The Brain with David Eagleman

Gr 9 Up—In six episodes, the neuroscientist, writer, and Baylor University Eagleman Laboratory director explores aspects of human thought and brain development. The effects of brain injury, synesthesia, the nature of memory, and the autism spectrum are among the topics in the hour-long episodes: "What Is Reality?," "What Makes Me?," "Who Is in Control?," "How Do I Decide?," "Why Do I Need You?," and "Who Will We Be?" Viewers will either enjoy or be impatient with David Eagleman's style, which can seem slow and pedantic. Comments such as "society is a complex web of interaction" and "the remarkable fact [that] we are born utterly helpless…" will not be news to most viewers. Eagleman appears frequently in every episode, whether he is suited up for track meet (how fast can ears process the sound from a starter's gun?) or stopping volunteers on the street to wrestle with the Trolley Problem's ethical dilemma of whether to sacrifice one life for several others. Brain research is moving so quickly that any DVD on the subject is likely to be quickly dated, this one included. (One segment midway in episode four concerns the effects of ovulation and the menstrual cycle on tips for lap dancers.)