How to grow a human : reprogramming cells and redesigning life
Ball, Philip, 1962-2020
Books
After seeing his own cells used to grow clumps of new neurons - essentially mini-brains - Philip Ball begins to examine the concepts of identity and consciousness. Delving into humanity's deep evolutionary past to look at how complex creatures like us emerged from single-celled life, he offers a new perspective on how humans think about ourselves. In an age when we are increasingly encouraged to regard the 'self' as an abstract sequence of genetic information, or as a pattern of neural activity that might be 'downloaded' to a computer, he return us to the body - to flesh and blood - and anchors a conception of personhood in this unique and ephemeral mortal coil. 'How to Build a Human' brings us back to ourselves - but in doing so, it challenges old preconceptions and values. It asks us to rethink how we exist in the world.
Main title:
Author:
Ball, Philip, 1962-, author
Imprint:
London : William Collins, 2020.
Collation:
xi, 372 pages : illustrations (black and white) ; 20 cm
Notes:
Originally published: 2019.
ISBN:
9780008331818 (pbk. :)
Dewey class:
155.2
Language:
English
BRN:
1209879
Bookmark link:
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