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Evolution of the Brain: Creation of the Self
Sir John Eccles tells the story of how we came to be, not only as animals at the end of the hominid evolutionary line, but also as humans possessed of reflective consciousness.
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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227 people want to read
About the author
John C. Eccles
50 books22 followersSir John Carew Eccles, AC FRS FRACP FRSNZ FAAS (27 January 1903 – 2 May 1997) was an Australian neurophysiologist who won the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the synapse.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 15, 2013
The book was mostly above my head with respect to biology and human anatomy (brain). However, there were discussions on the evolution of homo sapiens that were clear and educational. The interaction of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals was presented with two theories, one of war & conquest and one of co-existing & competition.
It is the last three chapters that were of interest to me. John C. Eccles (Nobel Prize winner in Neurology) speculates on the interaction of the biological machine of the homo sapien brain with a non-physical thought world. This interaction was suggested to have a dualistic quality the permitted the emergence of the Human Soul with Consciousness, Self-Consciousness, and Will. It has frequently been suggested that the emergence of the Soul is permitted by the ability of the brain to interact with quantum level probabilities and to determine the future (to a small degree). All this is speculation of course and the Dualism suggested by Eccles and Karl Popper (co author) is not entirely necessary. The same conclusions can be made by non-dualistic positions of a Thomist philosopher-scientist (the Soul is an emergent property of the physical brain but with all the same qualities that Eccles description, but all emerging from the physical brain).
Interesting read.
It is the last three chapters that were of interest to me. John C. Eccles (Nobel Prize winner in Neurology) speculates on the interaction of the biological machine of the homo sapien brain with a non-physical thought world. This interaction was suggested to have a dualistic quality the permitted the emergence of the Human Soul with Consciousness, Self-Consciousness, and Will. It has frequently been suggested that the emergence of the Soul is permitted by the ability of the brain to interact with quantum level probabilities and to determine the future (to a small degree). All this is speculation of course and the Dualism suggested by Eccles and Karl Popper (co author) is not entirely necessary. The same conclusions can be made by non-dualistic positions of a Thomist philosopher-scientist (the Soul is an emergent property of the physical brain but with all the same qualities that Eccles description, but all emerging from the physical brain).
Interesting read.
May 12, 2020
Eccles discusses changes in the brain from the ancestors we share in common with the great apes until now. There were some comments on the evolution of bipedalism that were noteworthy.
Concerning his philosophy of mind: it is developed in collaboration with Karl Popper and posits 3 Worlds which correspond roughly to the physical, mental, and mathematical realms. I personally hold this distinction to be one of convenience and not of reality. I do not believe that brains/minds are separate from the physical world, but rather that they are products of it. Mathematical truth is also a byproduct of a consistent physical reality.
For someone who is just learning about this field the book might be useful, like the part about language studies with chimpanzees, but otherwise it is dense, no longer novel and at odds with the materialist philosophy currently popular.
Concerning his philosophy of mind: it is developed in collaboration with Karl Popper and posits 3 Worlds which correspond roughly to the physical, mental, and mathematical realms. I personally hold this distinction to be one of convenience and not of reality. I do not believe that brains/minds are separate from the physical world, but rather that they are products of it. Mathematical truth is also a byproduct of a consistent physical reality.
For someone who is just learning about this field the book might be useful, like the part about language studies with chimpanzees, but otherwise it is dense, no longer novel and at odds with the materialist philosophy currently popular.
June 16, 2019
A fundamental book about the evolution of the brain.
It's main value consists in explaining, once for all, that our powerful neo-cortex with its immense computational, logical and linguistic capacity is a very recent and partial feature of Homo Sapiens Sapiens, and that, contrary to the common beliefs, we don't control our emotions, our body's main vital functions, our metabolism, immune system, and homeostatic balance.
A salutary bath of humility.
It's main value consists in explaining, once for all, that our powerful neo-cortex with its immense computational, logical and linguistic capacity is a very recent and partial feature of Homo Sapiens Sapiens, and that, contrary to the common beliefs, we don't control our emotions, our body's main vital functions, our metabolism, immune system, and homeostatic balance.
A salutary bath of humility.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2011
Ein sehr beeindruckendes Werk. Allerdings auch sehr wissenschaftlich und für den Nicht-Mediziner oft schwer zu verstehen. Dafür sind die philosophischen Passagen und die Ausführungen der Evolution der frühen Menschen umso beeindruckender.
Want to read
March 22, 2009Lent to ACP
July 1, 2025
A lot of the science was over my head, and I'm hoping to read newer literature to get a sense of whether the material is dated or not. Nonetheless, a fascinating discussion of the nature of language, the necessity for a particular evolutionary path for consciousness, and scientific dualism. The author elaborates a more detailed theory of the last in a later book which I'm also hoping to read.
June 24, 2020
Spoiler: in the end... consciousness was given to us by God.
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This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews