Chapter 2: Human Evolution and Genetics Flashcards
what is the mentalist view?
the mind is so complex that it can’t be contained biological matter; the mind exists outside of the body
what is the role of the brain in the mentalist view?
it cools the blood and has no role in higher cognitive functions
What is Andreas Vesalius known for?
mapping the human nervous system very accurately and located different sections of the brain
What are the key points of Descartes dualism?
a nonmaterial mind governs advanced cognition and the brain directs basic mechanical behaviours
What did Immanuel Kant believe?
The critique of pure reasoning: human experience is drawn from the structure of the mind
what is materialism?
the belief that there are biological explanations for cognitive functions
what is the simplest kind of nervous system?
nerve nets
in what organisms are nerve nets found? what are they capable of?
found in simple marine organisms, responsible for reflexive motor responses `
What are ganglia?
a cluster of neurons that allow for simple but limited cognitive functions
which was the first primate to show distinctly human characteristics? What are these characteristics?
australopithecus, showed bipedalism and tool use
Homo Habilis
known as the “handy human”
made and used simple stone tools
Homo Erectus
known as the “upright human”
migrated beyond Africa and used more sophisticated tools than Homo Habilis
Neanderthals
localized to Europe and Asia
interbred with modern humans
limited language ability
FOXP2 gene
associated with communication (most likely spoken only)
what sets modern humans apart from other species?
tool making
hunting and cooking
social organization
