The neurons that shaped civilization - VS Ramachandran

Summary

The lecture explores the human brain's complexity and its ability to ponder deep existential questions. It delves into the study of brain activity, particularly focusing on 'mirror neurons' discovered by Italian researchers. These neurons fire not only during an individual's actions but also when observing others, playing a crucial role in imitation, empathy, and the rapid spread of human-specific skills like tool use and language, which are foundational to culture and civilization.

Takeaways

• 🧠 The human brain, weighing about three pounds, is capable of contemplating vast concepts like interstellar space and the nature of existence, making it a great mystery.
• 🔬 Neurons, numbering around 100 billion in the adult human brain, form complex networks with each neuron potentially making thousands of connections, exceeding the permutations of elementary particles in the universe.
• 👨‍🔬 Studying the brain can involve observing patients with brain lesions or recording the activity of individual neurons, providing insights into brain function.
• 🪄 The discovery of mirror neurons by Italian researchers suggests a subset of motor command neurons fires not only when performing an action but also when observing someone else perform it.
• 🤔 Mirror neurons are significant for imitation and emulation, which are foundational to the rapid spread of complex human behaviors and skills.
• 🌐 Imitation and emulation facilitated by mirror neurons are crucial for the development and transmission of human culture and civilization.
• 🕊️ Another type of mirror neuron is involved in empathy, firing when observing someone else being touched, suggesting a neural basis for empathetic responses.
• 🤲 The distinction between observing touch and feeling touch is maintained by sensory feedback, preventing confusion between empathy and actual sensation.
• 🌌 The concept of an 'independent self' is challenged by mirror neurons, suggesting a literal neural connection between individuals, resonating with Eastern philosophies.
• 🦾 Phantom limb patients can experience touch in their 'missing' limbs when observing others being touched, demonstrating the powerful influence of mirror neurons.
• 🤝 The mirror neuron system bridges the gap between science and humanities, offering insights into consciousness, self-representation, and empathy, and their roles in culture and civilization.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the research discussed in the script?

The main focus of the research is the human brain, specifically exploring its capabilities and mysteries, such as how it can contemplate vast concepts and its role in human evolution and culture.

How many neurons are there in the adult human brain?

There are approximately 100 billion neurons in the adult human brain.

What is the significance of the number of permutations and combinations of brain activity?

The number of permutations and combinations of brain activity is so vast that it exceeds the number of elementary particles in the universe, highlighting the complexity of the brain.

What is one approach to studying the brain mentioned in the script?

One approach to studying the brain is by examining patients who have had lesions in different parts of the brain and observing changes in their behavior.

What is another approach to studying the brain discussed in the script?

Another approach is to use electrodes to record the activity of individual nerve cells in the brain, essentially eavesdropping on their activity.

What are mirror neurons and where are they located?

Mirror neurons are a group of neurons located in the frontal lobes of the brain. They are unique because they fire both when a person performs an action and when they observe someone else performing the same action.

Why are mirror neurons significant for imitation and emulation?

Mirror neurons are significant for imitation and emulation because they allow the brain to adopt another person's point of view, which is crucial for understanding and replicating complex actions.

How do mirror neurons relate to the emergence of human culture?

Mirror neurons are believed to have played a crucial role in the rapid spread of skills like tool use, fire use, and language, which are unique to human beings, by enabling rapid imitation and emulation.

What is the role of mirror neurons in empathy?

Some mirror neurons, particularly those associated with touch, fire not only when an individual is touched but also when they observe someone else being touched, suggesting a role in empathizing with others.

What happens when the barrier between self and others is dissolved, as in the case of an anesthetized arm?

When the barrier is dissolved, such as by anesthetizing an arm, watching someone else being touched can result in the individual feeling the touch in their own hand, demonstrating a profound connection between individuals at a neural level.

How does the script suggest that mirror neurons bridge the gap between science and humanities?

