Biology 202 Book Commentary

Adam Zakheim

May 15, 2009

Bio202 – Prof. Grobstein

Book Commentary

Bailey Baumann

Professor Grobstein

Book Commentary

“The Ape and theSushi Master: Cultural Reflections of a Primatologist”

In their book “Animals Make Us Human,” Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson raise and attempt to answer the question: “what does an animal need to be happy?” (1).  They discuss the state of household pets, animals used in food production, and wildlife.  Their primary focus is the mental state of an animal inhabiting a human manipulated environment.  In order to measure an animal’s mental state, they assume a specific relationship between the brain and behavior.

      The book ‘an Anthropologist on Mars’ byOliver Sacks discusses seven ‘paradoxical tales.’ These tales describe thelives of individuals who have had accidents that damaged their brain, have hadtumors removed, have been blind and regained their lives or are autistic. Sacksfocuses on the impact of these ‘conditions’ on the lives of these individualsand how their lives change or how their lives have turned out. In anAnthropologist on Mars I saw many of the similar themes to our class in termsof loopy science, an holistic approach to neurobiology, the lack or truth andreality as well as a distinction between the self and the body, the environmentand the unconscious.

Is human cognition the same everywhere? Or do styles of cognition differ depending on geographic or cultural boundaries? Richard Nisbett explores these questions in his 2003 book “The Geography of Thought.”  Nisbett primarily focuses on differences between Eastern and Western thought, defining Westerners as people of European culture and Easterners as East Asian (including China, Korea, and Japan). He proposes that Easterners and Westerns have markedly different styles of thought, using evidence from diverse areas such history, philosophy, language, and social science.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby is the story of  the chief editor of Elle magazine who suffered a massive stroke and became affected by what is known as “locked in” syndrome. Although his mental abilities, memories and senses remained intact he was unable to move his body except for the ability to shake his head slightly and blink his left eye. Despite all of this he managed to write a memoir about his experience and how he used the power of his own imagination to overcome his paralysis. Along with his descriptions of how his friends reacted, how he feels about the situation, he intersperses the story with vignettes where his mind creates an alternate, surreal reality and allows him to escape from his immobile body through memories and dreams.