What’s this “New Human?”

A New Human.  Is that a strange concept? 

Within an individual lifetime, it’s not completely obvious that the history of the human species extends for hundreds of thousands or even millions of years into the past.  But, according to anthropologists and archeologists, the fossil records tell an evolutionary story of physical and functional metamorphoses. 

Based on fossil remains, scientists determined that humans are a highly evolved form of Great Apes. Through evolution, humanoids began creating tools; this species was Homo habilis. Then, walking upright; Homo erectus. Then, an early form of thought that supplemented primal emotions and recognized basic patterns in the environment; Homo sapiens.

Form and Function

Life evolves both physically and functionally, which means that a physical mutation may grant one or more functional survival advantages.

The fossil records show that small, lizard-like dinosaurs adapted to cold temperatures because their scales physically mutated into feathers.  Down-like feathers trapped heat and provided a distinct survival advantage compared to their featherless, cold-blooded brethren. 

But eventually staying warm by a grace of evolution wasn’t enough for a feathered dinosaur.  The predators grow stronger and faster and more robust.  What is a feathered lizard to do?

Flap.

Flapping is a function that, when combined with feathers produces lift… Can you imagine that very first time a dinosaur lifted from the ground under by its own physical effort?  Getting off the ground is a new functional survival advantage.  As more feathered dinosaurs survive by “getting off the ground,” they teach other dinosaurs to do the same, including their children who stay off the ground for even longer durations.  What do we call this function?

Flight.

The difference between a feathered dinosaur staying warm and a feathered dinosaur flying is a momentous leap in evolution.  Same physical evolution, but such a different function that a new species, the avian dinosaur is born; otherwise known as a bird.  

The New Human

The human brain is layered. Humanoids started with a reptilian survival brain wrapped in a layer of emotional mammalian brain. Over time, the combination of reptilian and paleomammalian complexes became wrapped by a neo-mammalian complex — the neocortex — which gave humans language, abstraction, planning, and perception.

This model of a 3-layered brain was known as the Triune Brain.  The model was developed by Dr. Paul MacLean of the National Institute of mental Health, who later identified a fourth evolutionary layer to the human brain.  The prefrontal cortex.

New Brain Layer: The Prefrontal Cortex (PFC)

This fourth area of the human brain was once called “the silent area.” But Dr. MacLean called it “the angel lobes” — the seat of love, compassion, empathy, and advanced intellectual skills. ¹ The consensus today among neuroscientists is that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) excites or inhibits other areas of the brain. ²   The PFC regulates affect.  With a PFC, humans can control their emotional reactions, impulses, and the survival reflexes of our ancient reptilian system. ³  

Human Destiny

Human beings are destined to evolve. It’s the natural way of things.  Just like the functional evolution of flight created a new species called “birds,” the functional evolution of the prefrontal cortex — the angel lobes — will create “New Humans.” It’s our destiny, unless we go extinct.

Who knows what we will call ourselves?  But the New Human is a momentous leap, a quantum leap, in the evolution of the species.  As different from Homo sapiens as a bird is different from a dinosaur.

Awaken the Angel Lobes

At The New Human University, we offer teachings and practices to anyone who commits to “flapping their wings” and awakening their “angel lobes.”  

If you’re serious about becoming a New Human, we’re enrolling students into our most profound teaching and practice, PraxisAletheia: The Metamodern Mystery School, a one-year journey to becoming the New Human.

This year, classes start on February 1st, 2021.  Enrollment ends January 24th, 2021.

Click here to find out if you’re a viable candidate for The Metamodern Mystery School.

References

1. MacLean, P. (1990). The triune brain in evolution. New York: Plenum Press.

2. Pearce, J. C. (2007). The death of religion and the rebirth of spirit: A return to the intelligence of the heart. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press.

3. Schore, A. N. (1994). Affect regulation and the origin of the self. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.