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  3. In Second Nature, Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Gerald Edelman argues that the brain and mind are unified, but he has littl

In Second Nature, Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Gerald Edelman argues that the brain and mind are unified, but he has littl

admin2019-06-10  54
问题    In Second Nature, Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Gerald Edelman argues that the brain and mind are unified, but he has little patience with the claim that the brain is a computer. Fortunately for the general reader, his explanations of brain function are accessible, reinforced by concrete examples and metaphors.
   Edelman suggests that thanks to the recent development of instruments capable of measuring brain structure within millimeters and brain activity within milliseconds, perceptions, thoughts, memories, willed acts, and other mind matters traditionally considered private and impenetrable to scientific scrutiny now can be correlated with brain activity. Our consciousness (a first-person affair" displaying intentionality, reflecting beliefs and desires, etc.) , our creativity, even our value systems, have a basis in brain function.
   The author describes three unifying insights that correlate mind matters with brain activity. First, even distant neurons will establish meaningful connections (circuits) if their firing patterns are synchronized. Second, experience can either strengthen or weaken synapses (neuronal connections). Finally, there is reentry, the continued signaling from one brain region to another and back again along massively parallel nerve fibers.
   Edelman concedes that neurological explanations for consciousness and other aspects of mind are not currently available, but he is confident that they will be soon. Meanwhile, he is comfortable hazarding a guess: " All of our mental life ... is based on the structure and dynamics of our brain. " Despite this optimism about the explanatory powers of neuroscience, Edelman acknowledges the pitfalls in attempting to explain all aspects of mind in neurological terms. Indeed, culture — not biology — is the primary determinant of the brain’s evolution, and has been since the emergence of language, he notes.
   However, I was surprised to learn that he considers Sigmund Freud " the key expositor of the effects of unconscious processes on behavior. " Such a comment ignores how slightly Freud’s conception of the unconscious, with its emphasis on sexuality and aggression, resembles the cognitive unconscious studied by neuroscientists.
   Still, Second Nature is well worth reading. It serves as a bridge between the traditionally separate camps of "hard" science and the humanities. Readers without at least some familiarity with brain science will likely find the going difficult at certain points. Nonetheless, Edelman has achieved his goal of producing a provocative exploration of " how we come to know the world and ourselves. "
The author disagrees with the idea that the neuroscience-based cognitive unconscious can be______
选项 A、clearly explained by Freud’s theory
B、affected by language acquisition
C、studied relevantly to sexual behavior
D、examined concerning cultural backgrounds
答案A
解析 本题是推理题，考查第五段的内容。该段的主要内容是本文作者并不同意Edelman的观点，因为作者认为弗洛伊德关于无意识的概念与神经科学家们提出的认知无意识的观点并无相似之处。
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