About
I graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) in neuroscience from University College London in 1998, then started, but did not complete, a Ph.D. in the Department of Developmental Neurobiology at King’s College London.
I live and work in London. Since leaving the Ph.D. in 2000, I’ve worked as a freelance science writer and medical communicator. In 2005, I completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at Kingston University, then worked for a short time as a science teacher at a secondary school in south London.
Oct. ‘07- June ‘09. Studying for an M.Sc. in neuroscience at UCL.
Some of my photographs
The Neurophilosopher Jr. (b. February, 2005) and Beit-el-Din, Lebanon
Interior of the Hanging Church in Cairo and sunset over a sunflower field, Charente, SW France
(Click on) Some of my favourite things
Greetings, Neurophilospher!
Thank you for linking my blog–I linked yours in return. What’s this about your not completing your PhD? Please reconsider–we need neuroscientists!
By the way, NP Jr is very cute.
Laura
28 Sep 06 at 2:45 am
Your weblog is fascinating and is now at the top of my list of sites to check. When I feel like I’ve failed at life I realize it’s because I’ve let my thirst for
knowledge become temporarily quenched by mind-draining activities. Your weblog is a fine example of what I should be paying attention to. Please keep
up the great work!
Seth
13 Nov 06 at 5:36 am
I ran into your blog just by pure accident and really enjoyed reading your posts here. In fact I liked it so much that I have linked you to my neuroscience blog
over at http://www.simplisticart.blogspot.com/. It also looks like we have similar interests since you also have an intensely neuro-scientific angle to common
place issues. My blog is nothing like yours and is a very fledgling attempt at putting my thoughts up there…
Please keep up the good work and your posts! Really enjoy reading them.
Sunil Gangadharan
15 Nov 06 at 5:21 pm
Awesome site! Probably the best academic blog I’ve ever seen.
Ryan
28 Nov 06 at 8:17 am
I really like the content of your site. Great links.
You might enjoy some of the similar aspects we share in science and religion.
http://www.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/UKSHIFT/default.htm
http://www.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/default2.htm
I am not sure if you meant to write “A devout athiest Copt,” or an “atheist”.
I did not know about the Copts. If I understand you correctly how can you be an atheist and a Copt?
“The Copts, which constitute the largest religious minority in Egypt, claim descent from the ancient Egyptians; the word copt is derived from the Arabic word
qubt (”Egyptian”) and the Coptic language is the last stage of the development of ancient Egyptian.”
(http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/western/bldef_coptic.htm)
All the best,
Robin
Robin Cooper
12 Dec 06 at 6:41 pm
Robin, my description of myself as “a devout athiest Copt” is very intentional. I am Coptic by heritage, and am very interested in the history of the ancient
church to which I belong, by birth. At the same time, I strongly deny the existence of God. Therefore, I am an athiest Copt!
Thanks for your comment, but I hope you like my original written material as well as my links!
The neurophilosopher
12 Dec 06 at 7:02 pm
I came across your blog as I was googling a book about the brain and religious beliefs. I was born in Egypt and like you, I am interested in the mind,
consciousness, modern physics, cosmology and the interface between science and religion. But I believe in God and I am Catholic. There is a huge
dialogue going on between theologians and scientists. I am open to any information your blog can offer. Thanks.
George
30 Dec 06 at 12:03 am
Neurophilosophy is a professional science 2.0 blog full with features and thoughts.
Attila.
attilachordash
9 Jan 07 at 6:11 pm
Great blog! Happy that it’s getting more popular.
Michael Anissimov
17 Jan 07 at 10:05 pm
I found you via “I and the Bird” and am happy you chose to exerpt from Drawing the Motmot what I think is one of the most interesting (and under-discussed)
aspects of the artist’s life: the artist’s brain. Have you, or anyone else in the literature, explored what happens in the brain during creative activity, particularly
during drawing?
Great Darwinian approach to “I and the Bird”. Thanks for hosting!
zeladoniac
9 Feb 07 at 3:03 am
Why don’t you blog at scienceblogs.com? You’re far better than most of them. How can you find time to create 2-3 such serious posts a day?
ncurse
17 Feb 07 at 9:17 am
I found your site while searching mirror box therapy. I knew about the virtual reality stuff in Manchester in the UK but this is the first I’ve heard about the US.
I don’t know if you’re familiar with Complex Regional Pain syndrome. It behaves in a similar manner to phantom limb pain in that the pain is brain driven. It’s
now known that the brain changes in all chronic pain states. The phantom limb work with mirrors was tried on patients with CRPS with success. I suspect
the virtual reality stuff will have far reaching consequences.
