Nominator's statement

This book has had an enormous influence on every generation of cognitive neuroscientists since its publication. Cell assemblies, phase sequences, synaptic plasticity, and many more ideas were first goven articulate form here.

comments

• I agree with the nominator that this classic work is profoundly important. After a half century, it remains the only plausible explanation of how the brain actually operates.

• Hebb's great contribution to understanding the human psyche is that he trashed the concept of introspection. The human mind cannot see itself. He did not originate the term "the omicron effect", but he would have agreed: the little omission in our human mental make-up is that we do not have the capacity to see ourselves: we cannot objectively examine our own fantasies, foibles, or beliefs. We need to develop psychological mirrors to begin to see inside our own psyche - or we could pay attention to what our worst enemies are saying about us!

• Hebb is certainly one of the founding fathers of cognitive psychology, and this is his magnum opus.

• I honestly don't think you can do a comprehensive list without Hebb!

• The first really successful attempt to link neurobiology with psychology. Without doubt one of the most influential books in cognitive science this century, or ever. The first discussion of cell-assemblies, hebbian learning, etc.