john carew eccles

• evolution of the brain, creation of the self adlı meşhur kitabında hominid beyninin evrimini anlatır. şöyle der kitabın önsözünde:
  
  "it is extraordinary that there has been so little publication on the brain developments during the most important creative process of biological evolution, namely from our hominoid ancestors through some 9 to 10 million years of hominid evolution to the human brain with its transcendent capacity for creativity. the story of hominid evolution to homo sapiens sapiens is the most wonderful story that can be told. it is our story. each of us has to realize that the great success of hominid evolution was the only chance of existence as human beings, if one dares to speak retrospectively. why then is this story not being often told in the essential features of the coming-to-be of human brains, as has been done in this book? it could be that the brain evolution story appears to be empty of facts and good only for unjustified speculations. while recognizing that much is unknown or only imperfectly known, i have been able to unfold the fascinating story of hominid evolution of the human brain using creative imagination restrained by rational criticism."
  
  girizgahtan üslubunun tatlılığı anlaşılan bu nobel ödüllü nörofizyoloğun 1989 tarihli bu kitabını okumak, adaptasyonist bir bakış açısıyla psikolojik mekanizmalarımızı görmeye meyyal benim gibilerin borcu oluyor sanırım.