Brain Study 3 - Neural System Before Man(truth or dare?)

[Guest guest]

The Neural System Before Man

Early life, some 3.5 billion years ago, consisted of single living

cells. A single cell is a very complex assembly of biological

material engaged in complex chemical processes. Single cell life

developed, through the process of evolution, over a period of

billions of years. See The Evolution of the Cell for more detail on

cell development. The evolution of man from the single cell is far

less a magnificent process than was the development of the cell

itself. The development of man required, once the cell was

established and began forming cooperatives, about 680 million years.

The development of the cell itself required about 3 billion prior

years.

 

The first multicellular animals began appearing about 680 million

years ago. These were living creatures composed of cooperating cells.

All of the higher animals, including man, developed from these. Note

the process from the simple to the complex. Note the development,

first of collecting individual biological processes into a single

cell, then the construction of creatures from multiple uses of the

cell. One by one the biological processes were assembled in the cell,

then one by one the characteristics of all modern life were built

from multiple cells.

 

The human brain was developed through a similar process, from the

simple to the complex, along with the evolution of the human. The

human body is composed of many billions of cells, working in harmony.

The modern human nervous system is composed of about 100 billion

neural functioning cells, supported by perhaps 10 times that many

more.

 

As man evolved, mutations occurred in the nervous system, causing it

to evolve along with the body. Those mutations were tested against

the environment in the same manner as mutations involving outward

physical changes. As ancient ancestors of man gained new and improved

sensors, in order to survive, the neural control of those sensory

enhancements developed alongside. As survival required more complex

actions and reactions of the overall organism, those also developed

in the form of neural circuitry along with and often a part of the

sensory enhancement circuitry. See The Evolution of Man for more

detail on man's development.

 

The first thing to realize about the brain is that, unlike an organ

such as the heart or liver, it is not a single organ with a single

function. It is instead an organ of many thousands of interlocking

functions. These micro-functions developed along the same game plan

as the body itself. If features were not successful, they were

discarded. As features were found to enhance survival, they became

permanent residents. The human body is a giant cooperative consisting

of billions of cooperating cells. The human nervous system, likewise,

is constructed of many thousands of cooperating functions. This is to

be expected, since both were developed by the same process, and that

development would of necessity be of the same kind and within the

same time frame.

 

The idea that suddenly something entirely new, a wonderful new

intelligent mechanism, appeared only in the lineage of man, has no

basis. Other than in proportions of the various parts, the brains of

all of the higher animals are the same in construction.

[Guest guest]

Another fascinating book that I wonder if you have read

is " Organization and Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind "

by Julian Jaynes.

 

Bill

 

 

Nisargadatta , " Bob N. " <Roberibus111

wrote:

>

> The Neural System Before Man

> Early life, some 3.5 billion years ago, consisted of single living

> cells. A single cell is a very complex assembly of biological

> material engaged in complex chemical processes. Single cell life

> developed, through the process of evolution, over a period of

> billions of years. See The Evolution of the Cell for more detail on

> cell development. The evolution of man from the single cell is far

> less a magnificent process than was the development of the cell

> itself. The development of man required, once the cell was

> established and began forming cooperatives, about 680 million

years.

> The development of the cell itself required about 3 billion prior

> years.

>

> The first multicellular animals began appearing about 680 million

> years ago. These were living creatures composed of cooperating

cells.

> All of the higher animals, including man, developed from these.

Note

> the process from the simple to the complex. Note the development,

> first of collecting individual biological processes into a single

> cell, then the construction of creatures from multiple uses of the

> cell. One by one the biological processes were assembled in the

cell,

> then one by one the characteristics of all modern life were built

> from multiple cells.

>

> The human brain was developed through a similar process, from the

> simple to the complex, along with the evolution of the human. The

> human body is composed of many billions of cells, working in

harmony.

> The modern human nervous system is composed of about 100 billion

> neural functioning cells, supported by perhaps 10 times that many

> more.

