Live at Brookline Booksmith! Ogi Ogas with Lisa Feldman Barrett

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Two neuroscientists trace a sweeping new vision of consciousness across eighteen increasingly intelligent minds, from microbes to humankind and beyond.

Why do minds exist? How did mud and stone develop into beings that can experience longing, regret, love, and compassion—beings that are aware of their own experience? Until recently, science offered few answers to these existential questions. Journey of the Mind is the first book to offer a unified account of the mind that explains how consciousness, language, the Self, and civilization emerged incrementally out of chaos.

The journey begins three billion years ago with the emergence of the simplest possible mind, a nanoscopic archeon, then ascends through amoebas, worms, frogs, birds, monkeys, and AI, examining successively smarter ways of thinking. The authors explain the mathematical principles generating conscious experience and show, through vivid illustrations and accessible prose, how these principles led cities and democratic nations to develop new forms of consciousness—the self-aware “superminds.” Journey of the Mind concludes by contemplating a higher stage of consciousness already emerging—and the ultimate fate of all minds in the universe.

Ogi Ogas, PhD, was a research fellow at the Harvard School of Education. He coauthored Dark Horse and Shrinks. He lives in Boston.

Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, is a University Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University. She received a National Institutes of Health Director’s Pioneer Award for her groundbreaking research on emotion in the brain, and is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Royal Society of Canada. Barrett is among the top 1% most-cited scientists for her revolutionary research in psychology and neuroscience. She is the author of How Emotions are Made and Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain.

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EVENT ACCESSIBILITY

This event will take place in Brookline Booksmith's Used Book Cellar, which is only accessible by stair. If possible, the event will be livestreamed to Facebook. ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event. Seats are limited. Please email us at [email protected] as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, guaranteed seating, or other accommodations. We will do our best to serve your needs!

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING COVID & IN-PERSON EVENTS:

Please note that any Brookline Booksmith in-person event may be canceled by the bookstore, publisher, or author based on concerns about health and safety around the time of the event. Wherever possible, any in-person appearance canceled due to COVID will be moved to the Brookline Booksmith Zoom as a Webinar at the same date and time, and all tickets & registrations will be transferred to the online event. Book signing details may change. Refunds may be requested in the case of a virtual pivot or event cancelation.

At this time masks are required at Brookline Booksmith.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Brookline Booksmith, 279 Harvard Street, Brookline, United States