ABSTRACT
We humans rely heavily on our cognitive , or thinking, abilities to survive. It’s the thing that distinguishes us the most from all other species on the planet. Rather than operating on instincts and reacting to our immediate circumstances, we tend to rely more on long-term goals and mental concepts. This shift in strategy to mental skills was accompanied by changes in the human brain: our cortex is proportionately enlarged. A particular part of the cortex that is larger in humans is the frontal lobes. It’s a critical brain structure in many mental functions, and when it’s damaged or undeveloped, people tend to function very inefficiently.
