Abstract: Game theorist, behavioral economist as well as psychologist and philosophers have long been interested in knowing HOW we make or OUGHT to make decisions. Perhaps it's now time to look inside the brain to see WHERE the decisions are made. The new findings based on what is known as the BOLD signal has fascinated a new generation of scientist who seek to better understand the neural mechanisms of decision making. The relevant neuroimaging data known as functional MRI (fMRI) reveals what areas of the brain are most active during a specific decision task and highlights which parts of brain are involved in the active process of decision making . The new data however, just like any other piece of scientific data must be approached with a critical eye. It is important then to know what the pitfalls are in drawing conclusions when using brain imaging. The following lectures cover most of this exciting research based on the new neuroimaging toolbox.

Lecture 1:
How to control the mind?: evidence for cognitive control.
Lecture2:
How to design and analyze a decision making experiment?
Lecture3:
the effect of consciousness on higher cognitive functions such as emotion and value computation.
Lecture4:
what does shape and bias our decision making? Evidence for moral character and optimism bias.

Abstract: Our motor system is capable of performing many different graceful movements. The neural substrate underlying such graceful movements has been the subject of attention for more than 100 years. Through early studies by Galvani on frog leg, to Hitzig and Fritsch's studies on dog brain, and to Penfield's experiments on human brain, we have learnt a lot about the role of cortex in motor control. Yet, the discussion on what is actually being controlled is still unresolved. Many influential researchers have speculated on this question; from Sherington's hypothesis on voluntary movement being a chain of gained reflexes, to Evart's discoveries on the role of pyramidal cells in generating muscle force and to Georgopoulos's hypothesis on the role of primary motor cortex in controlling kinematics of action. Yet the nature of what is controlled is disputed as all of above seem to be somehow represented in the brain. This lecture will try to provide an overview on the major theories of motor control and will try to posit evidence for a recent theory of motor control suggesting sophisticated modulation of sensory feedback for generating motor output.