which is why I focused on "the importance of personal responsibility" later in my discussion. This emphasis naturally reflects my own response to the book I was reviewing. I am sorry if I did not make that clear. You might want to post your comments on the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com. There is a section there for Books and Ideas. That is the best place to share ideas with fellow listeners. I hope you will keep listening. Ginger Campbell, MD Pat,

Thank you for putting so much time into the comment you posted about Episode 12 of Books and Ideas.

I agree with you that it is “an illogical leap to the assumption that the absence of free will implies freedom from responsibility.”

It was actually that leap that I was attempting to attack, which is why I focused on “the importance of personal responsibility” later in my discussion. This emphasis naturally reflects my own response to the book I was reviewing. I am sorry if I did not make that clear.

You might want to post your comments on the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com. There is a section there for Books and Ideas. That is the best place to share ideas with fellow listeners.

I hope you will keep listening.

Ginger Campbell, MD

]]> Comment on The Myth of Free Will: Revised and expanded by Pat http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2008/03/29/the-myth-of-free-will-revised-and-expanded/#comment-718 Pat Sun, 25 May 2008 01:01:30 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/?p=91#comment-718 In the Books and Ideas Pod-Cast, Episode 12, Dr. Ginger Campbell discussed The Myth of Free Will: essays by 40 leading thinkers edited by Cris Evatt (url: http://www.crisevatt.com/myth.htm). Dr. Campbell made the following points: Point 1: There are two common interpretations of free will: a. freedom from external constraints (e.g. a gun at your head). b. freedom from internal constraints (psychological forces). Point 2: There are two common beliefs about the source of free will: a) That free will comes from supernatural sources (e.g. a soul). a) That free will arises from natural sources (e.g. within the brain). I was disappointed that Dr. Campbell, one of my favorite pod-casters (I particularly like her companion “Brain Science” pod-cast), made what I believe is an illogical leap to the assumption that the absence of free will implies freedom from responsibility, and spent the rest of her discussion talking about the importance of personal responsibility. Her argument is that if we conclude that free will does not exist, that implies that one is not held responsible for their actions. Dr. Campbell believes that many decisions are made in the unconscious part of the brain. I agree that an emotional response and a “gut feeling” are generated in the unconscious part of the brain. These are the genetic heritage of evolution. I also agree that the rational portion of the brain has the ability to intervene--within limits. That intervention is only possible if the rational facility, first of all, recognizes the emotional response for what it is, in time to intervene (an ability which itself requires careful development); secondly, if the culture and environment have taught judgment that the instinctual promptings are not the wisest course of behavior and provides the support the rational facility needs to resist emotional impulses, usually in the form of moral and penal incentives, and most important, only if the person’s culture and environment have provided training in the techniques required to divert, work around, and compromise with the strong hormonal-driven impulses of the unconscious brain. Strict suppression, denial and/or simple defiance (“just say no”) can backfire in sudden explosions of these impulses. In other words, in my opinion, the rational facility emerged first to help the unconscious brain attain its goals; it developed the ability to conflate rationales for instinctive reactions after the fact, and finally to manipulate the unconscious and, to a limited extent, to steer its stone-age drives into constructive channels. Now, let’s go back to the personal responsibity issue. The rational facility of the brain needs support from the environment. Incentives to resist the promptings of the unconscious are part of that support. Experiments using the “honor system” have proven that moral incentives have not been internalized enough to prevent cheating for the majority of humanity. The simple environmental support of an observer (even without the threat of a penalty) is extremely effective in increasing moral behavior. This experiment works exactly the same way with children and Halloween candy. In other words, holding people responsible for their actions is an important part of required cultural support for the brain’s rational facility, providing it with needed incentives in its struggle against hormonal promptings of the hindbrain we inherited from our reptilian ancestors. Those who consider