Mirror Neurons: The Brain's Instant Replay of Others’ Actions

We trace the accidental discovery of mirror neurons by Rizzolatti and Gallese, explain how these cells fire both when you act and when you observe the same action, and explore how this “neural rehearsal” supports understanding intention and empathy. From the inferior frontal and parietal areas to Broca’s area and the somatosensory cortex, we discuss how humans turn observation into shared reality, revisit classic grasp-to-eat versus grasp-to-place experiments, and consider provocative ideas about language and self-awareness, including Ramachandran’s introspection hypothesis.

Note: This podcast was AI-generated, and sometimes AI can make mistakes. Please double-check any critical information.

Sponsored by Embersilk LLC