1.1 Why have a nervous system? Flashcards
How does the saying ‘cogito ergo sum’ relate to consciousness?
we are aware of thought, so we recognise our mental existence
What are three things that as humans we are fundamentally aware of?
- externum (environment, where are embedded ‘actors’)
- thus, a capacity for action
- variety of attributes about ourselves, eg. feelings
What was the Egyptian belief about the nervous system?
health of body and mind it like that of the land. all about FLUIDS
What did Hippocrates suggest about emotion and the brain?
that all feelings, like joy, laughter, sorrow, sadness etc. comes from the brain
Who was Galen?
a Roman surgeon who admired Hippocrates
What was Galen’s view on the brain and its purpose?
agreed it was the set of intellect but also accepted the explanation of the 4 hummers of the body
What are the 4 humors of the body, and how did they supposedly relate to health?
- phlegm
- blood
- yellow bile
- black bile
if they were imbalanced, it could be the cause of sickness
How did Galen learn about the human body?
through dissections of corpses and animals. he created a corpus of anatomy, including descriptions of the ‘third system’ which supplied nerves and connections to brain and spinal cord
What was Aristotle’s view of the brain and anatomy?
cardio-centric view – contrary to Hippocrates
Why did Aristotle believe the heart was seat of reason? (4 reasons)
- heart moves, brain sits still
- simple animals move/react but have no brain
- warmth (thus life) comes from body’s core (heart)
- all known civilisations held heart to be centre of conscious being
What was Descarte’s view of brain function?
a mechanism of fluid and tubes and the pineal gland
What was Newton’s principia?
movement of the universe understood in terms of mechanics, ie. laws of motion
Who was Paul Broca’s patient?
‘Tan’. He was unable to produce speech and was hemiplegic.