free will a myth maintain that decisions are a consequence of heritage and environment. The enforcement of personal responsibility is a part of that environment. The debate about free will is not going away. But the argument that the absence of free will abrogates personal responsibility is a red herring. Doctor Campbell’s pod-casts can be heard on her “Brain Science” and “Books and Ideas” websites. You can listen to this specific discussion at http://booksandideas.com/ if you search for “The Myth of Free Will” and scroll down to “Listen to Books and Ideas #12 Now”. In the Books and Ideas Pod-Cast, Episode 12, Dr. Ginger Campbell discussed The Myth of Free Will: essays by 40 leading thinkers edited by Cris Evatt (url: http://www.crisevatt.com/myth.htm). Dr. Campbell made the following points:
Point 1: There are two common interpretations of free will:
a. freedom from external constraints (e.g. a gun at your head).
b. freedom from internal constraints (psychological forces).
Point 2: There are two common beliefs about the source of free will:
a) That free will comes from supernatural sources (e.g. a soul).
a) That free will arises from natural sources (e.g. within the brain).
I was disappointed that Dr. Campbell, one of my favorite pod-casters (I particularly like her companion “Brain Science” pod-cast), made what I believe is an illogical leap to the assumption that the absence of free will implies freedom from responsibility, and spent the rest of her discussion talking about the importance of personal responsibility. Her argument is that if we conclude that free will does not exist, that implies that one is not held responsible for their actions.
Dr. Campbell believes that many decisions are made in the unconscious part of the brain. I agree that an emotional response and a “gut feeling” are generated in the unconscious part of the brain. These are the genetic heritage of evolution. I also agree that the rational portion of the brain has the ability to intervene–within limits. That intervention is only possible if the rational facility, first of all, recognizes the emotional response for what it is, in time to intervene (an ability which itself requires careful development); secondly, if the culture and environment have taught judgment that the instinctual promptings are not the wisest course of behavior and provides the support the rational facility needs to resist emotional impulses, usually in the form of moral and penal incentives, and most important, only if the person’s culture and environment have provided training in the techniques required to divert, work around, and compromise with the strong hormonal-driven impulses of the unconscious brain. Strict suppression, denial and/or simple defiance (“just say no”) can backfire in sudden explosions of these impulses. In other words, in my opinion, the rational facility emerged first to help the unconscious brain attain its goals; it developed the ability to conflate rationales for instinctive reactions after the fact, and finally to manipulate the unconscious and, to a limited extent, to steer its stone-age drives into constructive channels.
Now, let’s go back to the personal responsibity issue. The rational facility of the brain needs support from the environment. Incentives to resist the promptings of the unconscious are part of that support. Experiments using the “honor system” have proven that moral incentives have not been internalized enough to prevent cheating for the majority of humanity. The simple environmental support of an observer (even without the threat of a penalty) is extremely effective in increasing moral behavior. This experiment works exactly the same way with children and Halloween candy. In other words, holding people responsible for their actions is an important part of required cultural support for the brain’s rational facility, providing it with needed incentives in its struggle against hormonal promptings of the hindbrain we inherited from our reptilian ancestors. Those who consider free will a myth maintain that decisions are a consequence of heritage and environment. The enforcement of personal responsibility is a part of that environment. The debate about free will is not going away. But the argument that the absence of free will abrogates personal responsibility is a red herring.
Doctor Campbell’s pod-casts can be heard on her “Brain Science” and “Books and Ideas” websites. You can listen to this specific discussion at http://booksandideas.com/ if you search for “The Myth of Free Will” and scroll down to “Listen to Books and Ideas #12 Now”.

]]> Comment on Could the Eye Evolve? The answer is Yes! by docartemis http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/could-the-eye-evolve-the-answer-is-yes/#comment-714 docartemis Wed, 14 May 2008 10:34:36 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/?p=104#comment-714 Thanks for catching the typo. It has been corrected. Thanks for catching the typo. It has been corrected.

