The Paradox of Sleep: The Story of Dreaming - Brossura

Jouvet, Michel

Brossura

ISBN 10: 0262600404 ISBN 13: 9780262600408

Casa editrice: Bradford Books, 2001

Riassunto

Michel Jouvet is perhaps the world's leading sleep and dream researcher. He discovered a mysterious dream state that he called paradoxical sleep. This third category of brain activity (distinct from sleeping and waking) is a state of very deep sleep with some specific motor events, including rapid eye movements (REM). In The Paradox of Sleep, Jouvet takes the reader on a scientific and sociological tour of the history of sleep and dream research, concluding with his own ideas on the function of dreaming.

Jouvet tells the story of a handful of neurobiologists, including himself, who pioneered sleep and dream research in the 1950s. He describes the technical and ideological obstacles they faced and opens his own laboratory to the reader, explaining anatomical, biochemical, and even genetic techniques. He also touches on psychological, philosophical, and metaphysical aspects of sleep and dreaming.

A key section of the book is Jouvet's discussion of why we dream. After summarizing Freud's theory of dreams, he contrasts it with current neurobiological data. Finally, he outlines his own controversial theory about why we dream: to preserve our individuality. Dreaming, claims Jouvet, is necessary for the genetic reprogramming of our brain.

Su questo libro

L'autore:

Laurence Garey, a neuroscientist and anatomist, is the translator of Michel Jouvet's The Paradox of Sleep (2001) and The Castle of Dreams (2008), both published by the MIT Press.

Product Description:

This work takes the reader on a scientific and sociological tour of the history of sleep and dream research, concluding with the author's own ideas on the function of dreaming. Michel Jouvet tells the story of a handful of neurobiologists, including himself, who pioneered sleep and dream research in the 1950s. He describes the technical and ideological obstacles they faced and opens his own laboratory to the reader, explaining anatomical, biochemical and even genetic techniques. He also touches on psychological, philosophical and metaphysical aspects of sleep and dreaming. A key section of the book is Jouvet's discussion of why we dream. After summarizing Freud's theory of dreams, he contrasts it with late-1990s neurobiological data. Finally, he outlines his own theory about why we dream: to preserve our individuality. Dreaming, claims Jouvet, is necessary for the genetic reprogramming of the brain.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Bradford Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0262600404
• ISBN 13: 9780262600408
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 227