"Page0043" - читать интересную книгу автора (Bloom Howard - The Lucifer Principle (htm))

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o rganization to take care of these suckling clusters of mammal mamas

and kids.

All this demanded that a few additions be built onto the old

reptilian brain.  Nature complied by constructing an envelope of new

neural tissue.  That tissue surrounded the reptile brain like a peach's

juicy fruit enveloping the pit.  MacLean called the add-on the

mammalian brain.  The mammalian brain guided play, maternal

behavior, and a host of other emotions.  It kept our furry ancestors

knitted together in nurturing gangs.

Far down the winding path of time, a few of our fuzzy pro-

genitors tried something new.  They stood on their hind legs, looked

around them, and applied their minds and hands to the exploitation of

the world.  These were the early humans.  But proto-human aspirations

were impractical without the construction of another set of add-ons to

the brain.  Nature complied, wrapping a thin layer of fresh neural

substance around the two old cortical standbys--the reptilian and

mammalian brains.  The new structure, stretched around the old ones

like a peach's skin, was the neo-cortex--the primate brain.

The primate brain--including the human brain--had some

awesome powers.  It could envision the future.  It could weigh a

possible action and imagine the consequences.  It could support the

development of language, reason and culture.9  But the neo-cortex had

a drawback.  It was merely a thin veneer on the two ancient brains.

And those oldsters were as active as ever, measuring every bit of input

from the eyes and ears, and issuing fresh orders.

The thinking human, no matter how exalted his sentiments, was

still listening to the voices of a demanding reptile and a chattering

ancient mammal.  Both were speaking to him from the depths of his

own skull.

Richard Leakey, the eminent paleoanthropologist, says war

didn't exist until men invented agriculture and began to acquire

possessions.  In the back of Leakey's mind, one hears a wistful prayer

5 

5

5

o rganization to take care of these suckling clusters of mammal mamas

and kids.

All this demanded that a few additions be built onto the old

reptilian brain.  Nature complied by constructing an envelope of new

neural tissue.  That tissue surrounded the reptile brain like a peach's

juicy fruit enveloping the pit.  MacLean called the add-on the

mammalian brain.  The mammalian brain guided play, maternal

behavior, and a host of other emotions.  It kept our furry ancestors

knitted together in nurturing gangs.

Far down the winding path of time, a few of our fuzzy pro-

genitors tried something new.  They stood on their hind legs, looked

around them, and applied their minds and hands to the exploitation of

the world.  These were the early humans.  But proto-human aspirations

were impractical without the construction of another set of add-ons to

the brain.  Nature complied, wrapping a thin layer of fresh neural

substance around the two old cortical standbys--the reptilian and

mammalian brains.  The new structure, stretched around the old ones

like a peach's skin, was the neo-cortex--the primate brain.

The primate brain--including the human brain--had some

awesome powers.  It could envision the future.  It could weigh a

possible action and imagine the consequences.  It could support the

development of language, reason and culture.9  But the neo-cortex had

a drawback.  It was merely a thin veneer on the two ancient brains.

And those oldsters were as active as ever, measuring every bit of input

from the eyes and ears, and issuing fresh orders.

The thinking human, no matter how exalted his sentiments, was

still listening to the voices of a demanding reptile and a chattering

ancient mammal.  Both were speaking to him from the depths of his

own skull.

Richard Leakey, the eminent paleoanthropologist, says war

didn't exist until men invented agriculture and began to acquire

possessions.  In the back of Leakey's mind, one hears a wistful prayer