The Evolution of Intelligence Part Three: Enchanted Staircase of the Mind from Animals to Humans

A beautiful name, appropriate for explaining the evolution of the mind from low animals to Homo sapiens. A comparative study that uses increasingly complex neural structures to interpret data from nervous and sensory anatomy, ethology, mental and psychological development. Five levels are identified, the fourth and fifth with two sublevels, each numbered in paragraphs, each examining the same topics in evolutionary progression. 1. Neurostructures, gradually acquired neuronal structures and the nervous areas in which they are found. 2. Zoology reports the animal groups with nervous system progressive forms. 3. Perception. A century ago, Jakob von Uexkull hypothesized the existence of a mental environment in which every animal and human being moves and lives. We will see how each species perceives the real universe and derives from it a Mental Universe, considered as a progressive structure that ascends from jellyfish to man, from newborn to adult. 4. Memogenesis. We will reconstruct the Mind genesis following cognitive psychology. Enchanted Staircase is the ascent of intelligence that has occurred over millions of years (phylogenesis), summarized by the child development (ontogenesis). An epigenetic ladder that ascends from reflex to the pre-object (René Spitz), to permanent object (Jean Piaget), then to knowledge, thought, rationality, to arrive at imagination and creativity that distinguish us from all animals and have enabled history. 5. Psychogenesis. Following psychoanalysis, we will see the origin of Psyche, of drives and feelings, and the progressive acquisition of Ego's identity. From the various studies comparison and synthesis, evolution of relational life clearly emerges.