Bjorn Merker (also: Björn Merker), Swedish citizen born May 15, 1943, in Tetschen (now Czech Republic), is a neuroscientist and an independent interdisciplinary scholar educated in the USA, now living in southern Sweden.
Merker studied psychology and brain science in the U.S., receiving a B.A. in psychology at Queens College of the City University of New York (1975), and a PhD in psychology and brain science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980 for work on midbrain orienting mechanisms. He then worked on oculomotor physiology in cats at UCLA and on the primary visual cortex of macaques at New York University. An interest in comparative behavioral biology led him to study song development and mirror self-recognition in gibbons, and eventually to research on the biological roots and evolutionary background of human music and language. With Nils Wallin and Steven Brown he edited the interdisciplinary volume The Origins of Music. In retirement, he continues active work on theoretical topics that include the analysis of brain macrosystems and their interaction, countercurrent modelling of cortical memory, the subcortical foundations of brain mechanisms of attention and consciousness, and the biological background to human music and language.[1][2][3] Merker's theory is featured at online websites, such as by McGill University.
Bjorn is the chief scientist at a Swedish deep-tech neuroscience company, Mother. AB, designing VR and biofeedback mental health tools.
Authorededit
Booksedit
B. Merker (2012): From probabilities to percepts. A subcortical "global best estimate buffer" as locus of phenomenal experience". In: S. Edelman, T. Fekete and N. Zach (Eds.): Being in Time. Dynamical models of phenomenal experience. (pp. 37–79). Amsterdam. John Benjamins Publishing Company.
B. Merker (in press): "The vocal learning constellation: imitation, ritual culture, encephalization." In: N. Bannan & S. Mithen (Eds.). Music, language and human evolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
N.L. Wallin, B. Merker & S. Brown (Eds.)(2000): The origins of music. The M.I.T. Press, Cambridge, Mass.
B. Merker (1980): "The Sentinel Hypothesis - A role for the mammalian superior colliculus." Doctoral Dissertation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, Mass.
Selected articlesedit
B. Merker, K. Williford & D. Rudrauf (2021): "The Integrated Information Theory of consciousness: A case of mistaken identity". In: Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1-72. doi:10.1017/S0140525X21000881
B. Merker (2013): "Cortical gamma oscillations: the functional key is activation, not cognition". In: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 37 (2013) 401–417
B. Merker, G. Madison & P. Eckerdal (2009): "On the role and origin of isochrony in human rhythmic entrainment." In: Cortex 45: 4-17.
B. Merker (2007): "Consciousness without a cerebral cortex: a challenge for neuroscience and medicine." Target article, commentaries and author's response. In: The Behavioral and Brain Sciences 30: 63-134
B. Merker (2006): "The Conformal Motive in Birdsong, Music, and Language: An Introduction.", The Neurosciences and Music II: From Perception to Performance. In: Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Volume 1060, December 2005: 17-28.
B. Merker (2004). "Cortex, countercurrent context, and dimensional integration of lifetime memory." Cortex, 40: 559-576. Preprint at: http://cogprints.org/6456/
M. Ujhelyi, B. Merker, P. Buk & T. Geissmann (2000). "Observations on the behavior of gibbons in the presence of mirrors." Journal of Comparative Psychology, 114: 253-262.
B. Merker & C. Cox (1999): "Development of the female great call in Hylobates gabriellae: A case study." Folia Primatologica, 70: 96-106.
E. Schwartz & B. Merker (1986). "Computer aided neuroanatomy: Differential geometry of cortical surfaces and an optimal flattening algorithm." IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, 6: 36-44.
B. Merker & J. Schlag (1985): "Role of intralaminar thalamus in gaze mechanisms: Evidence from electrical stimulation and fiber sparing lesions in cats." In: Experimental Brain Research, 59: 388-394.
External linksedit
PhilPapers - online research in philosophy
Referencesedit
^Libris, the Royal Library of Sweden search engine, is listing 21 titles as of Jan 21, 2011.
