"You shall have no other gods besides Me." This injunction, handed down through Moses three thousand years ago, marks one of the most decisive shifts in Western culture: away from polytheism toward monotheism. Despite the momentous implications of such a turn, the role of idolatry in giving it direction and impetus is little understood. This book examines the meaning and nature of idolatry--and, in doing so, reveals much about the monotheistic tradition that defines itself against this sin. The authors consider Christianity and Islam, but focus primarily on Judaism. They explore competing...

In the same way atomic structures explain the physical properties of an object, neuroscientists are now learning about the human mind by examining how the neurons in the brain are connected to one another and their surrounding environments. Will brain scientists ever be capable of reading minds? Why are certain things harder to remember than others? The Brain-Shaped Mind addresses these and other questions to provide a clear account of how the structure of the brain influences the workings of the mind. Naomi Goldblum is a lecturer in psychology at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan, Israel. She...