The script suggests that mirror neurons serve as an interface that allows for the exploration of issues like consciousness, self-representation, empathy, and the emergence of culture and civilization, thus connecting scientific understanding with humanistic inquiry.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 The Astonishing Human Brain

This paragraph discusses the incredible capabilities of the human brain, which weighs about three pounds but can contemplate vast concepts such as interstellar space, infinity, and the nature of existence. The brain comprises 100 billion neurons, each making thousands of connections, leading to a complexity that surpasses the number of elementary particles in the universe. Research methods to study the brain include observing patients with brain lesions and recording nerve cell activity with electrodes. A significant discovery is the mirror neurons in the frontal lobes, which fire both when a person performs an action and when they observe someone else doing the same, indicating a virtual reality simulation of the other person's actions. This discovery suggests mirror neurons are crucial for imitation and emulation, fundamental to human culture and civilization.

05:02

🤝 Empathy and Mirror Neurons

This paragraph delves into the role of mirror neurons in empathy. These neurons fire not only when a person is touched but also when they observe someone else being touched. The brain prevents confusion by using sensory feedback to differentiate between actual and observed touch. In cases where sensory input is blocked, such as with anesthetization, observing someone else being touched can result in a person feeling the touch themselves. These empathy neurons, or 'Gandhi neurons,' dissolve the barrier between individuals, supporting the interconnectedness emphasized in Eastern philosophy. This connection is not metaphorical but rooted in neuroscience, impacting concepts like consciousness, self-representation, and even culture. The paragraph concludes with the idea that the mirror neuron system bridges the gap between science and the humanities, providing insights into human behavior, empathy, and the development of civilization.

Keywords

💡Human Brain

The human brain is the central organ of the nervous system, responsible for all cognitive functions and bodily control. In the video, it is described as an organ capable of contemplating vast concepts like space and infinity, embodying the greatest mystery of human existence. The script discusses the brain's capacity for thought and its role in the emergence of complex human behaviors.

💡Neurons

Neurons are the fundamental units of the brain, responsible for transmitting information through electrical and chemical signals. The script mentions that there are approximately 100 billion neurons in the adult human brain, each making thousands of connections, highlighting the brain's immense complexity and potential for activity.

💡Mirror Neurons

Mirror neurons are a type of neuron discovered by researchers in Italy, which fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else performing the same action. The script explains their significance in processes like imitation and empathy, suggesting they play a crucial role in understanding and interacting with others.

💡Imitation

Imitation is the act of copying the behavior of others, which is vital for learning and cultural transmission. The script discusses how mirror neurons are involved in imitation, allowing individuals to adopt another person's point of view and replicate their actions, which is essential for the spread of cultural practices.

💡Cultural Evolution

Cultural evolution refers to the development and spread of cultural traits, such as language and tool use, within a population. The video script suggests that the emergence of a sophisticated mirror neuron system allowed for rapid cultural evolution, enabling humans to quickly learn and disseminate new skills and behaviors.

💡Empathy

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. The script introduces a type of mirror neuron that fires when observing someone being touched, suggesting a neural basis for empathy. This concept is expanded upon to illustrate the deep connection between individuals facilitated by these neurons.

💡Phantom Limb

A phantom limb is a phenomenon where individuals who have lost a limb continue to feel sensations as if the limb were still present. The video script uses the example of a patient with a phantom limb feeling touch when observing someone else being touched, demonstrating the power of mirror neurons in creating感同身受 experiences.

💡Consciousness

Consciousness refers to the state of awareness, perception, and thought. The script touches on the philosophical implications of mirror neurons, suggesting that they challenge traditional notions of individual consciousness by showing a neural connection between self and others.

💡Eastern Philosophy

Eastern philosophy often emphasizes interconnectedness and the illusory nature of the separate self. The video script draws a parallel between the findings on mirror neurons and Eastern philosophical concepts, suggesting that these neurons provide a scientific basis for understanding the lack of a distinct boundary between individuals.

💡Interface

In the context of the video, an 'interface' refers to the point of interaction or connection between different systems or ideas. The script posits that the mirror neuron system serves as an interface between scientific understanding and humanistic concepts, such as empathy and the nature of self.

💡Science and Humanities

The script discusses the traditional separation between the fields of science and humanities, suggesting that the study of mirror neurons bridges this gap. It implies that scientific discoveries can inform and enrich our understanding of humanistic themes like consciousness and empathy.

