Incognito

Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain (2011) by David Eagleman. This book makes an interesting case for the proposition that, rather than assigning blame in criminal cases, brain science is more and more making it necessary to consider the physical condition of the perpetrator's brain. For example, some criminals have been shown to be under the influence of brain tumors when they committed their offenses. Others have committed crimes while sleepwalking -- and been acquitted because they were unconscious of having done anything wrong. These and other conundrums lead Eagleman to suggest that our understanding of the brain is just beginning to scratch the surface, and that wonders beyond our imagining are yet to be discovered. His research is extensive -- the book has lots of notes and bibliography -- and very convincing. Grade: A-