![]() ![]() However, we will see that the human cerebral cortex has some distinctive circuits that are most likely related to our humanity. Indeed, species-specific behaviors may arise from very small changes in neuronal circuits (Katz and Harris-Warrick, 1999). It is commonly thought that the increase in complexity as our brain has evolved is a product of the addition of microcircuits with a similar basic structure that incorporate only minor variations. Nevertheless, it is striking how little influence this neuroscientific knowledge has had on society due to the failure in conciliating the relationship between the brain and our humanity. Perhaps modern neuroscience has contributed most in this field by addressing the issue of mental processes from a biological standpoint. The saint levitates while praying, and his head is separated from his body Don Quixote appears reflective, with an empty head. These images are examples of the separation between the mental and the physical worlds. Right: Don Quixote, Museum of Arte Moderno in Mexico. © Fundació Institut d'Art Hispanic Amatller. Left: Fray Pedro de San Dionisio, painted by Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664). Figure Figure1 1 shows the painting Fray Pedro de San Dionisio by Francisco de Zurbarán, 1598–1664, and a sculpture of Don Quixote present at the Museum of Modern Art in Mexico. From that moment, the relentless pursuit to define where such a trait is forged began, resulting in the so called “mind–body problem.” Of the numerous images available, we have chosen two here to illustrate in distinct ways the relationship between the mental and the physical worlds, both suggesting a separation between the two entities. Maybe this is when we discovered the world of ideas and created the concept of the soul or spirit. It seems obvious that only anatomically modern humans (i.e., Homo sapiens) can be behaviorally modern, capable of creating symbolic objects. The same occurs with other mental activities, like reading a book or listening to music. Almost everything that the human being creates has a touch of art, although we do not need beauty or an esthetic perception to survive but rather, it just simply produces intellectual pleasure. For example, the production and appreciation of art seems to be a uniquely human attribute, a recently acquired cognitive capacity in the genus Homo. The nervous system has evolved over millions of years, generating a wide variety of species-specific brains and behavioral capacities. ![]()
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