"Decisions, Uncertainty, and the Brain: The Science of Neuroeconomics" by Paul W. Glimcher
Bradford Books
MIT Press  | 2003 | ISBN: 0262072440 | 396 pages | PDF | 5 Mb




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In this provocative book, Paul Glimcher argues that economic theory mayprovide an alternative to the classical Cartesian model of the brainand behavior. Glimcher outlines what an economics-based cognitive modelmight look like and how one would begin to test it empirically.

Glimcher argues that Cartesian dualism operatesfrom the false premise that the reflex is able to describe behavior inthe real world that animals inhabit.

A mathematically rich cognitive theory, he claims, could solve the mostdifficult problems that any environment could present, eliminating theneed for dualism by eliminating the need for a reflex theory. Such amathematically rigorous description of the neural processes thatconnect sensation and action, he explains, will have its roots inmicroeconomic theory.
Economic theory allows physiologists to define both the optimal courseof action that an animal might select and a mathematical route by whichthat optimal solution can be derived.

Along the way, he presents a fascinating history of neuroscience. Healso discusses related questions about determinism, free will, and thestochastic nature of complex behavior.