John Eccles
John Eccles
Sir John Carew Eccles AC FRS FRACP FRSNZ FAAwas an Australian neurophysiologist and philosopher who won the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on the synapse. He shared the prize with Andrew Huxley and Alan Lloyd Hodgkin...
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth27 January 1903
CountryAustralia
spiritual soul brain
I maintain that the human mystery is incredibly demeaned by scientific reductionism, with its claim in promissory materialism to account eventually for all of the spiritual world in terms of patterns of neuronal activity. This belief must be classed as a superstition. ... We have to recognize that we are spiritual beings with souls existing in a spiritual world as well as material beings with bodies and brains existing in a material world.
men understanding brain
A better understanding of the brain is certain to lead man to a richer comprehension both of himself, of his fellow man, and of society, and in fact of the whole world with its problems.
believe brain inheritance
I believe that there is a fundamental mystery in my existence, transcending any biological account of the development of my body (including my brain) with its genetic inheritance and its evolutionary origin. ... I cannot believe that this wonderful gift of a conscious existence has no further future, no possibility of another existence under some other unimaginable conditions.
men brain lasts
The last thing that man will understand in nature is the performance of his brain.
almost although delightful england facilities grants laboratory present research
England was a delightful and stimulating place for a young academic, although by present standards, the laboratory facilities were primitive. There were almost no research grants and no secretarial assistance, even for Sherrington.
ultimate
Brain research is the ultimate problem confronting man.
existence explain human
I can explain my body and my brain, but there's something more. I can't explain my own existence - what makes me a unique human being.
darwinian realise
I came to realise that Darwinian evolution had no explanation of me as an experiencing self.
changed gave including inspiring lives science
Many people, including myself, had our scientific lives changed by the inspiring new vision of science that Popper gave us.
anywhere brothers countries fellow men realize share
We and our fellow men of all countries must realize that we share this wonderful, beautiful, salubrious earth as brothers and that there never will be anywhere else to go.
codes genetic origin stems
The origin of each of us stems from codes of genetic inheritance.
appreciation extent fellow men richer society understanding
To the extent that we have a better understanding of the brain, we will have a richer appreciation of ourselves, of our fellow men and of society and, in fact, of the whole world and its problems.
civilization
To the brains of our predecessors we owe all of our inheritance of civilization and culture.
along conveyed impulses information nerve reception
The body and dendrites of a nerve cell are specialized for the reception and integration of information which is conveyed as impulses that are fired from other nerve cells along their axons.