author
Walter B. (Walter Bradford) Cannon
1871–1945
Best known for explaining the body's "fight or flight" response and helping define the idea of homeostasis, this pioneering physiologist changed how people understand stress and bodily balance. His research and writing made complex biology feel vivid, practical, and deeply human.
1 Audiobook
Bodily changes in pain, hunger, fear, and rage : an account of recent researches into the function of emotional excitement
by Walter B. (Walter Bradford) Cannon
About the author
Born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in 1871, Walter Bradford Cannon became one of the most influential American physiologists of the early 20th century. He studied and later taught at Harvard, eventually serving as professor and chair of physiology at Harvard Medical School for many years.
Cannon is especially remembered for two big ideas that still shape medicine and psychology: the body's "fight or flight" response to danger, and homeostasis, the body's ongoing effort to keep its internal conditions stable. He also did important early work using X-rays to study digestion, showing a gift for turning new technology into discovery.
His books, including The Wisdom of the Body, helped bring these scientific ideas to a wider audience. Even today, his work remains a foundation for thinking about stress, emotion, and how the body works to protect itself.