The human brain has been described as one of the most complex, confounding, and astonishing features of the entire universe. The brain is the center of the nervous system and initiates activities that range from regulating bodily functioning to somehow allowing you to think, feel, plan, and dream. The tour of the human brain in this chapter is a general overview; a complete look at the brain would take stacks of books. First, you'll learn some of the ideas about where it came from; then you'll learn about its structures and functions. Finally you'll see how consciousness and mind might best be conceptualized in scientific terms.