Memory, Consciousness, and the Brain

PARA memory and consciousness have been objects of fascination to psychologists and other brain scientists for over one hundred years. However, because of the complexity of the two topics, and despite great efforts spent on their study, the progress in their understanding over this time has been rather slow. Recently, thanks to new techniques and to changing pre-theoretical orientations, the study of the role of the brain in memory and consciousness has received a boost, and has become a central focus of research activity by researchers worldwide. The volume reviews recent progress on our understanding of memory, consciousness and the brain and identifies a number of acute problems. The purpose of the volume, based on a conference in Tallinn, is to look to the future, and not simply to share knowledge from ongoing research. In this sense, the volume does not contain a comprehensive overview of the field, but rather showcases a selection of ideas in cognitive neuroscience.