Highlights

The human brain, weighing about three pounds, can contemplate the vastness of interstellar space and the meaning of infinity.

The brain is made up of 100 billion neurons, each making 1,000 to 10,000 connections, resulting in brain activity permutations that exceed the number of elementary particles in the universe.

One research method is studying patients with brain lesions and observing changes in their behavior.

Another approach involves recording the activity of individual nerve cells in the brain using electrodes.

Researchers in Parma, Italy, discovered mirror neurons in the frontal lobes, which fire both when an action is performed and when observing someone else performing the same action.

Mirror neurons are involved in imitation and emulation, crucial for learning complex skills by adopting another person's point of view.

The emergence of a sophisticated mirror neuron system may have led to the rapid spread of unique human skills like tool use, fire use, shelters, language, and mind-reading.

Human culture and civilization could have rapidly evolved due to the ability to imitate and emulate others' actions, making evolutionary learning more Lamarckian than Darwinian.

Mirror neurons for touch allow empathy, as they fire both when being touched and when observing someone else being touched.

Receptors in the skin prevent confusion by sending signals to the brain, ensuring we don't literally feel someone else's touch.

If the arm is anesthetized, observing someone else being touched can result in feeling the touch in the numb arm, dissolving the barrier between self and others.

These neurons, referred to as 'Gandhi neurons' or 'empathy neurons,' highlight the interconnectedness of human beings beyond physical barriers.

Basic neuroscience suggests no real distinctiveness between individual consciousness and others' consciousness, challenging traditional views of self.

Patients with phantom limbs can experience relief from phantom pain by watching someone else's hand being massaged, showcasing the power of mirror neurons.

The mirror neuron system bridges the gap between science and humanities, allowing exploration of consciousness, empathy, and the emergence of human culture and civilization.

