The undiscovered mind: How the human brain defies replication, medication, and explanation

Journal/Book: Psychol Sci. 1999; 10: 350 Main Street, Ste 6, Malden, MA 02148, USA. Blackwell Publishers. 470-474.

Abstract: In The End of Science, I argued that particle physics, cosmology, evolutionary biology, and other fields of pure science have entered an era of diminishing returns (Horgan, 1997). Although scientists will continue refining and extending current theories and applying their knowledge in the realms of technology and medicine, they may never again achieve insights into nature as profound as quantum mechanics, relatively theory, the big bang theory, natural selection, and DNA-based generics. One reasonable objection to the book was that DNA-related research, of all current scientific enterprises, has the most revolutionary potential, and it deserves a more thorough treatment than it received in The End of Science. I responded to this objection by writing a book that focused on ''mind-science'' (Horgan, 1999). The Undiscovered Mind considered not only the debate over consciousness, which was the primary focus of The End of Science; it also review ed the record of fields such as clinical psychology, psychiatry, behavioural genetics, evolutionary psychology, artificial intelligence, and neuroscience. I contended that there has been little progress in understanding the mind, replicating its properties, or treating its disorders-especially compared with the extravagant claims made by proponents of certain approaches. In this article, I summarize some of my book's main points.

Note: Article Horgan J, 241 Route 403, Garrison,NY 10524 USA

Keyword(s): PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE; PSYCHOTHERAPY; DEPRESSION

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