Why do you feel the way you feel? How do your emotions arise? Although you are interested in learning which brain mechanisms make you feel love, desire, joy, pleasure,... once you feel this way, everything seems wonderful – as if you don’t want to be distracted by anything!
However, when you feel sadness, fear, anger, anxiety, sorrow, guilt, shame,... you definitely want to know "how you operate" – perhaps you can manage to rid yourself of unpleasant emotions in your daily life! That’s how you feel, and you want to do something about it.
Could it be that even if you understand how genes, neurotransmitters, and the entire neural "jungle" of your brain function, there is a chance to grasp why you feel the way you feel? Do neuroscientists "see" the innermost side of human life in a way that you can’t even imagine?
Nowadays, the sciences of the brain are unlocking the secrets of our emotions and actions. After all, we live in the age of "neuro-mania," where the prefix "neuro-" scientifically legitimizes almost everything: from neurophysiology and neuroeconomics to neurotheology and the application of neuroscience in justice.
"This is how you feel the most common stirrings of your existence", explains neuroscientist Giovanni Frateato in this extraordinarily well-written book. His knowledge intertwines with his personal experience, offering an irresistible account of the continuous contradiction between logic and emotion, between scientific writing and poetic disposition. And the more you face this contradiction, the better you understand why you feel this way.
However, the author also signals a trend towards a less "imperial" neuroscience: How satisfying is the interpretation of science to you, and when do you want to turn to other kinds of "explorers of existence" – such as poets, artists, philosophers, cinema, and theater – in order to realize the reasons behind your feelings?
An easy read that deals with a mysterious, complex subject. You get hooked, reading it "in one gulp," from cover to cover; you want to learn, and the reason is simple: because that’s how you feel!