>

> As man evolved, mutations occurred in the nervous system, causing

it

> to evolve along with the body. Those mutations were tested against

> the environment in the same manner as mutations involving outward

> physical changes. As ancient ancestors of man gained new and

improved

> sensors, in order to survive, the neural control of those sensory

> enhancements developed alongside. As survival required more complex

> actions and reactions of the overall organism, those also developed

> in the form of neural circuitry along with and often a part of the

> sensory enhancement circuitry. See The Evolution of Man for more

> detail on man's development.

>

> The first thing to realize about the brain is that, unlike an organ

> such as the heart or liver, it is not a single organ with a single

> function. It is instead an organ of many thousands of interlocking

> functions. These micro-functions developed along the same game plan

> as the body itself. If features were not successful, they were

> discarded. As features were found to enhance survival, they became

> permanent residents. The human body is a giant cooperative

consisting

> of billions of cooperating cells. The human nervous system,

likewise,

> is constructed of many thousands of cooperating functions. This is

to

> be expected, since both were developed by the same process, and

that

> development would of necessity be of the same kind and within the

> same time frame.

>

> The idea that suddenly something entirely new, a wonderful new

> intelligent mechanism, appeared only in the lineage of man, has no

> basis. Other than in proportions of the various parts, the brains

of

> all of the higher animals are the same in construction.

>

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn wrote:

>

> Another fascinating book that I wonder if you have read

> is " Organization and Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind "

> by Julian Jaynes.

>

> Bill

>

 

No I haven't Bill and that's a loss I'm going to correct, I

remember reading a little blurb on it in Time magazine some years ago

on how before the origin of the two sided (left/right) brain

structure was developed, there was a different way of living wherein

and whereby the Gods really did speak to man in a metaphor of looking

at the world. The whole notion sounded appealing but for some reason

I never followed up..I will now......bob

 

 

>

> Nisargadatta , " Bob N. " <Roberibus111@>

> wrote:

> >

> > The Neural System Before Man

> > Early life, some 3.5 billion years ago, consisted of single

living

> > cells. A single cell is a very complex assembly of biological

> > material engaged in complex chemical processes. Single cell life

> > developed, through the process of evolution, over a period of

> > billions of years. See The Evolution of the Cell for more detail

on

> > cell development. The evolution of man from the single cell is

far

> > less a magnificent process than was the development of the cell

> > itself. The development of man required, once the cell was

> > established and began forming cooperatives, about 680 million

> years.

> > The development of the cell itself required about 3 billion prior

> > years.

> >

> > The first multicellular animals began appearing about 680 million

> > years ago. These were living creatures composed of cooperating

> cells.

> > All of the higher animals, including man, developed from these.

> Note

> > the process from the simple to the complex. Note the development,

> > first of collecting individual biological processes into a single

> > cell, then the construction of creatures from multiple uses of

the

> > cell. One by one the biological processes were assembled in the

> cell,

> > then one by one the characteristics of all modern life were built

> > from multiple cells.

> >

> > The human brain was developed through a similar process, from the

> > simple to the complex, along with the evolution of the human. The

> > human body is composed of many billions of cells, working in

> harmony.

> > The modern human nervous system is composed of about 100 billion

> > neural functioning cells, supported by perhaps 10 times that many

> > more.

> >

> > As man evolved, mutations occurred in the nervous system, causing

> it

> > to evolve along with the body. Those mutations were tested

against

> > the environment in the same manner as mutations involving outward

> > physical changes. As ancient ancestors of man gained new and

> improved

> > sensors, in order to survive, the neural control of those sensory

> > enhancements developed alongside. As survival required more

complex

> > actions and reactions of the overall organism, those also

developed

> > in the form of neural circuitry along with and often a part of

the

> > sensory enhancement circuitry. See The Evolution of Man for more

> > detail on man's development.

> >

> > The first thing to realize about the brain is that, unlike an

organ

> > such as the heart or liver, it is not a single organ with a

single

> > function. It is instead an organ of many thousands of

interlocking

> > functions. These micro-functions developed along the same game

plan

> > as the body itself. If features were not successful, they were

> > discarded. As features were found to enhance survival, they

became

> > permanent residents. The human body is a giant cooperative

> consisting

> > of billions of cooperating cells. The human nervous system,

> likewise,

> > is constructed of many thousands of cooperating functions. This

is

> to

> > be expected, since both were developed by the same process, and

> that

> > development would of necessity be of the same kind and within the

> > same time frame.

