Answer the following questions:
1. What do you think is the most interesting aspect of Ramachandran’s talk? Why?
2. First, a preamble:
The purpose of this second question is to help you reason from the evolutionary perspective. Evolution occurs whereby traits and characteristics that are adaptive (that lead to a greater likelihood of passing on one’s genes) emerge in a species and are passed on down through generations because they help a species procreate. Traits that emerge that are maladaptive will make the organism less like to reproduce. Therefore, maladaptive traits, through a process of natural selection, are more likely to be eliminated from the gene pool. The human brain evolved from other animal’s brains. In fact, rats brains have most of the same structures as the human brain, and work in a very similar fashion. Thus, over the course of evolution, nervous systems of species have evolved and added new structures and functions. One of the recent additions in our evolutionary past seems to be a mirror neuron system.
So here’s the question:
Mirror neurons have been found in monkeys and humans and are believed to play a role in empathy. Do you think that empathy is an adaptive trait? If not, explain why not. If so, explain specifically how you think empathy increases the likelihood of humans reproducing? Keep in mind: the human species has been around for about 300,000 years. As you formulate your response be thinking about the conditions under which we spend most of our time evolving. Hint: humans did not have day jobs and smartphones!!
