Know yourself

Author: Zhu Changchao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: There is a great universe outside the human body, vast and diverse in phenomena; within the human body and mind lies a small universe, intricate and rich in variety. Understanding the great universe and the small universe has always been a lifelong aspiration of human wisdom and an eternal goal of scientific exploration. Humanity has achieved remarkable results in exploring itself. However, compared to the problems encountered in understanding humanity, the achievements of knowledge can be described as a drop in the ocean. The more humanity knows about itself, the more questions it raises. If human self-awareness is represented as a circle, the unknown realm lies outside the circle, and the larger the circle becomes, the longer its circumference adjacent to the unknown realm also grows. Humanity's understanding of its own brain and mind is still in a very naive stage. For example, how do thoughts arise, how do different emotions emerge, why do people fall in love at first sight, why do some memories remain lifelong and deeply ingrained, and so on—none of these have yet been well explained. The journey of human self-discovery has no end. Whether it is understanding the origins of humanity, the structure of the body, or humanity's place in nature, it is merely the beginning. On the path of scientifically understanding oneself, science has great potential. It can be expected that in the scientific exploration of self-awareness, more people will continue to win the Nobel Prize for outstanding achievements in understanding humanity. Understanding human self is a difficult task. It requires the joint efforts of many disciplines such as anthropology, neuroscience, psychology, physiology, and medicine. Especially, the development of neuroscience is of great significance to self-understanding. Statistics show that half of the Nobel laureates in physiology or medicine at the end of the 20th century won the prize for their achievements in brain research. It can be expected that as humanity's understanding of itself deepens, science will develop faster, human potential will be better unleashed, the relationship between humanity and nature will become more harmonious, and humanity will have a more beautiful and brilliant future.
The upright posture was chosen by nature for another more important reason. After standing upright, both hands were greatly liberated, promoting the division of labor between hands and feet. The forelimbs and hind limbs of apes have similar structures and functions, but the hands and feet of humans are quite different. The grasping function of the feet has degenerated, while the functions of support and walking have been enhanced. The thumb can perform delicate movements, something the big toe cannot match. The human foot has gradually evolved a heel and an arch. The differentiation of hands and feet has allowed the hand to use and create tools. Tools have extended and expanded the hand, making it stronger and more powerful, thereby enhancing survival in nature. The benefits of upright posture for the survival of human ancestors far exceed these. It has also provided new possibilities for the development of human intelligence. In the struggle for survival and progress in nature, not only do the strong have more opportunities, but the wise have even greater opportunities. Wisdom is a function of the brain. Generally speaking, the larger the brain volume and the more refined its structure, the more intelligent it is. However, the development of the brain in quadrupedal animals is limited by a fundamental constraint. Since their skulls are located at the front of the body, under this mechanical structure, maintaining the stability and movement of the skull requires immense effort.