Question 1

One thing that makes the study of the human brain so incredibly daunting is the fact that within the brain, the total number of neurons-the cells that act as information processors- has been estimated to be as high as __________.

Accepted Answer

The estimated total number of neurons within the human brain is around 100 billion, which makes the study of the brain incredibly daunting. Option A (1 million) is a very small number compared to the estimated number of neurons in the brain. Option B (1 billion) is closer to the actual number, but still falls short. Option D (500,000) is far too low and does not even come close to the estimated number of neurons in the human brain.

Question 2

Which of the following did NOT have a strong scientific influence during the 1500s and 1600s?

Accepted Answer

Von Helmholtz was born in the 19th century and did not impact the scientific community until then. Descartes, Newton, and Galileo all played significant roles in the development of science during the 1500s and 1600s.

Question 3

Zach was in a car accident, and injured his brain. As a result of the car accident, he seems to have undergone a dramatic transformation from a calm professional to a wild and unpredictable individual. He is no longer able to plan or reason, and he shows great variation in his emotions throughout the day. As a result of the car accident, which part of Zach's brain was most likely injured?

Accepted Answer

The frontal lobe is responsible for a variety of functions, including decision-making, planning, reasoning, and emotional regulation. Injuries to this part of the brain can result in a lack of impulse control and emotional instability, as well as difficulties with planning and decision-making. This is consistent with the changes observed in Zach's behavior following his car accident.

Question 4

Descartes' view of action was radical and surprisingly straightforward. What he proposed was that __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Descartes' view of action was radical and...

Question 5

In Descartes' conception, nonhuman animals are machines, but humans are not because only humans __________.

Accepted Answer

Descartes believed that nonhuman animals are automata or machines because they lack rational souls, which he argued are only present in humans. This soul endows humans with reason and consciousness, distinguishing them from animals.

Question 6

The Catholic Church forced Galileo to recant his suggestion that the Earth orbits around the sun. Descartes would probably have had similar trouble with the Church if he had __________.

Accepted Answer

Descartes' dualistic view, which separated the mind (or soul) from the body, allowed for a "ghost" in the machine, meaning he maintained a role for the soul or mind separate from the physical world. This was more acceptable to the Church's teachings than a purely materialistic view that might eliminate the need for a soul or divine intervention.

Question 7

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the acceptance of the analogy of brain as machine?

Accepted Answer

The analogy of brain as machine is a controversial topic as some people consider it heretical to compare the complex human mind to a machine. While it has been around for a while, it is not universally accepted and faces criticism from some quarters. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

Question 8

Which of the following statements characterizes the scientific thought of the 1500s and 1600s?

Accepted Answer

The scientific thought of the 1500s and 1600s was characterized by the belief that natural phenomena can be understood through relatively straightforward scientific principles. This period saw the rise of classical physics, which sought to explain the motion of objects in terms of fundamental laws and principles. Ideas such as the reflex arc, acceleration, and the movement of planets were all key aspects of this scientific revolution. The other options, such as A, B, and D, do not accurately reflect the prevailing scientific thought of this time period.

Question 9

In the textbook's opening tour of the brain, the case of D.B. was described. D.B. had surgery to remove a benign tumor from his right occipital lobe. Following the surgery, D.B. reported that he __________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the textbook's opening tour of the...

Question 10

Prior to the changes in scientific thought that characterized the 1500s and 1600s, human behavior was assumed to be __________.

Accepted Answer

Prior to the changes in scientific thought during the 1500s and 1600s, human behavior was often seen as unexplainable and mysterious, and not easily understood through scientific thought.

Question 11

Which area of the brain is found under the crown of your head?

Accepted Answer

The parietal lobe is located at the top of the brain, under the crown of the head. The other lobes are located in other areas of the brain: the frontal lobe is at the front, the temporal lobe is at the sides, and the occipital lobe is at the back.

Question 12

Which of the following commonly observed characteristics of human or animal behavior is inconsistent with Descartes' view on reflexes?

Accepted Answer

Descartes believed that reflexes were automatic responses to specific stimuli, and that behavior required conscious decision-making by the mind. Therefore, behavior in the absence of any obvious stimulus would be inconsistent with his view of reflexes as purely automatic responses.

Question 13

Descartes' early forerunner of the reflex concept differs from our modern one because Descartes __________.

