In 1964-1965, Hans Helmut Kornhuber and Luder Deecke achieved a scientific breakthrough with the discovery of the Bereitschaftspotential (BP), or readiness potential. In The Will and its Brain, Kornhuber and Deecke present evidence that proves we can record activity from the human brain occurring prior to our volitional movements or actions. Such preparatory activity is generated by specific brain regions, particularly by the supplementary motor area (SMA) of the frontal lobe, which lies on the inner surface of the brain between the hemispheres. The primary (precentral) motor cortex (MI) later becomes activated in preparing for action. Consequently, the authors discriminate between two components of the preparatory activity of the Bereitschaftspotential: an early SMA-generated BP1 and a late MI-derived BP2. Between BP1 and BP2, the intentional activity runs over the so-called motor loop via the basal ganglia. Kornhuber and Deecke discuss these and other brain processing systems while focusing on the concept of free will. They claim that we, indeed, have free will. It may not be absolutely free, but free in terms of degrees. We can take efforts to increase our degrees of freedom through self-improvement, but we can also lose degrees of freedom through self-mismanagement.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
University Press of America
ISBN-13
9780761858621
eBay Product ID (ePID)
116002727
Product Key Features
Subject Area
Biological Psychology, Experimental Psychology
Author
Hans Helmut Kornhuber, Luder Deecke
Publication Name
The Will and Its Brain: an Appraisal of Reasoned Free Will
Format
Paperback
Language
English
Subject
Psychology
Publication Year
2012
Type
Textbook
Number of Pages
110 Pages
Dimensions
Item Height
230mm
Item Width
149mm
Item Weight
209g
Additional Product Features
Title_Author
Luder Deecke, Hans Helmut Kornhuber
Country/Region of Manufacture
United States
Best Selling in Adult Learning & University
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Adult Learning & University