Transcripts

I'd like to talk to you today about the

human brain which is what we do research

on at the University of California just

think about this problem for a second

here's a lump of flesh about three

pounds but you can hold in the palm of

your hand but it can contemplate the

vastness of interstellar space it can

contemplate the meaning of infinity ask

questions about the meaning of its own

existence about the nature of God and

this is truly the most amazing thing in

the world it's the greatest mystery

confronting human beings how does this

all come about well the brain as you

know is made up of neurons looking at

neurons here there are 100 billion

neurons in the adult human brain and

each neuron makes something like a

thousand to ten thousand contacts with

other neurons in the brain and based on

this people are calculated that the

number of permutations and combinations

of brain activity exceeds the number of

elementary particles in the universe so

how do you go about studying the brain

one approach is to look at patients who

have had lesions in different part of

the brain and study changes in their

behavior this is what I spoke about in

the last ten today I'll talk about a

different approach which is to put

electrodes in different parts of the

brain and actually record the activity

of individual nerve cells in the brain

sort of eavesdrop on the activity of

nerve cells in the brain

now one recent discovery that has been

made by researchers in italy in parma by

giacomo rizzolatti and his colleagues is

a group of neurons called mirror neurons

which are in the front of the brain in

the frontal lobes now it turns out there

are neurons which are call ordinary

motor command neurons in the front of

the brain which have been known for over

50 years these neurons will fire when a

person performs a specific action for

example if I do that and reach and grab

an apple am order to command you run in

the front of my brain will fire if I

reach out and pull an object another

neuron will fire commanding me to pull

might pull that object these are called

motor command neurons be known for a

long time but what rijalallah found was

a subset of these neurons maybe about

20% of them will also fire when I'm

looking at somebody else performing the

same action so here's a neuron that

fires when I reach and grab something

but it also fires when I watch Joe

reaching and grabbing something and this

is truly astonishing because as though

neuron is adopting the other person's

point of view results almost as though

it's perfect for mning a virtual reality

simulation of the other person's action

now what is the significance of these

mirror neurons for one thing there must

be involved in things like imitation and

emulation because to imitate a complex

act it requires my brain to adopt the

other person's point of view so this is

important for imitation and emulation

but why is that important well let's

take a look at the next slide so how do

you do imitation why is imitation

important mirror neurons in imitation

emulation now let's look at culture the

phenomenon of human culture if you go

back in time about seventy five hundred

thousand years ago let's look at human

evolution it turns out there's something

very important happened around five

thousand years ago and that is there's a

sudden emergence and rapid spread of a

number of skills that are unique to

human beings like like tool use the use

of fire use of shelters and of course

language and the ability to read

somebody else's mind and interpret that

person's behavior all of that happened

relatively quickly even though the human

brain had achieved its present size

almost three or four hundred thousand

years ago 100 thousand years ago all of

this happened very very quickly and I

claim that what happened was the sudden

emergence of a sophisticated mirror

neuron system which allowed you to

emulate and imitate other people's

actions so that when there was a sudden

accidental discovery by one member of

the group say use of fire or a

particular type of tool instead of dying

out the spread rapidly horizontally

across the population or was transmitted

vertically down the generations so this

made of illusion suddenly Lamarckian

instead of Darwinian in Darwinian

evolution is slow takes hundreds of

thousands of years a polar bear to

evolve a code will take thousands of

generations maybe a hundred thousand

years of human being a child can just

watch its parent kill another polar bear

and skinned it and put the skin on its

body for on the body and learn it in one

step what the polar bear took a hundred

thousand years to learn it can learn in

five minutes maybe ten minutes right and

then once it's learned is it spreads by

in geometric proportion across a

population and this is the basis of this

mutation complex skills is what we call

culture in the basis of civilization

there's another kind of mirror neuron

which is involved in something quite

different and that is that a minute

neuron justice with a million neurons

for action that a mirror neurons with

touch in other words if somebody touches

me my hand neuron in the somatosensory

cortex in the sensory region of the

brain fires but the same neuron in some

cases will fire when I simply watch

another person being touched

so it's empathizing the other person

being touched so most of them will fire

when I am touched in different locations

different neuron for different occasions

but a subset of them will fire even when

I watch somebody else being touched in

the same location so here again you have

neurons which are enrolled in empathy

now the question then arises if I simply

watch another person being touched why

do I not get confused and literally feel

that touch sensation merely by watching

somebody being touched I empathize with

that person but I don't literally feel

the touch well that's because you've got

receptors in your skin touching pain

receptors going back into your brain

saying don't water you're not being

touched

so empathize by all means with the other

person but do not actually experience

the touch otherwise you'll get confused

and muddled okay so there's a feedback

signal that vetoes the signal of the

mirror neuron preventing you from

consciously experiencing that touch but

if you remove the arm

you simply anesthetize my arm so you put

an injection into my arm and it's two

times the brachial plexus so the arm is

numb as no sensations coming in if I now

watch you being touched I literally feel

it in my hand in other words you've

dissolved the barrier between you and

other human beings so I call them

Gandhi neurons or empathy neurons and

this is not in some abstract

metaphorical sense all that's separating

you from him from the other person is

your skin to remove the skin you

experience that person's touch in your

mind you've dissolved the barrier

between you and other human beings and

this of course is the basis of much of

Eastern philosophy and that is there's

no real independent self aloof from

other human beings inspecting the world

in inspecting other people you're in

fact connected not just where Facebook

and the internet you're actually quite

literally connected by your neurons and

it's whole chains of neurons around this

room talking to each other and there is

no real distinctiveness of your

consciousness from somebody else's

consciousness and this is not

mumbo-jumbo philosophy it emerges from

our understanding of basic neuroscience

so you have a patient with the phantom

limb arm has been removed and you're a

phantom and you watch somebody else

being touched you feel it in your

phantom now the astonishing thing is if

you have pain in your phantom limb you

squeeze the other person's hand massage

the other person's hand that relieves

the pain in your phantom hand almost as

though the neuron were obtaining relief

for merely watching somebody else being

massaged so here you have my last slide

for the longest time people have

regarded science and Humanities as being

distinct see peace know spoke of the two

cultures science in the one hand

humanities on the other never the twain

shall meet

so I'm saying the mirror neuron system

lies the interface allowing you to think

think about issues like consciousness

representation of self what separates

you from other human beings what a love

allows you to empathize with other human

beings and also even things like the

emergence of culture and civilization

which is unique to human beings thank

you

you