Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain Study Guide & Plot Synopsis

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain Plot Summary

Preview of Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain Summary:

In Incognito, David Eagleman, a neuroscientist, presents his argument that the American criminal justice system should integrate current research in brain science into sentencing guidelines. Assigning blame for criminal acts is complicated by the fact that our actions are dictated to a great extent by our unconscious minds, Eagleman claims. He proposes that rather than sentencing criminals based on how culpable they appear to a judge or jury, sentencing should be based on a person's potential for reforming their behavior based on neurological factors.

The conscious mind represents only a small part of our brain activity and function, Eagleman argues, and he presents the results of a large number of experiments and studies that support his assertion. Many of these experiments illustrate what happens to a person's perception or behavior when the brain is altered, either by damage or drugs. These changes in the brain sometimes result in a person...
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