3 layers of how the brain works
Summary
- There is the brain stem, the subcortex and the neocortex
Details
- The brain stem deals with safety and tries to keep us alive
- The subcortex contains teh hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus and basal ganglia, which help us pursue satisfaction
- The neocortext deals with empathy, language, cooperative planning and compassion
Reflections
- brain is incredible.
References
Quotes
In the “house” of the brain, the first and oldest floor is the brain stem, developed during the reptilian stage of evolution, with a focus on safety: in its essence the most fundamental need of all, to stay alive. The second floor is the subcortex, which contains the hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, and basal ganglia. This part of your brain has taken shape during the mammalian phase of evolution, which began around 200 million years ago. The subcortex helps us be more effective in pursuing satisfaction. The top floor is the neocortex, which started expanding with the first primates about 50 million years ago; it has tripled in volume since early hominids began manufacturing tools 2.5 million years ago. The neocortex has enabled humans to be the most social species on the planet. It is the neural basis of empathy, language, cooperative planning, and compassion—sophisticated ways to meet our needs for connection.