Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition

By: Robert Sapolsky, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Robert Sapolsky

When are we responsible for our own actions, and when are we in the grip of biological forces beyond our control? What determines who we fall in love with? The intensity of our spiritual lives? The degree of our aggressive impulses?

These questions fall into the scientific province of behavioral biology, the field that explores interactions between the brain, mind, body, and environment that have a surprising influence on how we behave. In short, how our brains make us the individuals we are.

In this series of 24 fascinating lectures by a prominent neurobiologist, zoologist, and MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant recipient, you'll investigate how the human brain is sculpted by evolution, constrained or freed by genes, shaped by early experience, modulated by hormones, and otherwise influenced to produce a wide range of behaviors, some of them abnormal. And you'll learn how little can be explained by thinking about any of these factors alone, because some combination of influences is almost always at work.

Professor Sapolsky includes a provocative exploration of the implications of our emerging understanding of the origins of individual differences, considering such questions as: How much do these insights threaten our own sense of self and individuality? Where do we draw the line between the essence of the person and the biological abnormalities? What counts as being ill? Who is biologically impaired, and who is just different? As more and more subtle abnormalities of neurobiology are understood, how much should we worry about the temptation to label people as "abnormal"? And what happens when we each have a few of these labels?

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2005 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2005 The Great Courses

Fascinating; only wish it were longer...

Would you listen to Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition again? Why?

Yes, the information presented in the course is accessible and fascinating, but there is simply so much of it...

Which character – as performed by Professor Robert Sapolsky – was your favorite?

Professor Sapolsky did not perform any "characters," as would be expected in a course like this. But his tone was always engaging and sometimes humorous. This book was never dry and always informative.

One small caveat: He spends a large section toward the end of the book focusing on the biology of aggression. I do wish he had devoted more time to other topics more--certain mental disorders, the neurobiology of mood in a resting state, etc. But there are only so many hours in a day, I realize.

All in all, this series is just wonderful.

Any additional comments?

I'm not sure why another reviewer gave this series a low rating because some supplemental/print materials are not present with the course. There's a disclaimer in bold right beneath the publisher's summary.

I didn't feel that my experience of the series was lessened in the slightest by not having these "extra" materials, and I started listening with only some (very) basic familiarity with neuroscience.

The only thing I see being a potential snag is visualizing a nerve cell, but that's easy to google.

Fascinating

Robert Sapolsky is engaging, perhaps my favorite professor in the Great Courses series (of which I own many titles). I highly recommend this book.

Totally Awesome

If you could sum up Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition in three words, what would they be?

Amazing teacher, fascinating topic

What did you like best about this story?

The passion and love for science professor Sapolsky put in each topic

Which scene was your favorite?

The whole course was amazing. Fine sense of humor

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Makes me awe

Any additional comments?

The course in DVD is obviously better

Excel exponet

Dr. Robert Salpolsky has a unique gift, he can explain difficult concepts and make it easy for people who doesn't have to much experience related to neuroscience. I recommend this 100%

A well worth read for understanding behavior

Made me think very different about understanding human behavior , biology and genetics with the respect in response to the environment