Evolution of Human Cognition
A lecture tracing 3.75 billion years of life on Earth, from the origin of the current cellular form of life to the evolution of the human ability to experience ourselves, or self-awareness. It concludes by exploring how understanding the self triggered cultural evolution and enabled humans to understand the universe beyond sensory perception.
About this event
The talk traces the evolution of life on Earth over approximately 3.75 billion years, focusing on the emergence of the current cellular form of life and the evolution of human cognition. It examines how humans developed the ability to experience themselves, described in the poster as self-awareness. The lecture concludes with a discussion of how the ability to understand the self triggered cultural evolution, which in turn enabled humans to understand the universe beyond our own sensory perception.
Speakers
Prof. L S Shashidhara — Director, National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS)