Neuromythologie

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The neuroscientific turn in the humanities and the social sciences has led to a permeation of neurobiological modes of explanation of almost every aspect of the human condition. From (neuro)economics to (neuro)law and from (neuro)philosophy to (neuro)psychoanalysis, brain science has become the leading tool of analyzing culture and society in the 21st century. Both in the scientific discourse and in public perception, we are witnessing the dawning of the "age of neuroessentialism": We do not only have a brain, we are our brains. In contrast to these bold concepts, empirical evidence from the "new sciences of the brain" is poor and the seemingly intriguing results are rarely reproducible. With respect to the scientific facts, the contemporary self-conceptual move from "personhood" to "brainhood" is not warranted. "Neuromythologie" is a call for humility in the face of ignorance.Recognizing the current practise of lifeworld-explanations by means of neuroscientific concepts, we consider "Neuromythologie" both timely and highly relevant. This book already significantly contributed to a critical debate on the actual explanatory power of brain science in Germany. We are convinced that Hasler's important book warrants an English translation to further fuel this debate within the international scientific community.

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