The Inner Eye: Social Intelligence in Evolution

by Nicholas Humphrey, Mel Calman (Illustrator)

Where does consciousness come from? What is it? Where is it taking us?
In 1971 Nicholas Humphrey spent three months at Dian Fossey's gorilla research centre in Rwanda. It was there, among the mountain gorillas that he began to focus on the philosophical and scientific puzzle that has fascinated him ever since: the problem of how a human being or animal can know what it is like to be itself. The Inner Eye describes where these original speculations led: to Humphrey's now celebrated theories of the 'social function of intellect' and of human beings as natural born 'mind-readers'. Easy to read, adorned with Mel Calman's brilliant illustrations, passionately argued, yet never less than scientifically profound, this book remains the best introduction to new thinking about 'theory of mind' and its implication for human social life.

Genres: Psychology, Science, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Biology, Evolution

188 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Nicholas Keynes Humphrey is an English neuropsychologist based in Cambridge, known for his work on evolution of primate intelligence and consciousness. He studied mountain gorillas with Dian Fossey in Rwanda; he was the first to demonstrate the existence of "blindsight" after brain damage in monkeys; he proposed the theory of the "social function of intellect". He is the only scientist to have edited the literary journal Granta.
Humphrey played a significant role in the anti-nuclear movement in the late 1970s and delivered the BBC Bronowski memorial lecture titled "Four Minutes to Midnight" in 1981.
His 10 books include Consciousness Regained, The Inner Eye, A History of the Mind, Leaps of Faith, The Mind Made Flesh, Seeing Red, and Soul Dust. He has received several honours, including the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize, the Pufendorf Medal and the British Psychological Society's book award.
He has been lecturer in psychology at Oxford, assistant director of the Subdepartment of Animal Behaviour at Cambridge, senior research fellow at Cambridge, professor of psychology at the New School for Social Research, New York, and school professor at the London School of Economics.

Reviews

[Aradia86 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me parece un libro muy interesante para adentrase en cómo la evolución ha hecho al ser humano consciente y para qué lo ha hecho. Además viene de la mano de diferentes reflexiones y buena información para entenderse a uno mismo y el funcionamiento de los seres humanos en general (que en definitiva, son la misma base). 100% recomendable si te gusta la filosofía/psicología/antropología o cualquier ciencia de la conducta.

[martes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ofrece una perspectiva interesante a cerca de la conciencia humana desde un punto de vista biologico y filosofico y te hace plantearte preguntas, pero asume demasiadas cosas y no me gustó la conclusión

[Luc Zamorano · Rating 4 out of 5]

está genial. nos ofrece de una forma muy sencilla y clara dilemas sobre la conciencia, sobre por qué soñanos. lo recomiendo muchísimo, sobretodo si deseas comprender el mundo en el que vives y por qué eres como eres

[Dawid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great hypothesis for the origin of human consciousness.

[Gary Leeds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into how human consciousness evolved. Clearly written. Would recommend this to anyone interested in our place in the great scheme of things.