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A review by kosr
Origin of Humankind by Richard Leakey
5.0
Origin of Mind
Update Jan 3rd 2022- Rest In Peace Richard Leakey
This book nearly convinced me to become a paleoanthropologist, so not bad for a second hand purchase from a charity book store! So interesting and varied is the work presented in these pages, that I found myself wanting to look into more detail beyond the brief introduction Richard Leakey provides here.
The first half of the book can easily be described as laying out what is known of our species origins and it's trajectory to present day, based on what has been discovered via ancient bones, and ancient campsites. It's quite a standard run through, but fascinating non the less. I would advise caution due to this being a few years old now, however I don't believe this to be highly out-dated at the time of this review. Its also worth noting how little evidence there is for this area, even by some scientific standards. So it's not hard to see how experts have drawn large conclusions with little evidence.
The second half is where things get really interesting. Language, it's implications, (potential) shamanistic wallpaintings, our inclusinvess or seperation from the rest of nature, consciousness and it's origins, animals and their ability of self awareness, all are brought to the table for discussion. It's makes for a fascinating and enjoyable read, especially knowing that if any of these questions were answered, it would change how we perceive ourselves forever. What could be more incredible than that!
It's in all our interest to understand this area of work, we're all the same species after all!
Update Jan 3rd 2022- Rest In Peace Richard Leakey
This book nearly convinced me to become a paleoanthropologist, so not bad for a second hand purchase from a charity book store! So interesting and varied is the work presented in these pages, that I found myself wanting to look into more detail beyond the brief introduction Richard Leakey provides here.
The first half of the book can easily be described as laying out what is known of our species origins and it's trajectory to present day, based on what has been discovered via ancient bones, and ancient campsites. It's quite a standard run through, but fascinating non the less. I would advise caution due to this being a few years old now, however I don't believe this to be highly out-dated at the time of this review. Its also worth noting how little evidence there is for this area, even by some scientific standards. So it's not hard to see how experts have drawn large conclusions with little evidence.
The second half is where things get really interesting. Language, it's implications, (potential) shamanistic wallpaintings, our inclusinvess or seperation from the rest of nature, consciousness and it's origins, animals and their ability of self awareness, all are brought to the table for discussion. It's makes for a fascinating and enjoyable read, especially knowing that if any of these questions were answered, it would change how we perceive ourselves forever. What could be more incredible than that!
It's in all our interest to understand this area of work, we're all the same species after all!