The brain is a really complex piece of machinery. We understand it much better than we used to, but there is still a lot more that we don't understand. The number of possible data-points and connections is so vast that we just don't have the computing power to fully map out a brain right now. We seem to have free will, yet there is a lot that is programmed. Our world is filled with different waves, yet our brain adapts these signals into sight, sound and other phenomena. The brain does a good job of "stabilization", "synchronization" and "noise cancellation". Even though inputs may come at different times, they are synchronized to paint a coherent picture. We may "remember" things somewhat differently than we actually experienced them. (Memory can also be manipulated to help us remember things that did not occur.) We also only take in what we need for the given task. When we master skills, the brain does not need to spend as much effort and can put things on "autopilot". This book is a nice, short work with a lay-persons introduction to the science and complexity of the human brain. Like the human brain itself, our understanding of the brain is evolving. Many animals have brains that are mostly pre-programmed. Humans are more akin to a bare-metal computer with just a kernel. We must load the OS and programs on top. This makes us flexible, but also makes it challenging to understand the complexities.
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