The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

Written by Carl Sagan

Narrated by JD Jackson and Ann Druyan

The Pulitzer Prize Winner

Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends--and their amazing links to recent discoveries.

"A history of the human brain from the big bang, fifteen billion years ago, to the day before yesterday...It's a delight." -The New York Times

“How can I persuade every intelligent person to read this important and elegant book? . . . He talks about all kinds of things: the why of the pain of human childbirth . . . the reason for sleeping and dreaming . . . chimpanzees taught to communicate in deaf and dumb language . . . the definition of death . . . cloning . . . computers . . . intelligent life on other planets. . . . Fascinating . . . delightful.”—The Boston Globe

“In some lost Eden where dragons ruled, the foundations of our intelligence were laid. . . . Carl Sagan takes us on a guided tour of that lost land. . . . Fascinating . . . entertaining . . . masterful.”—St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Introductory music from the original score for COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey composed by Alan Silvestri, used with permission from Cosmos Studios, Inc. and Chappers Music. All rights reserved. Special thanks to Fuzzy Planets, Inc.[>

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jul 25, 2017
• ISBN: 9781531888435

Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan was Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking, and Voyager spacecraft expeditions, for which he received the NASA medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. Dr. Sagan received the Pulitzer Prize and the highest awards of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Science Foundation for his contributions to science, literature, education, and the preservation of the environment. His book Cosmos was the bestselling science book ever published in the English language, and his bestselling novel, Contact, was turned into a major motion picture.

Reviews for The Dragons of Eden

[Gregg Taylor · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is fascinating and proposes the theory that the development of human intelligence was and is the key to human survival.

[Chris Christoff · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A fascinating journey into the insights of man and his universe guided by the intelligent, and brilliant mind, of Carl Sagan.

[Raymond Doyle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. I didn’t find it dry at all. It is a little dated in parts, having been published in the 70’s, but it was interesting and shows just how intelligent Carl Sagan really was. There’s good stuff here. Recommended.

[Karlos Kun Martinez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sin duda alguna un gran libro de una mente a una grandiosa. aunque eran sólo especulaciones me llamó mucho la atención porque Carl Sagan siempre ha sido un gran pensador y un gran narrador de historias. Este libro cumplió mis expectativas y no me decepciona para nada.

[lpg3d · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While this book is somewhat dated (it came out in 1977), it still is a very interesting read and provides lots of food for thought.

[arkrayder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really liked this book. I didn’t find it dry at all. It is a little dated in parts, having been published in the 70’s, but it was interesting and shows just how intelligent Carl Sagan really was. There’s good stuff here. Recommended.

[andycyca-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

3.5/5 In all honesty, and even though I'm a big fan of his work, this book felt a bit condescending on those who aren't scientifically-inclined (more in the later parts of the book). That said, it covers an interesting variety of topics and will be great for those wondering about human intelligence in general.

[proustitutes · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

One of the lesser points Sagan introduces is the analytical check our "left" brain must impose on our "right" brain's more intuitive connections. Ironically I would argue that Sagan's hesitance to check himself was this book's biggest failure. Often he excitedly drew out connections, usually preceded by a phrase such as "I wonder," that do not stand his left-brained test of reason.

With that said, I found the book worth the read. Sagan draws up a quick tour of human evolutionary lineage with a focus on our neocortical developments. He also always had a ready comparison to primates in order to more
fully showcase what makes us "human". As always, the line is thinner and more vague than many more orthodox religions would like to believe.

One major takeaway was the human ability, through the development of the neocortex, to have built-in "intelligence", I.e. analytical thinking, as compared to "instinct". Whereas instinctual information is programmed into tightly packed DNA (and is therefore limited in nature) and survives solely off adaptive selection, intelligence (or extragenetic info) resides in a larger brain capacity.. it is the ability to think on the fly and respond successfully to innumerable changing environments and situations.

Sagan introduces many other varying ideas and usually does a good job supporting them scientifically. All in all, if you ignore anything he says about aliens or computers, it's a good read.

[heradas · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good considering that Carl Sagan is writing outside of his field. Great speculations on the evolution of human/animal intelligence. Minus 1 star for being heavily outdated (originally published in 1977). I'll definitely be reading a more recent book on the same topic; written by a neuroscientist rather than an astrophysicist.

[robrod1_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I just love Carl Sagan's subjects areas and the way he just draws you in. This book on human intelligence is truly awesome. Nuff Said!

[bridgitshearth_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These comments are all relevant but a little random.I was always disappointed that Sagan never updated this incredible book. I'd say to all of you: read Ancestor's Tale to get an update. This is Dawkins at his best and well, well worth the time it takes to read. He's much more humble as a scientist writing about his science than as a scientist as social/culture critic. Ancestor's Tale is definitely more of an opus than Dragons. The problem I always have reading Sagan is I am haunted by his voice. It must be significant how many of the reviewers read it when they were "younger" and remember its impact. Ditto here!

[p_s_patrick · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the first book by Sagan that I have read, and I was fairly impressed. He takes on the subject of human intelligence, why it evolved, and compares it to that of other organisms, describing how their brains are similar and different. I found the style of writing good, and liked the way he tied in myths with some of the points, which made a lot of sense. The book doesn't get too technical anywhere, so will be suitable for any reader really. Overall this was a good read, and I would recommend it to those with an interest in human thought, biology, and the brain.

[theoclarke · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Carl Sagan's essays on the evolution of human intelligence amouunt to an exploration of the origins of humanity. His writing is lucid, accessible, and informative.

[psiloiordinary_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence" is the subtitle.Written in 1977. I am sure that many of the subjects in this book have now progressed far beyond this collection of thoughts, nevertheless, this book provides an intriguing and wide ranging introduction to the topic. We are given an anatomical tour of the brain, comparisons of competing theories of how it developed and how it is organised. We are tempted with glimpses of truth resulting from comparisons between human and animal brains and behaviours, which also reveals that we are perhaps not so far removed from our nearest cousins as we might sometimes assume.Sagan even tries to ask questions about common human myths and ways of thinking and links them to what we know about the brain's development and operation.Much thought provoking stuff on left and right brain conflict and some fascinating insights into the effects of various brain diseases and injuries.A very useful further reading section included.A great book, up to his usual excellent standard.

[alexmaron_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the book that changed me, that opened my mind when I was 14 years old. It is about inteligence and evolution and the explanations, examples and stories are amazing. Sagan was a real genius in terms of making science sexy.

[soylentgreen23 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Sagan, usually so reliable a sage, gets drawn into the debate surrounding the issue of human intelligence. This is somewhat of a surprise - what is intelligence anyway? He doesn't suggest an answer but instead dissects some of the studies done on the subject without really getting anywhere. But can he? The field is ripe for philosophical discussion, but Sagan, a scientist of the first class, doesn't realise that the ground he's walking on is quicksand.