I would like permission to place links to some of your articles on my blog about what works for me (including mirror therapy) to relieve symptoms of CRPS, and
also to a google group I created for others about what helps them.. Here are my sites.
http://www.crps-rsd-a-better life.blogspot.com
http://groups.google.com/group/crpsrsd?hl=en-GB
Thanks for your posts. I agree with the person who suggested you continue studying. It seems you ‘re already doing the work.
jeisea
http://www.crps-rsd.blogspot.com
jeisea
23 Feb 07 at 11:36 pm
Hi there, Your site description says written for those with some background… I found your site because I have such a curiosity about the giant squid. I have
a degree in design but love reading about science of all types. I’m glad you don’t dumb it down. Despite my lack of professional study in this area, I figure
if I’m curious enough about a subject I’ll somehow manage to fill in the blanks and learn what the lingo means. I truly appreciate excellence in other fields
besides my own that are of interest, fascination, and inspiration! Thanks again. I’ll be reading more in the future.
Melanie
27 Feb 07 at 3:13 am
Neurophilosopher,
I regularly check in on your blog in my feeds to look for great material for my own blog: Banapana. It’s a cognitive science site as well, but I try to restrict
my area to the intersection of mind and media (and/or brain and media). Any chance I could get a spot on your cognitive science blog list?
Russell
1 Mar 07 at 1:07 am
Dear Neurophilosopher,
Forgive the unsolicited message, but I stumbled across your excellent site and thought you might be interested in my own newly-launched venture. Go to: http://www.neurotransmission.wordpress.com to read and respond to the inaugural post of my new blog — an extended essay on mothers, madness, and
the future of the DSM.
The essay’s called DECONSTRUCTING THE PSYCHIATRIC BIBLE, or “DSM-V, how the American Psychiatric Association told me my mom was crazy, and how I
found the true meaning of madness and sanity at the edge of neuroscience.” In it, I tell the story of how I tried to diagnose my mother’s mental illness, and
get to grips with the current controversies in the psychiatric diagnostic system. It’s both deeply personal and philosophically reflective - a marriage of
brain science, investigative journalism and emotional introspection – and I believe it will resonate with anyone interested in, or affected by, the issue
of what it
means to deal with mental illness.
Going forward, NEUROTRANSMISSION will document the controversial and emotionally charged arena of mental health and psychiatric treatment. The blog will
consider the ongoing debate concerning the nature of mental disorder, based on the state-of-the-art in psychology, psychiatry and contemporary culture.
Is mental illness directly analogous to physical illness, caused by specific dysfunctions in genetics or brain biochemistry? Or is madness in the eye of the
beholder, a normative social construct? What does it mean to be “sane,” anyway, in a world riven by social pathologies? NEUROTRANSMISSION will consider
the spectrum of serious dialog on these timeworn yet urgent questions, from the perspectives of psychiatry, psychology, the arts, philosophy and cultural
anthropology, striving to capture the latest understandings of both mental illness and health in the developed west and beyond.
A brief bio: I have a literary background (MA in English from Oxford), but now work in mental health (counseling homeless teens).
I look forward to your comments and feedback. Please forward the blog URL to anyone you think might be interested.
Jason Thompson
http://www.neurotransmission.wordpress.com
Jason Thompson
2 Mar 07 at 10:01 am
I followed a link from DrX’s blog to here. Nicely done.
drsharna
4 Mar 07 at 3:25 am
Great site. I check in daily!
TWB
14 Mar 07 at 9:54 pm
This site is adorable! I found it via Gary Rollman’s Psychology of Pain blog. Again, you’re amazing. I’ll be checking back regularly.
Anthony Cole
22 Mar 07 at 7:01 am
I have nothing in-depth or detailed to contribute right now. Just wanted to say that I LOVE reading this blog. The information, the presentation, and the mind
behind it are all pristine. Thank you for all that you do! I’m a loyal fan.
gentiana
10 Apr 07 at 4:31 pm
You are good, strive to do far better. Your view in biology in the perspective of general science is the best part. And congrats for a record viewership.
Amiya Sarkar
13 Apr 07 at 8:36 pm
found your site while looking for information about honey bee dances…i’m a writer (and beekeeper) and am beginning work on a picture book about
honey bees; I found your site fascinating & sent on the gorgeous bee dance video to my son & others…can’t wait to read more articles.
susan
2 May 07 at 5:36 pm
I’ve just been to your blog and I found it very interesting. I am new in blogging and I think I will become a regular visitor to your site.
Savvas Kyriakidis
12 Jun 07 at 10:44 am