The Future of the Brain: Essays by the World's Leading Neuroscientists

Humans are always on a quest to learn about the brain: how it thinks, what it is capable of, and how it can change. Despite years of research, the brain still feels like an unexplored realm. People persist in their investigation because the implications are so profound—unlocking the secrets of science, finding a cure for illnesses, and exploring human consciousness.

The Future of the Brain: Essays by the World’s Leading Neuroscientists, edited by Gary Marcus and Jeremy Freeman, is a collection of essays written by top scientists about the future of the brain, how to study it, and how to tackle the massive amount of data the brain produces. 

This book made me really appreciate Allah’s creation, His wisdom, and His complexity. It gave me a sense of wonder at how much there is to explore.  

I must confess that the book was dense and very academic, and even though I have a science background, I found it challenging in many places because of the terminology. People who study science or have a science background would most appreciate this book. However, if you approach this book thinking, “Studying Allah’s creation only brings me closer to Him,” then you will really walk away with a lot. You will feel in awe of the unlimited potential of intelligence, and how it changes and adapts. You will be amazed by the complexity of the brain and the massive amount of data it produces, which we have only begun to fully explore.

These essays made me appreciate how adaptive our brain is, how many connections there are, and how all of it is layered in our sensory, environmental, and cultural experiences. This book gives me comfort, especially in a technology-heavy world, that our brains and bodies are still superior creations. Even though the brain is merely a lump of flesh, it is able to compute! Our bodies are a miracle and a wonder. Overall, this reading deepened my appreciation for Allah.