> >

> > The idea that suddenly something entirely new, a wonderful new

> > intelligent mechanism, appeared only in the lineage of man, has

no

> > basis. Other than in proportions of the various parts, the brains

> of

> > all of the higher animals are the same in construction.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta , " Bob N. " <Roberibus111 wrote:

>

> Nisargadatta , " billrishel " <illusyn@> wrote:

> >

> > Another fascinating book that I wonder if you have read

> > is " Organization and Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind "

> > by Julian Jaynes.

> >

> > Bill

> >

>

> No I haven't Bill and that's a loss I'm going to correct, I

> remember reading a little blurb on it in Time magazine some years ago

> on how before the origin of the two sided (left/right) brain

> structure was developed, there was a different way of living wherein

> and whereby the Gods really did speak to man in a metaphor of looking

> at the world. The whole notion sounded appealing but for some reason

> I never followed up..I will now......bob

 

The part there where he is talking about Hellenistic times

is quite fascinating.

 

I'll be interested to see what you think.

 

Bill

 

 

>

> >

> > Nisargadatta , " Bob N. " <Roberibus111@>

> > wrote:

> > >

> > > The Neural System Before Man

> > > Early life, some 3.5 billion years ago, consisted of single

> living

> > > cells. A single cell is a very complex assembly of biological

> > > material engaged in complex chemical processes. Single cell life

> > > developed, through the process of evolution, over a period of

> > > billions of years. See The Evolution of the Cell for more detail

> on

> > > cell development. The evolution of man from the single cell is

> far

> > > less a magnificent process than was the development of the cell

> > > itself. The development of man required, once the cell was

> > > established and began forming cooperatives, about 680 million

> > years.

> > > The development of the cell itself required about 3 billion prior

> > > years.

> > >

> > > The first multicellular animals began appearing about 680 million

> > > years ago. These were living creatures composed of cooperating

> > cells.

> > > All of the higher animals, including man, developed from these.

> > Note

> > > the process from the simple to the complex. Note the development,

> > > first of collecting individual biological processes into a single

> > > cell, then the construction of creatures from multiple uses of

> the

> > > cell. One by one the biological processes were assembled in the

> > cell,

> > > then one by one the characteristics of all modern life were built

> > > from multiple cells.

> > >

> > > The human brain was developed through a similar process, from the

> > > simple to the complex, along with the evolution of the human. The

> > > human body is composed of many billions of cells, working in

> > harmony.

> > > The modern human nervous system is composed of about 100 billion

> > > neural functioning cells, supported by perhaps 10 times that many

> > > more.

> > >

> > > As man evolved, mutations occurred in the nervous system, causing

> > it

> > > to evolve along with the body. Those mutations were tested

> against

> > > the environment in the same manner as mutations involving outward

> > > physical changes. As ancient ancestors of man gained new and

> > improved

> > > sensors, in order to survive, the neural control of those sensory

> > > enhancements developed alongside. As survival required more

> complex

> > > actions and reactions of the overall organism, those also

> developed

> > > in the form of neural circuitry along with and often a part of

> the

> > > sensory enhancement circuitry. See The Evolution of Man for more

> > > detail on man's development.

> > >

> > > The first thing to realize about the brain is that, unlike an

> organ

> > > such as the heart or liver, it is not a single organ with a

> single

> > > function. It is instead an organ of many thousands of

> interlocking

> > > functions. These micro-functions developed along the same game

> plan

> > > as the body itself. If features were not successful, they were

> > > discarded. As features were found to enhance survival, they

> became

> > > permanent residents. The human body is a giant cooperative

> > consisting

> > > of billions of cooperating cells. The human nervous system,

> > likewise,

> > > is constructed of many thousands of cooperating functions. This

> is

> > to

> > > be expected, since both were developed by the same process, and

> > that

> > > development would of necessity be of the same kind and within the

> > > same time frame.

> > >

> > > The idea that suddenly something entirely new, a wonderful new

> > > intelligent mechanism, appeared only in the lineage of man, has

> no

> > > basis. Other than in proportions of the various parts, the brains

> > of

> > > all of the higher animals are the same in construction.

> > >

> >

>