This book is based on an in-depth conversation between Howard Burton and one of the world's leading experts on autism Uta Frith, Professor of Cognitive Development at University College London. Topics that are examined in this extensive conversation are what autism actually is, the reasons behind the increased number of diagnoses over the last few years, autism spectrum disorders, Asperger's syndrome, mentalizing, brain imaging to research the cognitive and neurobiological bases of autism and more.
This carefully-edited book includes an introduction, The Autistic Condition, and questions for discussion at the end of each chapter:
- Assessing the Landscape - An autism epidemic?
- Searching for a Definition - Innate vs. conscious understanding
- A Stunning Result - Learning from dolls
- Looking Inside - Brain-imaging technology and its impact
- Vaccines - Correlation vs. causation
- Probing the Spectrum - Big and little pictures
- Gender - A provocative speculation
- Ways Forward - Some concrete approaches
About Ideas Roadshow Conversations Series (100 books):
Presented in an accessible, conversational format, Ideas Roadshow books not only explore frontline academic research featuring world-leading researchers, including 3 Nobel Laureates, but also reveal the inspirations and personal journeys behind the research. Howard Burton holds a PhD in physics and an MA in philosophy, and was the Founding Director of Canada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
