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Summary Of Excerpt By Loren Eiseley

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In the excerpt, Loren Eiseley discusses the evolution of the human brain, from being primitive and slow growing to the cognitive and advanced brain that it is now today. Eiseley uses Gavin de Beer’s suggestion as evidence that explains that because various characteristics from the primitive ancestor changed, such as the “hairy covering”, teeth, and sex life, it led to the evolution of longer infancy, which links to the reason why our brains have grown so much. It is through this longer stage of infancy that the brain has more time to develop and grows at a faster rate, which is the reason as to why humans have evolved to be the way they are mentally and physically. Eiseley, through the topic that he discusses, intended for his essay to appeal …show more content…

Eiseley provides information pertaining to the evolution of the apes to humans, specifically by mentioning how the most important tool known to man has developed to be the way it is, and that is the brain. Eiseley uses Beer’s suggestion on evolution, which was the longer rate of infancy in humans that has helped the brain developed greater than those of other species. By doing so, Eiseley presents himself as a knowledgeable source in this certain situation, and also his studies of philosophy and historical science depicts him as a credible and reliable source on this topic. Eiseley later closes this ethical question, whether religion or science might be right or wrong, by stating that “neurologists…. Suspect that here may lie other potentialities which only the future of the race may …show more content…

Although there may not be a direct answer to how the human brain evolved, there exists theories and suggestions, such as Gavin de Beer’s suggestion on evolution, that could be explanations as to how this came to be. Beer says that it is the “lengthened infancy” that is credited to boosting evolution in the human brain, that has caused us to lose our “ hairy covering, our jaws and teeth were reduced in size, our sex life was postponed”. Therefore, it explains the path our body’s took in evolution, creating a feeling of awe and amazement because of the ability of our bodies to evolve in such a way, leading our brains to develop in such a way. Eiseley also creates a suspenseful feeling in his audience when he states “ Some neurologists…. Suggest that here may lie other potentialities which only the future of the race may reveal.” meaning that there could be more than one reason why our brains evolved and that they will continue to evolve, having a surprise in store for us to find

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