Sapiens

One of the things I love most about being a teacher is the constant push to learn more. Every semester presents another opportunity to dig a bit deeper into topics.  This just never gets old, and I still look forward to learning more about ...well, everything.  And if everything works out correctly, I get to share it with my students, and hopefully light a spark that interests at least one of them.  As a result, every day is a new opportunity to grow.  What a great job!


So, over this last month, I have been reading Sapiens: a Brief History of Humankind.  I have had to walk away from this book, and return to it several times - mostly because some of the theories presented take time to digest.  But overall, I am captivated by it.  Essentially, the writer delves into the specific things that separate Homo Sapiens from all other species.  The most important transition is what he terms the "cognitive revolution."  Basically, something happened between 70,000 to 30,000 years ago that allowed Homo sapiens to communicate at a level never seen before in language. This, in turn, enabled sapiens to cooperate in large numbers.  This cooperation may be the key to everything that humankind has accomplished since.  It is captivating.

And it has started to turn my wheels, and inspires me to add some new questions to my class discussions.  It is fitting that we are at the start of a new semester, as I can't wait to get started.  My brain is filled with new ideas, and I even got a new pair of shoes - so let's go!!