Some of our favorite books.
*Past EB Lab book club readings
principles of neural design
Peter Sterling and Simon Laughlin
Original and technical introduction to neuroscience guided by engineering principles. Focuses on why the brain is organized the way it is.
The Archaeology of Mind: Neuroevolutionary Origins of Human Emotions
Jaak Panksepp and Lucy Biven
Examines the evolutionary origins and neuroanatomical underpinnings of mammalian emotion. Takes a strong stance about which emotions are conserved across species.
Embodied cognition account of non-human behavior that challenges anthropocentric assumptions about the proximate causes of behavior. Sometimes there are simple explanations for complex actions.
The secret to humans’ success as a species may be our ability to accumulate and transmit knowledge—aka, culture. All about cultural evolution.
Evolutionary biologist examines what we have to gain from group living by drawing connections between human and non-human societies.
Principles of animal communication
Jack Bradbury and Sandra Vehrencamp
The textbook on, well, animal communication. Extremely useful introduction to the behavioral ecology of cues and signals.
Sweeping take on how the physical and biological world demonstrates synchrony at all levels, from the quantum to the social.
Turns out every aspect of our biology, including our metabolic rate and lifespan, can be precisely predicted by our size. Spoiler: networks are the key to everything.
Renowned newspaper editor outlines his rules for clear and concise writing. He demonstrates how he edits sentences to make them more engaging, understandable, and precise.
Do I make myself clear? Why writing well matters
Harold Evans
The story of how humans domesticated ourselves and other species.
Survival of the friendliest*
Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods
More accessible, speculative, and applied presentation of Sterling’s ideas about allostasis.
What is health?*
Peter Sterling
Uses comparative, anthropological, and psychological evidence to argue that alloparenting is the reason for our prosociality.
Mothers and OtherS: The Evolutionary Origins of Mutual Understanding*
Sarah Blaffer Hrdy
Provides a blueprint for the future of affective science that is rooted in a functional and neuroscience-focused approach
The neuroscience of emotion: A new synthesis*
Ralph Adolphs and David Anderson
So much of human behavior is shaped by the people around us. Changing the structure of our social networks is an overlooked but powerful way to change our behavior.
Social Physics: How social networks can make us smarter*
Alex Pentland