Your brain is shrinking and atrophying. Is this a big deal? And how much of a brain do we really need? This book challenges us to think differently about the brain. Instead of focusing on the many amazing things the human brain does, we ask ourselves about its complexities and contradictions. Can we live a fulfilling life without any part of it? The bad news is that our brains actually start shrinking from our mid-thirties. The good news is that we still seem to be in a state of confusion about this information in general, and that our human brains are capable of adapting in extraordinary ways when things go wrong. Here, Dr. Alexis Willett and Dr. Jennifer Barnett shed light on what the human brain is capable of—in ideal and sub-optimal conditions—and point out what it can tolerate losing without significantly affecting its functions. Through some precise facts and figures, case studies, and some hypothetical scenarios, and through interviews and conversations with several experts, the book takes us on a journey between the depths of ancient times and the far reaches of the distant future, addressing various types of beings.