A Neuroscientist’s Quest to Reverse Engineer the Human Brain

A Neuroscientist’s Quest to Reverse Engineer the Human Brain

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What makes us who we are? Where is our personal history recorded, or our hopes? What explains autism or schizophrenia or remarkable genius? M.I.T. scientist Sebastian Seung argues that it’s all in the connections our neurons make. There, he says, is the secret of human identity. In his new book, “Connectome,” he argues that technology has now reached a point where it is conceivable to start mapping at least portions of the connectome. It’s a daunting task, he says, but without it, neuroscience will be stuck. Read his fascinating Q&A with Mind Matters editor Gareth Cook.