The human mystery

by John C. Eccles

Paperback, 1984

Series

Gifford Lectures (1977-1979)

Publication

Imprint: London ; Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1984, ©1979. Context: Reprint. Originally published: Berlin ; New York : Springer-Verlag, ©1979. (The Gifford lectures ; 1977-1978). Series: Gifford Lectures (1977-1979). Responsibility: John C. Eccles. Physical: Text : 1 volume : xvi, 255 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm. Features: Includes bibliography, index.

Call number

BC / Eccle

Barcode

BK-01511

ISBN

0710201982 / 9780710201980

Collections

Your library, Adult Materials, Philosophy and Science

CSS Library Notes

Description: In these Gifford Lectures, presented at the University ofEdinburgh in 1977-8, Sir John Eccles shows how in field after field even the most recent discoveries and theories of orthodox science leave unsolved great and mysterious problems -- problems which may always be beyond the scope of science. One such mystery is the origin of the Universe in the 'Big Bang': how did life originate, and what random or determinate paths did biological evolution take to lead to Homo Sapiens Sapiens? What are the origins of our cultural evolution, and what paths lead to the development of each individual conscious self? -- from the back cover

Table of Contents: 1. The theme of natural theology: how the challenge will be met -- 2. Origin and evolution of the universe -- 3. Planetary system and planet Earth -- 4. Origin of life and biological evolution -- 5. Human evolution: the story of cerebral development -- 6. Cultural evolution with language and values: the human person -- 7. From the general to the particular: the creation of a self -- 8. Structure of the neocortex: conscious perception -- 9. Learning and memory -- 10. The mind-brain problem: experimental evidence and hypothesis.

FY1989 / FY2015 /

Physical description

xvi, 255 p.; 24 cm

Description

Under the terms of the endowment by Lord Gifford, the Gifford Lectures have been an annual event in the University of Edin burgh since 1887, and also in three other Scottish universities. According to the will of Lord Gifford they were set up " ... to promote and diffuse the study of Natural Theology in the widest sense of that term - in other words, the knowledge of God". The assignment is for ten lectures, and I delivered them from 20 February, to 13 March, 1978. I chose the theme of the Human Mystery because I believe that it is vitally important to emphasize the great mysteries that confront us when, as scientists, we try to understand the natural world including ourselves. There has been a regrettable tendency of many scientists to claim that science is so powerful and all pervasive that in the not too distant future it will provide an explantation in principle of all phenomena in the world of nature including man, even of human consciousness in all its manifesta tions. When that is accomplished scientific materialism will then be in the position of being an unchallengable dogma accounting for all experience.… (more)