Beast-People Onscreen and in Your Brain

Beast-People Onscreen and in Your Brain

Author: Mark Pizzato

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published: 2016-02-22

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13:

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A new take on our bio-cultural evolution explores how the "inner theatre" of the brain and its "animal-human stages" are reflected in and shaped by the mirror of cinema. Vampire, werewolf, and ape-planet films are perennial favorites—perhaps because they speak to something primal in human nature. This intriguing volume examines such films in light of the latest developments in neuroscience, revealing ways in which animal-human monster movies reflect and affect what we naturally imagine in our minds. Examining specific films as well as early cave images, the book discusses how certain creatures on rock walls and movie screens express animal-to-human evolution and the structures of our brains. The book presents a new model of the human brain with its theatrical, cinematic, and animal elements. It also develops a theory of "rasa-catharsis" as the clarifying of emotions within and between spectators of the stage or screen, drawing on Eastern and Western aesthetics as well as current neuroscience. It focuses on the "inner movie theater" of memories, dreams, and reality representations, involving developmental stages, as well as the "hall of mirrors," ape-egos, and body-swapping identifications between human beings. Finally, the book shows how ironic twists onscreen—especially of contradictory emotions—might evoke a reappraisal of feelings, helping spectators to be more attentive to their own impulses. Through this interdisciplinary study, scholars, artists, and general readers will find a fresh way to understand the potential for interactive mindfulness and yet cathartic backfire between human brains—in cinema, in theater, and in daily life.


Land of Lost Monsters

Land of Lost Monsters

Author: Ted Oakes

Publisher: Hylas Publishing

Published: 2003

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 9781592580057

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Homo sapiens began to explore the world beyond Africa only 100,000 years ago. These people were not primitive cavemen, but as intelligent as ourselves. Thousands of years before Cook or Columbus, they pioneered a route from Africa through Eurasia to Australia, northern Europe, the Americas, and ultimately the shores of remote islands like New Zealand. What our ancestors found was not the planet that we know today, but instead, a prehistoric world ruled by giant animals, 'monsters' that had risen from the ashes of the dinosaurs.


PREHISTORIC MAN & BEAST

PREHISTORIC MAN & BEAST

Author: H. N. (Henry Neville) 1856 Hutchinson

Publisher: Wentworth Press

Published: 2016-08-27

Total Pages: 350

ISBN-13: 9781371309770

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This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.


Beasts Before Us

Beasts Before Us

Author: Elsa Panciroli

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2021-06-10

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 1472983971

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For most of us, the story of mammal evolution starts after the asteroid impact that killed the dinosaurs, but over the last 20 years scientists have uncovered new fossils and used new technologies that have upended this story. In Beasts Before Us, palaeontologist Elsa Panciroli charts the emergence of the mammal lineage, Synapsida, beginning at their murky split from the reptiles in the Carboniferous period, over three-hundred million years ago. They made the world theirs long before the rise of dinosaurs. Travelling forward into the Permian and then Triassic periods, we learn how our ancient mammal ancestors evolved from large hairy beasts with accelerating metabolisms to exploit miniaturisation, which was key to unlocking the traits that define mammals as we now know them. Elsa criss-crosses the globe to explore the sites where discoveries are being made and meet the people who make them. In Scotland, she traverses the desert dunes of prehistoric Moray, where quarry workers unearthed the footprints of Permian creatures from before the time of dinosaurs. In South Africa, she introduces us to animals, once called 'mammal-like reptiles', that gave scientists the first hints that our furry kin evolved from a lineage of egg-laying burrowers. In China, new, complete fossilised skeletons reveal mammals that were gliders, shovel-pawed Jurassic moles, and flat-tailed swimmers. This book radically reframes the narrative of our mammalian ancestors and provides a counterpoint to the stereotypes of mighty dinosaur overlords and cowering little mammals. It turns out the earliest mammals weren't just precursors, they were pioneers.


The Case for Animal Rights

The Case for Animal Rights

Author: Tom Regan

Publisher: Univ of California Press

Published: 1983

Total Pages: 452

ISBN-13: 9780520054608

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THE argument for animal rights, a classic since its appearance in 1983, from the moral philosophical point of view. With a new preface.


The Early Cave-Men

The Early Cave-Men

Author: Katharine Elizabeth Dopp

Publisher: Good Press

Published: 2023-10-28

Total Pages: 180

ISBN-13:

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"The Early Cave-Men" by Katharine Elizabeth Dopp is a captivating exploration of our ancient ancestors. Through meticulous research and a keen understanding of anthropology, Dopp brings to life the world of early cave-dwellers. Readers will be transported back in time to a period when humans were just beginning to grapple with the challenges of survival and adaptation. With vivid descriptions and well-drawn characters, Dopp provides a comprehensive look at the daily lives, social structures, and evolutionary processes of these early humans. This book is not only an educational treasure trove but also a compelling narrative that sheds light on the roots of our civilization.