Evolution and humans: more on learning to read (Evolution)

by dhw, Monday, November 05, 2018, 09:56 (2209 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID’s comment: We know this study but the description of the active brain changes is certainly interesting, making brain plasticity quite clear.

Thank you for this more detailed account. Yes, we know the brain is plastic. It is also clear that the brain changes IN RESPONSE to new concepts and activities, and not in advance of them. I would extend this principle to the whole of evolution. The cells of the brain and the body respond to new demands and do not change in anticipation of them. However, it is also important to note that the plasticity of the brain does not explain how concepts originate, i.e. these observations do not solve the problem of the source of consciousness (materialism v dualism).