It has become rather a commonplace to speak of an “explosion” of knowledge about the human brain over the last 20-30 years, and in particular over the last decade. This is a peculiar metaphor, no less peculiar for being common. Explosions in the literal, physical sense result from the sudden and extremely rapid expansion of a gas, producing a burst of energy released in the form of both heat and light. If uncontained and uncontrolled, explosions are primarily a cause of destruction, leaving the surroundings in ruins, while that which explodes ipso facto ceases to exist. These general observations hold true even for metaphorical explosions, which wreak havoc in our