The Human Mystery

Lecture 1 The Theme of Natural Theology: How the Challenge Will Be Met.- Synopsis and Introduction.- 1.1 Sherrington's Gifford Lectures.- 1.2 Subsequent Contributions on the General Theme of Sherrington's Lectures.- 1.3 Development of the Theme for the Present Lectures.- 1.4 Philosophical Basis of the Present Lectures.- Lecture 2 Origin and Evolution of the Universe.- Synopsis and Introduction.- 2.1 The Big Bang.- 2.2 Formation of Galaxies and Life Histories ofStars.- 2.3 Cooking of the Elements.- 2.4 Galaxies in Space.- 2.5 Future of the Universe and Gravitational Collapse.- 2.6 The Question of Genesis.- Lecture 3 Planetary System and Planet Earth.- Synopsis.- 3.1 The Solar System.- 3.1.1 Origin and Evolution.- 3.1.2 Chemical Composition of the Planets.- 3.2 Frequency of Planetary Systems.- 3.3 Fitness of Other Planets for Supporting Life.- 3.4 Conclusions.- Lecture 4 Origin of Life and Biological Evolution.- Synopsis.- 4.1 What is Known to Have Happened: The Fossil Record.- 4.2 Explantations of Fossil Records by Evolutionary Theories.- 4.2.1 Prebiotic Organic Chemistry.- 4.2.2 Steps in the Building of Proteins and Nucleic Acids.- 4.2.3 The Living Cell.- 4.2.4 Biological Evolution.- 4.2.5 Evolution and Environment.- 4.3 General Considerations.- 4.4 Extraterrestrial Life?.- Lecture 5 Human Evolution: The Story of Cerebral Development.- Synopsis and Introduction.- 5.1 What is Known to Have Happened: The Fossil Record.- 5.2 Evaluation of Human Cerebral Development.- 5.2.1 Allowance for Body Weight.- 5.2.2 Progression Indices of Cerebral Components.- 5.2.3 Qualitative Comparison.- 5.3 Selection Pressures and the Pre-Eminence of Linguistic Development.- 5.4 Theory of Biological Evolution.- Lecture 6 Cultural Evolution With Language and Values: The Human Person.- Synopsis.- 6.1 The World of Culture (World 3).- 6.2 Evolution of Culture.- 6.2.1 The Paleolithic and Mesolithic Ages.- 6.2.2 The Neolithic Age.- 6.2.3 The Rise of Cities and the Flowering of Culture.- 6.2.4 Sumerian Technology.- 6.2.5 Sumerian Literature.- 6.3 Cultural Evolution and World 3.- 6.4 World 2: The World of Self-Consciousness.- 6.5 Relationship of Biological Evolution to Cultural Evolution.- 6.6 Values - Altruism.- 6.7 The Future for Biological and Cultural Evolution.- Lecture 7 From the General to the Particular: The Creation of a Self.- Synopsis and Introduction.- 7.1 Building of the Structure.- 7.2 Development of the Functional Performance of the Human Brain.- 7.2.1 Learning of Motor Control.- 7.2.2 Participation Learning.- 7.3 Participation in Culture: The Influence ofWorld3.- 7.3.1 Learning of Language.- 7.3.2 Effect of Deprivation of World 3 Inputs.- 7.4 Interaction of Worlds 2 and 3 in the Creation of the Self.- Lecture 8 Structure of the Neocortex: Conscious Perception.- Synopsis.- 8.1 Structure of the Neocortex.- 8.1.1 General Anatomical Features.- 8.1.2 Columnar Arrangement and Modular Concept of the Cerebral Cortex.- 8.1.2.1 Modules Defined by Association and Callosal Fibres.- 8.1.2.2 Specific Afferent Fibres from the Thalamus.- 8.1.2.3 Cortical Inhibition.- 8.1.3 Summary on Cortical Modules.- 8.2 Conscious Perception.- 8.2.1 Cutaneous Perception (Somaethesis).- 8.2.2 Visual Perception.- 8.2.3 The Perceived Visual Image.- 8.2.4 Auditory Perception.- 8.2.5 Olfactory Perception.- 8.2.6 Pain.- 8.2.7 Emotional Colouring of Conscious Perceptions.- 8.2.8 Summary of Conscious Perception.- Lecture 9 Learning and Memory.- Synopsis and Introduction.- 9.1 Structural and Functional Changes Possibly Related to Memory.- 9.2 Role of the Self-Conscious Mind in Short-Term Memory.- 9.3 Neural Pathways Concerned in Laying Down Long-Term Memories.- 9.3.1 Loss of Long-Term Memory.- 9.3.2 Neural Pathways Concerned in Laying Down Long-Term Memories.- 9.3.3 Storage of Memories.- 9.4 Memory Retrieval.- 9.5 Duration of Memories.- 9.6 Retrograde Amnesia.- 9.7 Conclusions.- Lecture 10 The Mind-Brain Problem: Experimental Evidence and Hypothesis.- Synopsis and Introduction.- 10.1 Dualist-Interactionist Hypothesis.- 10.1.1 Relationships of Mind to Brain in Voluntary Action.- 10.1.2 Mind-Brain Relationship as Studies in Commissurotomized Patients.- 10.1.3 Time Relationship of Brain to Mind in Conscious Perception.- 10.2 Radical Dualist-Interactionist Theory of Brain and the Self-Conscious Mind.- 10.3 Hypothesis of Cortical Modules and the Self-Conscious Mind.- 10.4 Conclusions.- Epilogue.- References.