Printable Biography of Michael Gazzaniga

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 It is remarkable, however, that he's willing to tackle some of today's most contentious social, political and scientific issues, armed only with a curious mind and the knowledge gained from years of experience studying the brain. In his new book, The Ethical Brain (Dana Press, 2005), he weighs in on stem cell research, euthanasia, the criminal justice system and much more, bringing to bear recent developments in neuroscience. He also discusses his experiences as a member of the President's Council on Bioethics.

Gazzaniga's brief but ambitious book is centered on the idea that "you are your brain." So, for example, he argues that "a fertilized egg, a clump of cells with no brain, is hardly deserving of the same moral status we confer on the newborn child or the functioning adult." Neuroscience also has implications for understanding religious faith, says Gazzaniga, suggesting that "religiosity could have an organic basis within the normally functioning brain." Even more intriguing, Gazzaniga hopes that further research will uncover an innate sense of ethics invisibly guiding human behavior.