How Our Brains Were Built
Briefly

The human brain's evolutionary journey resembles the developmental process of cities, characterized by complexity and adaptation. Rather than implementing a complete redesign, evolution layered new neural regions atop existing ones, resulting in a seemingly chaotic architecture. The ancient 'reptilian brain' governs basic survival functions and serves as the foundational layer for later developments, including the limbic system. Each evolutionary step prioritized flexibility, allowing the brain to repurpose established frameworks, creating a tangled yet functional network vital for advanced social behaviors and cognitive processing.
At first glance, the human brain might appear to be a marvel of engineering-a seamless interface for sensory input, cognitive control, and motor output. But if you peer beneath its sophisticated functions, one quickly sees a structure resembling something more like London's winding streets: layered, circuitous, and often baffling in its logic.
The complexity of the brain mirrors the growth of cities: adaptation rather than complete redesign. Evolution favored flexibility over efficiency, allowing for a convoluted neural architecture.
Read at Psychology Today
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