Accepted Answer

Descartes believed that the ultimate controller of the reflex action was the soul, which is not a part of modern reflex theory. Modern reflex theory does not involve the concept of the soul as an ultimate controller. Instead, it focuses on the role of the nervous system and the brain in controlling reflex actions.

Question 14

Which of the following brain functions would be most likely the first to be lost as we age?

Accepted Answer

The theory of retrogenesis suggests that the abilities and skills that are the last to form are the first to decline as we age. This is because the brain tends to deteriorate in a reverse order of development.

Question 15

Scientific advances during the 1500s and 1600s included the advances of __________.

Accepted Answer

Descartes, Newton, Kepler, and Galileo were all significant scientific figures during the 1500s and 1600s, making significant contributions to mathematics, physics, astronomy, and philosophy. While Pasteur and Darwin made important scientific contributions, they were not active during the 1500s and 1600s.

Question 16

René Descartes made his speculations about reflexes shortly after __________.

Accepted Answer

René Descartes made his speculations about reflexes in the 1600s, shortly after Kepler and Galileo developed their ideas about the movements of planets.

Question 17

The word reflex has its origin in __________.

Accepted Answer

The word reflex comes from Descartes' belief that energy from the outside is reflected back by the nervous system to an animal's muscles, which is the origin of the word "reflex."

Question 18

Many processes in the brain functioned essentially mechanically, according to Descartes, but what truly governed our behavior, what made humans different from animals, what made reason and choice possible, was __________.

Accepted Answer

Descartes believed that the soul, which he saw as separate from the material body, was responsible for reasoning, consciousness, and free will. In his view, animals lacked souls and were therefore incapable of these higher-level cognitive functions.

Question 19

The word reflex has its origin in __________.

Accepted Answer

The word "reflex" comes from the Latin word "reflexus," which means "bent back." The concept of a reflex arc, in which sensory input is automatically translated into motor output, was first proposed by René Descartes. He believed that the sensory energy from the outside world was received by the nervous system and reflected back to the muscles, causing them to move.

Question 20

In the textbook's opening tour of the brain, the case of J.S. was discussed. J.S. became ill with herpes simplex and encephalitis. As a result, he showed drastically altered language and memory abilities due to the resulting damage to his __________.

Accepted Answer

The damage caused by J.S.'s illness and encephalitis affected his language and memory abilities, which are primarily associated with the temporal lobe. The limbic system is responsible for emotion, motivation, and memory formation, but it is not specifically linked to language abilities. The frontal lobe is involved in higher-level thinking and executive function, but it is not the primary site for language processing. The parietal lobe is responsible for sensory processing and spatial awareness, but not for language and memory.

Quiz 3: The Brain and the Nervous System

One thing that makes the study of the human brain so incredibly daunting is the fact that within the brain, the total number of neurons-the cells that act as information processors- has been estimated to be as high as __________.

Which of the following did NOT have a strong scientific influence during the 1500s and 1600s?

Descartes' view of action was radical and surprisingly straightforward. What he proposed was that __________.

In Descartes' conception, nonhuman animals are machines, but humans are not because only humans __________.

The Catholic Church forced Galileo to recant his suggestion that the Earth orbits around the sun. Descartes would probably have had similar trouble with the Church if he had __________.

Which of the following statements accurately reflects the acceptance of the analogy of brain as machine?

Which of the following statements characterizes the scientific thought of the 1500s and 1600s?

In the textbook's opening tour of the brain, the case of D.B. was described. D.B. had surgery to remove a benign tumor from his right occipital lobe. Following the surgery, D.B. reported that he __________.

Prior to the changes in scientific thought that characterized the 1500s and 1600s, human behavior was assumed to be __________.

Which area of the brain is found under the crown of your head?

Which of the following commonly observed characteristics of human or animal behavior is inconsistent with Descartes' view on reflexes?

Descartes' early forerunner of the reflex concept differs from our modern one because Descartes __________.

Which of the following brain functions would be most likely the first to be lost as we age?

Scientific advances during the 1500s and 1600s included the advances of __________.

René Descartes made his speculations about reflexes shortly after __________.

The word reflex has its origin in __________.

Many processes in the brain functioned essentially mechanically, according to Descartes, but what truly governed our behavior, what made humans different from animals, what made reason and choice possible, was __________.

The word reflex has its origin in __________.

In the textbook's opening tour of the brain, the case of J.S. was discussed. J.S. became ill with herpes simplex and encephalitis. As a result, he showed drastically altered language and memory abilities due to the resulting damage to his __________.