Catalog All books
Alain Prochiantz
The Anatomies of Thought What do squid think about ?
When we watch a squid facing up to a predator, we see it recoil, agitate the tentacles, spray a jet of ink, and then make use of the temporary blindness of the predator in order to escape to a safe hiding place. Are we able to say what it is thinking ? Evidently, we know that this behaviour is not the result of a reflex unleashed by the sight of an enemy. The mollusc is not however conscious of its acts, at least not in the sense that we, as human beings, understand this term. It is true that we are the product of a evolution of species, and that, although this may not be welcome news for everyone, we share a common ancestry with the octopus, or even the fly. Even if the structure of our cortex, and the invention of language allows us to write about octopuses (or flies), and not the other way round, the fact remains that these evolutive roots, in the same way as other animal species, including invertebrates, have something to teach us about the nature of our thoughts. Alain Prochiantz
Douglas Hofstadter, Emmanuel Sander
Analogy:Surfaces and Depths A New Theory of Mind
Could analogy, which we use unconsciously every day, lie at the core of human thought?
Joël Dehasse
An Intelligent Dog Also Does Stupid Things…
Written for a general audience and illustrated with drawings by the author, a clear and accessible work to learn everything about the intelligence of dogs.
Éric Balez, Hélène Bloch
An Expert Patient A Personal Testimony of Chronic Illness
The inspiring testimony of a chronically ill patient who has drawn on his experiences to help others
Alain Grandjean, Nicolas Dufrêne
An Ecological Currency to Save the Planet
The economy is being shaped to adapt to the ecological crisis; what is the scope for action? An original solution to save the planet: the ex nihilo creation of a “green currency.”
Fatma Bouvet de la Maisonneuve
An Arab from France A life beyond prejudice
A testimony on the question of prejudice about "The Other" and of living together. A sensitive and committed reflection, seen from the inside, on the questions of double culture. A text that sheds light on mutual misunderstandings.
Robert Germinet
An Apprenticeship in the Uncertain
"When I got my degree from the Ecole des Mines, I didn't know how to do anything with my hands. But there was nothing surprising about that: I was an unalloyed product of French teaching methods. I realised that it would be useful to teach students not to be afraid to get their hands dirty: to educate future engineers by first of all inculcating in them an experimental approach to science. The idea was to send them out into the field, dressed in workers' overalls; to make them share in the concerns of the technicians, as well as in management's problems: in short, to make them ingenious engineers." Georges Charak Robert Germinet, who holds a doctorate in physics, is the director of the Ecoles des Mines, Nantes, and regional director for industry, research and the environment for the Pays de la Loire.
Lionel Naccache
An Apologia for Discretion What does it mean to be part of the universe in the 21st century?
In the great tradition of essays, the author draws on cognitive neuroscience and neurology, mathematics, physics, biology, philosophy, psychoanalysis, Judaism and literature.