]]> Comment on Lee Smolin looks at the Einstein Myth by docartemis http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/06/09/lee-smolin-looks-at-the-einstein-myth/#comment-713 docartemis Wed, 14 May 2008 10:32:20 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/06/09/lee-smolin-looks-at-the-einstein-myth/#comment-713 Jimbo, Thanks for the feedback. Perhaps I should give Isaason another chance! No, I don't have a problem with long books. I enjoyed "His Excellency" (a long Washington biography) by Joseph Ellis. Jimbo,

Thanks for the feedback. Perhaps I should give Isaason another chance!

No, I don’t have a problem with long books. I enjoyed “His Excellency” (a long Washington biography) by Joseph Ellis.

]]> Comment on Could the Eye Evolve? The answer is Yes! by Stefan http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2008/05/10/could-the-eye-evolve-the-answer-is-yes/#comment-712 Stefan Wed, 14 May 2008 07:25:18 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/?p=104#comment-712 Thank you for posting that Ginger :D I've been listening to both your podcasts since you started them and I find them very informative. Please keep up the excellent work. P.S. Stein's propaganda film is "Expelled", not that it deserves the respect of a correction. Take care. Thank you for posting that Ginger :D

I’ve been listening to both your podcasts since you started them and I find them very informative. Please keep up the excellent work.

P.S. Stein’s propaganda film is “Expelled”, not that it deserves the respect of a correction.

Take care.

]]> Comment on Lee Smolin looks at the Einstein Myth by Jimbo http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/06/09/lee-smolin-looks-at-the-einstein-myth/#comment-711 Jimbo Wed, 14 May 2008 06:54:33 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2007/06/09/lee-smolin-looks-at-the-einstein-myth/#comment-711 Au Contraire, Madame Docteur..... I have read many Einstein biographies, and am just getting into Walter's & it is EXCELLENT so far. Indeed, Ben Franklin IS BORING; AE/WI are not. Perhaps you are turned off by THICK books (PDR not withstanding) ? May I suggest the best short bio: `Creator & Rebel', by Banesh Hoffmann, Einstein's friend & scientific colleague. It is extraordinarily human & readable. Au Contraire, Madame Docteur…..
I have read many Einstein biographies, and am just getting into Walter’s & it is EXCELLENT so far.
Indeed, Ben Franklin IS BORING; AE/WI are not.
Perhaps you are turned off by THICK books (PDR not withstanding) ?
May I suggest the best short bio: `Creator & Rebel’, by Banesh Hoffmann, Einstein’s friend & scientific colleague. It is extraordinarily human & readable.

]]> Comment on Nancy Yanes Hoffman reviews “When Doctors Become Patients” by Nancy Yanes Hoffman http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2008/05/04/nyh/#comment-708 Nancy Yanes Hoffman Tue, 06 May 2008 16:27:22 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/?p=102#comment-708 Thanks for the mini-review. Check and see if there are any other reviews you want from the blog. They're all yours. I am having spinal surgery on the 13th in California so will be out of commission till mid June. See you then. The Writing Doctor Thanks for the mini-review. Check and see if there are any other reviews you want from the blog. They’re all yours. I am having spinal surgery on the 13th in California so will be out of commission till mid June.

See you then.

The Writing Doctor

]]> Comment on Books and Ideas #18: Interview with Tabitha Grace Smith from Buffy Between the Lines by Hyunwoo Sun http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/books-and-ideas-18-interview-with-tabitha-grace-smith-from-buffy-between-the-lines/#comment-697 Hyunwoo Sun Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:07:42 +0000 http://booksandideas.wordpress.com/?p=89#comment-697 Hi Ginger. Thank you so much for the great podcast you're producing here. I started listening to your podcast a few weeks ago and I thoroughly enjoy them. Please keep up the great work! :-) I'm listening from Korea. - Hyunwoo Hi Ginger. Thank you so much for the great podcast you’re producing here. I started listening to your podcast a few weeks ago and I thoroughly enjoy them. Please keep up the great work! :-) I’m listening from Korea.

- Hyunwoo

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