Thumbs, Toes, and Tears

Thumbs, Toes, and Tears PDF Author: Chip Walter
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0802718841
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 274

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Book Description
The fascinating evolutionary links between six seemingly unremarkable traits that make us the very remarkable creatures we are. Countless behaviors separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom, but all of them can be traced one way or another to six traits that are unique to the human race-our big toe, our opposable thumb, our oddly shaped pharynx, and our ability to laugh, kiss, and cry. At first glance these may not seem to be connected but they are. Each marks a fork in the evolutionary road where we went one way and the rest of the animal kingdom went another. Each opens small passageways on the peculiar geography of the human heart and mind. Walter weaves together fascinating insights from complexity theory, the latest brain scanning techniques, anthropology, artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, and robotics to explore how the smallest of changes over the past six million years - all shaped by the forces of evolution -- have enabled a primate once on the brink of extinction to evolve into a creature that would one day create all of the grand and exuberant edifices of human culture. As the story of each trait unfolds, Walter explains why our brains grew so large and complex, why we find one another sexually attractive, how toolmaking laid the mental groundwork for language, why we care about what others think, and how we became the creature that laughs and cries and falls in love. Thumbs, Toes and Tears is original, informative, and delightfully thought-provoking.

Thumbs, Toes, and Tears

Thumbs, Toes, and Tears PDF Author: Chip Walter
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 0802718841
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 274

Get Book Here

Book Description
The fascinating evolutionary links between six seemingly unremarkable traits that make us the very remarkable creatures we are. Countless behaviors separate us from the rest of the animal kingdom, but all of them can be traced one way or another to six traits that are unique to the human race-our big toe, our opposable thumb, our oddly shaped pharynx, and our ability to laugh, kiss, and cry. At first glance these may not seem to be connected but they are. Each marks a fork in the evolutionary road where we went one way and the rest of the animal kingdom went another. Each opens small passageways on the peculiar geography of the human heart and mind. Walter weaves together fascinating insights from complexity theory, the latest brain scanning techniques, anthropology, artificial intelligence, cognitive psychology, and robotics to explore how the smallest of changes over the past six million years - all shaped by the forces of evolution -- have enabled a primate once on the brink of extinction to evolve into a creature that would one day create all of the grand and exuberant edifices of human culture. As the story of each trait unfolds, Walter explains why our brains grew so large and complex, why we find one another sexually attractive, how toolmaking laid the mental groundwork for language, why we care about what others think, and how we became the creature that laughs and cries and falls in love. Thumbs, Toes and Tears is original, informative, and delightfully thought-provoking.

The Opposable Mind

The Opposable Mind PDF Author: Roger L. Martin
Publisher: Harvard Business Press
ISBN: 1422148106
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 225

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Book Description
If you want to be as successful as Jack Welch, Larry Bossidy, or Michael Dell, read their autobiographical advice books, right? Wrong, says Roger Martin in The Opposable Mind. Though following best practice can help in some ways, it also poses a danger. By emulating what a great leader did in a particular situation, you'll likely be terribly disappointed with your own results. Why? Your situation is different. Instead of focusing on what exceptional leaders do, we need to understand and emulate how they think. Successful businesspeople engage in what Martin calls integrative thinking, creatively resolving the tension in opposing models by forming entirely new and superior ones. Drawing on stories of leaders as diverse as AG Lafley of Procter & Gamble, Meg Whitman of eBay, Victoria Hale of the Institute for One World Health, and Nandan Nilekani of Infosys, Martin shows how integrative thinkers are relentlessly diagnosing and synthesizing by asking probing questions including: What are the causal relationships at work here? and What are the implied trade-offs? Martin also presents a model for strengthening your integrative thinking skills by drawing on different kinds of knowledge including conceptual and experiential knowledge. Integrative thinking can be learned, and The Opposable Mind helps you master this vital skill.

Find Your Why

Find Your Why PDF Author: Joanne Mallon
Publisher: Summersdale
ISBN: 1800073593
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 150

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Book Description
Knowing your purpose, or your “why”, has the power to transform your life – and this book will help you to discover yours. From reflecting on your past to visualizing your future, the tips and advice in these pages will guide you towards your true calling, and a deeper sense of contentment and happiness.

Primate Anatomy

Primate Anatomy PDF Author: Friderun Ankel-Simons
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 9780120586707
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 530

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Book Description
This work reviews the biology of all living primates, including humans. It provides a taxonomic list of all living genera and species which are described with respect to their adaptation in various environmental and geographic habitats.

Body

Body PDF Author: Patricia Daniels
Publisher: National Geographic Books
ISBN: 9781426204494
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 420

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Book Description
Human body.

How to Find Joy in Five Minutes a Day

How to Find Joy in Five Minutes a Day PDF Author: Joanne Mallon
Publisher: Vie
ISBN: 1800075677
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages : 121

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Book Description
Joy is all around us. It’s in the first sip of a cup of tea, the beauty of a sunrise, or the simple pleasure of a deep breath, and it’s easy to find when you know where to look. All you need is five minutes. This book includes over 60 prompts and ideas to help you to find joy every single day. Taking you through your morning, your afternoon and your evening, these tips will help you to elevate your mood and liven up your routine – and each one takes no longer than five minutes. Tips include: Setting an intention for your day Performing a small act of kindness Eating outdoors in the fresh air Trying a grounding ritual Even the smallest moment of positivity can transform your outlook, so whether you follow one tip or many, you’re sure to lift your spirits and find a small oasis of happiness every day.

The Philosophy of Science

The Philosophy of Science PDF Author: Sahotra Sarkar
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 0415939275
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 1012

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Book Description
The first in-depth reference to the field that combines scientific knowledge with philosophical inquiry, this encyclopedia brings together a team of leading scholars to provide nearly 150 entries on the essential concepts in the philosophy of science. The areas covered include biology, chemistry, epistemology and metaphysics, physics, psychology and mind, the social sciences, and key figures in the combined studies of science and philosophy. (Midwest).

Primates

Primates PDF Author: Jim Ottaviani
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1596438657
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 146

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Book Description
A fun and immersive look into the lives of the three greatest primatologists of the twentieth century: Biruté Galdikas, Dian Fossey, and Jane Goodall, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Feynman.

Mammal Anatomy

Mammal Anatomy PDF Author: Marshall Cavendish Corporation
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
ISBN: 9780761478829
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 292

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Book Description
Provides details on the anatomy of fourteen mammals, including dolphins, chimpanzees, squirrels, and humans, and describes the musculoskeletal, circulatory, nervous, digestive, and reproductive systems of each animal.

The Psychobiology of the Hand

The Psychobiology of the Hand PDF Author: Kevin J. Connolly
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9781898683148
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 300

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Book Description
A wide-ranging and interdisciplinary overview of the hand, from its evolution to assessment of disability.