The Compass of Pleasure

Informationen zum Autor David J. Linden Klappentext From the New York Times bestselling author comes a "hugely entertaining" (NPR.org) look at vice and virtue through cutting-edge science As he did in his award-winning book The Accidental Mind, David J. Linden-highly regarded neuroscientist, professor, and writer-weaves empirical science with entertaining anecdotes to explain how the gamut of behaviors that give us a buzz actually operates. The Compass of Pleasure makes clear why drugs like nicotine and heroin are addictive while LSD is not, how fast food restaurants ensure that diners will eat more, why some people cannot resist the appeal of a new sexual encounter, and much more. Provocative and illuminating, this is a radically new and thorough look at the desires that define us. Praise for The Compass of Pleasure In his book The Compass of Pleasure , the Johns Hopkins neurobiologist David J. Linden explicates the workings of [the regions of the brain] known collectively as the reward system, elegantly drawing on sources ranging from personal experience to studies of brain activity to experiments with molecules and genes. The New York Times Book Review Important, timely, and fascinating. Naomi Wolf, author of The Shock Doctrine , The Beauty Myth , and The End of America [H]ugely entertaining . . . If you're science-phobic, don't worry: Linden is incredibly smart, but comes across as the funny, patient professor you wish you'd had in college. www.npr.org How do orgasms, heroin, greasy foods, and juicy gossip jolt the same neurons? Neuroscientist David Linden delves into the research, mixing in plenty of trippy anecdotes. Psychology Today Linden's conversational style, his abundant use of anecdotes, and his successful coupling of wit with insight makes the book a joy to read. Even the footnotes are sprinkled with hidden gems. Publishers Weekly Conventional wisdom advises, If it feels good, stop it. If it tastes good, spit it out. But why? Because indulging pleasurable excess, whether of drugs, food, or sex, has an unforgiving downside. The biology of how we know this is the topic of Linden's fascinating, by turns technical and entertaining effort. Donna Chavez, Booklist This cheerful summary of the brain's reward system is a profound experience. . . . Pleasure is a superb book. My brain has been changed by reading it. Leo Benedictus, The Guardian (London) This book is highly readable and full of fascinating facts and theories. . . . You're sure to get pleasure from reading Pleasure . Susan Blackmore, BBC Focus (London) ABOUT THE AUTHOR David J. Linden is a professor of neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The author of The Accidental Mind (2007), The Compass of Pleasure (2011), and most recently, Touch (2015), he served for many years as the chief editor of The Journal of Neurophysiology . He lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his two children. Praise for The Compass of Pleasure About the Author Title Page Copyright Dedication Epigraph Prologue CHAPTER ONE Mashing the Pleasure Button CHAPTER TWO Stoned Again CHAPTER THREE Feed Me CHAPTER FOUR Your Sexy Brain CHAPTER FIVE Gambling and Other Modern Compulsions CHAPTER SIX Virtuous Pleasures (and a Little Pain) CHAPTER SEVEN The Future of Pleasure Acknowledgments Notes Index Pleasure never comes sincere to man; but lent by heaven upon hard usury. John Dryden...

Auteur

David J. Linden

Texte du rabat

From the New York Times bestselling author comes a "hugely entertaining" (NPR.org) look at vice and virtue through cutting-edge scienceAs he did in his award-winning book The Accidental Mind, David J. Linden-highly regarded neuroscientist, professor, and writer-weaves empirical science with entertaining anecdotes to explain how the gamut of behaviors that give us a buzz actually operates. The Compass of Pleasure makes clear why drugs like nicotine and heroin are addictive while LSD is not, how fast food restaurants ensure that diners will eat more, why some people cannot resist the appeal of a new sexual encounter, and much more. Provocative and illuminating, this is a radically new and thorough look at the desires that define us.

Résumé
From the New York Times bestselling author comes a "hugely entertaining" (NPR.org) look at vice and virtue through cutting-edge science As he did in his award-winning book The Accidental Mind, David J. Linden—highly regarded neuroscientist, professor, and writer—weaves empirical science with entertaining anecdotes to explain how the gamut of behaviors that give us a buzz actually operates. The Compass of Pleasure makes clear why drugs like nicotine and heroin are addictive while LSD is not, how fast food restaurants ensure that diners will eat more, why some people cannot resist the appeal of a new sexual encounter, and much more. Provocative and illuminating, this is a radically new and thorough look at the desires that define us.

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Praise for The Compass of Pleasure

 

“In his book The Compass of Pleasure, the Johns Hopkins neurobiologist David J. Linden explicates the workings of [the regions of the brain] known collectively as the reward system, elegantly drawing on sources ranging from personal experience to studies of brain activity to experiments with molecules and genes.”

—The New York Times Book Review

“Important, timely, and fascinating.”

—Naomi Wolf, author of The Shock Doctrine, The Beauty Myth, and The End of America

“[H]ugely entertaining . . . If you’re science-phobic, don’t worry: Linden is incredibly smart, but comes across as the funny, patient professor you wish you’d had in college.”

—www.npr.org

“How do orgasms, heroin, greasy foods, and juicy gossip jolt the same neurons? Neuroscientist David Linden delves into the research, mixing in plenty of trippy anecdotes.”

—Psychology Today

“Linden’s conversational style, his abundant use of anecdotes, and his successful coupling of wit with insight makes the book a joy to read. Even the footnotes are sprinkled with hidden gems.”

—Publishers Weekly

“Conventional wisdom advises, “If it feels good, stop it. If it tastes good, spit it out.” But why? Because indulging pleasurable excess, whether of drugs, food, or sex, has an unforgiving downside. The biology of how we know this is the topic of Linden’s fascinating, by turns technical and entertaining effort.”

—Donna Chavez, Booklist

“This cheerful summary of the brain’s reward system is a profound experience. . . . Pleasure is a superb book. My brain has been changed by reading it.”

—Leo Benedictus, The Guardian (London)

“This book is highly readable and full of fascinating facts and theories. . . . You’re sure to get pleasure from reading Pleasure.”

—Susan Blackmore, BBC Focus (London)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

David J. Linden is a professor of neuroscience at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. The author of The Accidental Mind (2007), The Compass of Pleasure (2011), and most recently, Touch (2015), he served for many years as the chief editor of The Journal of Neurophysiology. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with his two children.

Praise for The Compass of Pleasure

About the Author

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Epigraph

Prologue

CHAPTER ONE Mashing the Pleasure Button

CHAPTER TWO Stoned Again

CHAPTER THREE Feed Me

CHAPTER FOUR Your Sexy Brain

CHAPTER FIVE Gambling and Other Modern Compulsions

CHAPTER SIX Virtuous Pleasures (and a Little Pain)

CHAPTER SEVEN The Future of Pleasure

Acknowledgments

Notes

Index

“Pleasure…