The Dragons of Eden
Presents an overview of human evolution and discusses human and animal intelligence, the mechanisms of the brain, memory, sleep, myths and legends about evolution, and the possibility of intelligent extraterrestrial life.
Stats for nerds
18recommend
43mentions
30people
2009–2026years
56% recommend42% neutral2% critical
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- For those interested in brain evolution and practical neuroscience/human behavior:
Carl Sagan's books "Broca's Brain" and "The Dragons of Eden" from the 70's-80's are good initial reads on brain composition and evolution. The Sapolsky lectures and books are also great resources.
- I learned of the Triune Brain through Carl Sagan's book The Dragons of Eden. It was an engaging, story-telling approach to a somewhat, in hindsight controversial concept. It sounds (oversimplified) like the paper the article describes here is an embryological validation of this model.
- Dragons of Eden was formative for me.
I feel like the current generation of young people don’t have anyone like Carl Sagan to bring a sense of wonder to science and exploration. It makes me sad.
- Carl Sagan’s The Dragons of Eden which I read when I was 15.
- This author is by far my favorite. Everything he wrote was amazing and made me think so deeply about things.
I recommend Dragons of Eden especially because it sheds light on how fabric of our culture is woven by old thoughts that are recycled in interesting ways. The Demon Haunted World does a good job at explaining how we have to escape magical thinking and be more rational about how we approach life.
- After I read this “Sapiens” book, I re-read once again “The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence” by Carl Sagan.
The contrast is stark, Sagan is so much more insightful and at the same time, more careful with his conclusions.
It's like comparing an amateur with an accomplished professional.
