In 1989, a serendipitous spreadsheet experiment led mechanical engineer Abraham Thomas to the groundbreaking xCode hypothesis. It overturns the current view of science that 86 billion neurons of the brain use algorithms to summate their incoming signals.
Drawing on decades of neuroscience research and recent interactions with advanced AI, Thomas weaves together a compelling narrative that spans 30 chapters, delving into the cellular, neurological, and psychological underpinnings of human cognition.
Discover how incoming combinatorial patterns of signals are matched against a complex tapestry of genetic instructions, protein memories, subthreshold potentials, and neurochemical signatures.
Explore how this matching process exposes the astronomical human memory mystery. Peek at the ambitious dreams of Sigmund Freud, the curious case of the philosophical revelations of an ordinary spreadsheet.
Discover the amazing memories in transplanted organs, the gatekeeping emotions of the amygdala and the brilliant bridge between determinism and free will.
Uncover the insular cortex link to the sense of self; how mirror neurons enable 90% of human communication; the bar chart of. the somatic marker hypothesis. Ponder the time lag of consciousness, the thoughts organ and the beliefs organ that also sustains knowledge.
Through the lens of the XCode Mind, Thomas offers a fresh perspective on humor, common sense, savant abilities, and even cosmic intelligence. Gain insights into mind control techniques and practical tips for harnessing the power of your own XCode Mind.
"Taller Than a Tree" is a captivating journey into the depths of human cognition, challenging conventional wisdom and inspiring a new understanding of what it means to be human.
Thomas does a good job of articulating the idea of xCode and proposing plausible biological underpinnings of this computational mechanism. However, he begins in little contemporary research in computational neurobiology, brain chemistry, or neuronal morphology, and mentions few specific studies. Instead, he leans heavily into older ideas such as the tripartite mind (Freud’s id, ego, and super-ego) and morphological-functional brain areas (such as the roles of the amygdala and claustrum), an approach somewhat at odds with the hypothesis’s emphasis on the individual neuron as a primary functional unit.
Thomas challenges orthodoxies about what we think we know about intelligence, and asks provocative questions about our understanding of memory and thinking, though readers with backgrounds in contemporary neurobiology will likely require more rigorous refinement and testing of the hypothesis before signing on to this “profound rethinking of the neuron itself.” Occasional side topics like the idea of transplanted organs holding memories run counter to the brain-centered thesis, and ideas like trusting your intuition but fighting the urges of the lizard brain sometimes seem to be in conflict. Thomas overall takes a collegial and inviting teaching tone, but doesn’t often address readers’ likely questions or objections.
Takeaway: A call to rethink what we know about thinking, rooted in philosophy and neurobiology.
Comparable Titles: Andy Clark’s Mindware, Samuel J. Gershman’s What Makes Us Smart.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: B+
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B-
Marketing copy: B
