Anthropology
Read A History of the Human Brain by Brett Stetka. It is an engrossing book that lays out the evolutionary sequence of events that have led to our current place in the natural world. We are the most powerful organism on Earth, and we hold the fate of the planet in our hands, chiefly because of the large, magnificent organ you are using to read and process these very words.
Answer the following questions in your paper, and support your answers with appropriate evidence:
- Stetka observes that the evolutionary pathway that has led to our present brain is a “tortured mess.” Briefly summarize the nonlinear series of events that have resulted in the creation of the human brain. In terms of cognitive development, what are the major steps leading from sponges to primates that have gotten us to where we’re at?
- Our closest living relatives are chimpanzees and bonobos. We share almost 99% of our genes with them, yet they are obviously different from us in morphology and behavior. It is said that the 1% disparity is largely brain-related. How do our brains compare with theirs in terms of size, shape, and mental capacity? What are we presently learning about genetic and environmental variables that give humans a hyperactive trajectory in brain development?
- It is often remarked that humans are too smart for their own good. How have our supreme cognitive powers gotten us into major trouble? How will our brain get us out of our present predicament? What does the future hold for changes in how our brain functions? Do you support tinkering with the brain via techniques like CRISPR? Why or why not?
The paper required is least six to seven pages long.