^Cecilia Christner Riad Ensam om att gå i takt, in: Forskning och Framtid, No. 8 (2003) - interview with Björn Merker
^Curriculum Vitae by Björn Merker, 5 pages, June 2010 - read Jan 21, 2011
February 15, 2024
bjorn, merker, also, björn, merker, swedish, citizen, born, 1943, tetschen, czech, republic, neuroscientist, independent, interdisciplinary, scholar, educated, living, southern, sweden, merker, studied, psychology, brain, science, receiving, psychology, queens. Bjorn Merker also Bjorn Merker Swedish citizen born May 15 1943 in Tetschen now Czech Republic is a neuroscientist and an independent interdisciplinary scholar educated in the USA now living in southern Sweden Merker studied psychology and brain science in the U S receiving a B A in psychology at Queens College of the City University of New York 1975 and a PhD in psychology and brain science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1980 for work on midbrain orienting mechanisms He then worked on oculomotor physiology in cats at UCLA and on the primary visual cortex of macaques at New York University An interest in comparative behavioral biology led him to study song development and mirror self recognition in gibbons and eventually to research on the biological roots and evolutionary background of human music and language With Nils Wallin and Steven Brown he edited the interdisciplinary volume The Origins of Music In retirement he continues active work on theoretical topics that include the analysis of brain macrosystems and their interaction countercurrent modelling of cortical memory the subcortical foundations of brain mechanisms of attention and consciousness and the biological background to human music and language 1 2 3 Merker s theory is featured at online websites such as by McGill University Contents 1 Entrepreneurship 2 Authored 2 1 Books 2 2 Selected articles 3 External links 4 ReferencesEntrepreneurship editBjorn is the chief scientist at a Swedish deep tech neuroscience company Mother AB designing VR and biofeedback mental health tools Authored editBooks edit B Merker 2012 From probabilities to percepts A subcortical global best estimate buffer as locus of phenomenal experience In S Edelman T Fekete and N Zach Eds Being in Time Dynamical models of phenomenal experience pp 37 79 Amsterdam John Benjamins Publishing Company B Merker in press The vocal learning constellation imitation ritual culture encephalization In N Bannan amp S Mithen Eds Music language and human evolution Oxford Oxford University Press N L Wallin B Merker amp S Brown Eds 2000 The origins of music The M I T Press Cambridge Mass B Merker 1980 The Sentinel Hypothesis A role for the mammalian superior colliculus Doctoral Dissertation Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge Mass Selected articles edit B Merker K Williford amp D Rudrauf 2021 The Integrated Information Theory of consciousness A case of mistaken identity In Behavioral and Brain Sciences 1 72 doi 10 1017 S0140525X21000881 B Merker 2013 Cortical gamma oscillations the functional key is activation not cognition In Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews 37 2013 401 417 B Merker G Madison amp P Eckerdal 2009 On the role and origin of isochrony in human rhythmic entrainment In Cortex 45 4 17 B Merker 2007 Consciousness without a cerebral cortex a challenge for neuroscience and medicine Target article commentaries and author s response In The Behavioral and Brain Sciences 30 63 134 B Merker 2006 The Conformal Motive in Birdsong Music and Language An Introduction The Neurosciences and Music II From Perception to Performance In Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Volume 1060 December 2005 17 28 B Merker 2004 Cortex countercurrent context and dimensional integration of lifetime memory Cortex 40 559 576 Preprint at http cogprints org 6456 M Ujhelyi B Merker P Buk amp T Geissmann 2000 Observations on the behavior of gibbons in the presence of mirrors Journal of Comparative Psychology 114 253 262 B Merker amp C Cox 1999 Development of the female great call in Hylobates gabriellae A case study Folia Primatologica 70 96 106 E Schwartz amp B Merker 1986 Computer aided neuroanatomy Differential geometry of cortical surfaces and an optimal flattening algorithm IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications 6 36 44 B Merker amp J Schlag 1985 Role of intralaminar thalamus in gaze mechanisms Evidence from electrical stimulation and fiber sparing lesions in cats In Experimental Brain Research 59 388 394 External links editMIT Press PhilPapers online research in philosophyReferences edit Libris the Royal Library of Sweden search engine is listing 21 titles as of Jan 21 2011 Cecilia Christner Riad Ensam om att ga i takt in Forskning och Framtid No 8 2003 interview with Bjorn Merker Curriculum Vitae by Bjorn Merker 5 pages June 2010 read Jan 21 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bjorn Merker amp oldid 1157097062, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
