The Deep History of Ourselves

The Four-Billion-Year Story of How We Got Conscious Brains

By Joseph LeDoux | Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

About the book

Longlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award

A leading neuroscientist offers a history of the evolution of the brain from unicellular organisms to the complexity of animals and human beings today


Renowned neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux digs into the natural history of life on earth to provide a new perspective on the similarities between us and our ancestors in deep time. This page-turning survey of the whole of terrestrial evolution sheds new light on how nervous systems evolved in animals, how the brain developed, and what it means to be human.

In The Deep History of Ourselves, LeDoux argues that the key to understanding human behavior lies in viewing evolution through the prism of the first living organisms. By tracking the chain of the evolutionary timeline he shows how even the earliest single-cell organisms had to solve the same problems we and our cells have to solve each day. Along the way, LeDoux explores our place in nature, how the evolution of nervous systems enhanced the ability of organisms to survive and thrive, and how the emergence of what we humans understand as consciousness made our greatest and most horrendous achievements as a species possible.

Editions of The Deep History of Ourselves

Hardcover
ISBN 9780735223837
Paperback
ISBN 9780735223851
EBook
ISBN 9780735223844
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781984842640
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781984842657

Read an Excerpt

Longlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award

A leading neuroscientist offers a history of the evolution of the brain from unicellular organisms to the complexity of animals and human beings today


Renowned neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux digs into the natural history of life on earth to provide a new perspective on the similarities between us and our ancestors in deep time. This page-turning survey of the whole of terrestrial evolution sheds new light on how nervous systems evolved in animals, how the brain developed, and what it means to be human.

In The Deep History of Ourselves, LeDoux argues that the key to understanding human behavior lies in viewing evolution through the prism of the first living organisms. By tracking the chain of the evolutionary timeline he shows how even the earliest single-cell organisms had to solve the same problems we and our cells have to solve each day. Along the way, LeDoux explores our place in nature, how the evolution of nervous systems enhanced the ability of organisms to survive and thrive, and how the emergence of what we humans understand as consciousness made our greatest and most horrendous achievements as a species possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Deep History of Ourselves about?

Longlisted for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award

A leading neuroscientist offers a history of the evolution of the brain from unicellular organisms to the complexity of animals and human beings today


Renowned neuroscientist Joseph LeDoux digs into the natural history of life on earth to provide a new perspective on the similarities between us and our ancestors in deep time. This page-turning survey of the whole of terrestrial evolution sheds new light on how nervous systems evolved in animals, how the brain developed, and what it means to be human.

In The Deep History of Ourselves, LeDoux argues that the key to understanding human behavior lies in viewing evolution through the prism of the first living organisms. By tracking the chain of the evolutionary timeline he shows how even the earliest single-cell organisms had to solve the same problems we and our cells have to solve each day. Along the way, LeDoux explores our place in nature, how the evolution of nervous systems enhanced the ability of organisms to survive and thrive, and how the emergence of what we humans understand as consciousness made our greatest and most horrendous achievements as a species possible.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in The Deep History of Ourselves?

Mathematics and Science > Biology, life sciences > Life sciences: general issues > Neurosciences

Where can I read a sample of The Deep History of Ourselves?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780735223837

Who is/are the Author/s of the book The Deep History of Ourselves?

Joseph LeDoux

Who is the Publisher of the book The Deep History of Ourselves?

Penguin Publishing Group

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

The Deep History of Ourselves is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780735223837) and paperback(ISBN 9780735223851) and ebook(ISBN 9780735223844) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781984842640) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781984842657)

Where can I buy The Deep History of Ourselves online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy The Deep History of Ourselves from below

Where can I buy The Deep History of Ourselves?