Brain and Behaviour lecture 1: A history of the Brain
The trial of Galileo
Challenge of orthodox-Copernicus and the orbit of planets in the solar system
around the earth and not the sun
No reference to the brain in the bible
The link between mind and brain
The Ancient Egyptians and the brain (1600 BCE-300 BCE)
Preserve all organs as after life was more challenging – however didn’t preserve the
brain as it wasn’t an important organ for the afterlife-higher focus on the heart – no
understanding of importance in brain
Plato and Aristotle (429-322 BCE) and the soul
The soul- Plato divided the soul into three cognito thiro eros
The soul- Aristotle thought soul was immaterial was located in the heart as first
organ to develop in body-soul remains as body decays – psyche and cupid- psyche
has the ability to do great things- thought the role of the brain was to cool the blood
Hippocrates, Galen and materialism (400 BCE -100 ACE)
Materialism-all the functions of the mind are a result of the brain - Our pleasure,
joy.. laughter .. sorrow, pain, grief and tears arise from the brain, and the brain
alone. With it we think and understand, see and hear, discriminate between the
ugly and the beautiful, between pleasant and unpleasant and between good and evil
- Hippocrates
Galen – found that damage to the head changed behaviour of the victim- dissection
of animals and found nerves coming from the brain and suggested this controls the
body – the centre of the brain have fluid filled cavities believe these were
importance to functions – four humours blood, phlegm, black bile, yellow bile –
balance of these helped balance a person – drill into brain to release humours
Aristotle was the dominant thinker and ideas were found to be more important
Leonardo, Michelangelo and the renaissance (1400-1600)
Leonardo’s Peruvian man – heavily influence by Galen in his depiction of the brain –
localisation of function sensous commonous, cognition and memory – Sistine chapel
Adam and God-brain is central to life – opposing view-this laxe pith or marrow in
man’s head shows no more capacity for thought than a cake of suet or a bowl of
curds - Henry More
Descartes and Dualism (1596-1650)
Dualism- the mind and the brain although separate work together – could the brain
work in a mechanical way - I must first separately describe for you the body (which
includes the brain) then also separately, the mind; and finally I must show you how
these two natures would have to be joined and united to constitute people – Rene
Descartes – information enters the eyes and then relayed to a location in the brain
(pineal gland), this communicates with the mind and then mind sends messages for
the pineal gland to move muscles in the body-sends fluids down to fill muscles –
damage to pineal gland doesn’t effect higher cognitive function-important in sleep
wake cycle release melatonin- link between material and non-material(cause and
effect) – children didn’t have minds/mental illness meant a loss of the mind/animals
The trial of Galileo
Challenge of orthodox-Copernicus and the orbit of planets in the solar system
around the earth and not the sun
No reference to the brain in the bible
The link between mind and brain
The Ancient Egyptians and the brain (1600 BCE-300 BCE)
Preserve all organs as after life was more challenging – however didn’t preserve the
brain as it wasn’t an important organ for the afterlife-higher focus on the heart – no
understanding of importance in brain
Plato and Aristotle (429-322 BCE) and the soul
The soul- Plato divided the soul into three cognito thiro eros
The soul- Aristotle thought soul was immaterial was located in the heart as first
organ to develop in body-soul remains as body decays – psyche and cupid- psyche
has the ability to do great things- thought the role of the brain was to cool the blood
Hippocrates, Galen and materialism (400 BCE -100 ACE)
Materialism-all the functions of the mind are a result of the brain - Our pleasure,
joy.. laughter .. sorrow, pain, grief and tears arise from the brain, and the brain
alone. With it we think and understand, see and hear, discriminate between the
ugly and the beautiful, between pleasant and unpleasant and between good and evil
- Hippocrates
Galen – found that damage to the head changed behaviour of the victim- dissection
of animals and found nerves coming from the brain and suggested this controls the
body – the centre of the brain have fluid filled cavities believe these were
importance to functions – four humours blood, phlegm, black bile, yellow bile –
balance of these helped balance a person – drill into brain to release humours
Aristotle was the dominant thinker and ideas were found to be more important
Leonardo, Michelangelo and the renaissance (1400-1600)
Leonardo’s Peruvian man – heavily influence by Galen in his depiction of the brain –
localisation of function sensous commonous, cognition and memory – Sistine chapel
Adam and God-brain is central to life – opposing view-this laxe pith or marrow in
man’s head shows no more capacity for thought than a cake of suet or a bowl of
curds - Henry More
Descartes and Dualism (1596-1650)
Dualism- the mind and the brain although separate work together – could the brain
work in a mechanical way - I must first separately describe for you the body (which
includes the brain) then also separately, the mind; and finally I must show you how
these two natures would have to be joined and united to constitute people – Rene
Descartes – information enters the eyes and then relayed to a location in the brain
(pineal gland), this communicates with the mind and then mind sends messages for
the pineal gland to move muscles in the body-sends fluids down to fill muscles –
damage to pineal gland doesn’t effect higher cognitive function-important in sleep
wake cycle release melatonin- link between material and non-material(cause and
effect) – children didn’t have minds/mental illness meant a loss of the mind/animals
