Adventures in Human Being audiobook cover - A Grand Tour from the Cranium to the Calcaneum

Adventures in Human Being

A Grand Tour from the Cranium to the Calcaneum

Gavin Francis

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Categories:
SciencePhilosophy

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Mind Map

Adventures in Human Being
The Face: Emotional Expression+
The Placenta: Cultural Diversity+
The Brain: Resilience and Adaptability+
The Heart: Vitality and Well-Being+
The Genitals: Desire and Pleasure+
The Kidney: Altruism and Kindness+
The Foot: Human Evolution+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 9
Why does the author argue that Leonardo da Vinci was uniquely able to depict vivid emotion in his paintings, such as in 'The Last Supper'?
  • A. He carefully studied ancient Greek and Roman texts on human emotion and anatomy.
  • B. He dissected the faces of corpses, allowing him to authentically understand facial muscles.
  • C. He invented a new artistic technique using shadows to emphasize facial structure.
  • D. He hired stage actors to hold highly emotional expressions for hours in his studio.
Question 2 of 9
If an anatomy demonstrator observes pronounced 'depressor anguli oris' muscles in a cadaver, what does this indicate about the person's life?
  • A. The person lived a life rich with laughter and happiness.
  • B. The person lived a life filled with romantic love and kissing.
  • C. The person lived a life marked by sadness and frequent frowning.
  • D. The person lived a life that involved intense vocal performances.
Question 3 of 9
According to the book, what functional characteristic makes the human placenta completely unique among other organs?
  • A. It is the only organ that generates undifferentiated stem cells throughout a person's life.
  • B. It is the only organ in the human body that is designed to be temporary.
  • C. It is the only organ that operates entirely independent of the body's cardiovascular system.
  • D. It is the only organ that cannot be surgically transplanted or cryogenically preserved.
Question 4 of 9
During the brain surgery on the epilepsy patient, how did the neurosurgeon determine which chunks of the brain were safe to remove?
  • A. By mapping the patient's brain using an MRI before making any incisions to locate the epilepsy source.
  • B. By looking for tissue that had turned gray or stopped pulsating naturally.
  • C. By zapping parts of the awake patient's brain with electricity and noting when her speech became incoherent.
  • D. By injecting a dye into the bloodstream that highlighted the 'eloquent' brain sectors in bright pink.
Question 5 of 9
What is one popular theory explaining the bizarre cognitive impairments, known as 'pump head', that sometimes follow heart bypass surgery?
  • A. Bypass machines deliver dangerously high levels of concentrated oxygen to the brain.
  • B. The heavy anesthetics required for bypass surgery leave permanent chemical imbalances in the brain.
  • C. Artificial bypass machines circulate blood in a continuous flow, failing to mimic the heart's rhythmic pulse.
  • D. The temporary stopping of the heart inherently triggers severe psychological trauma.
Question 6 of 9
Though female orgasm is not strictly essential for conception, how does it physiologically aid fertilization according to the text?
  • A. It elevates the body's internal temperature, which helps incubate a newly fertilized egg.
  • B. It releases an alkaline fluid that neutralizes the acidity of the vagina, helping sperm survive.
  • C. It immediately triggers the release of an egg from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes.
  • D. It causes the cervix to physically contract and pull semen deeper into the uterus.
Question 7 of 9
Why does the author consider the kidney to be a unique symbol of human generosity and unconditional love?
  • A. It is the only organ that completely regenerates itself after being partially donated.
  • B. It is the most frequently donated organ by deceased individuals worldwide.
  • C. It is the only full organ that a living person can donate to a stranger with relatively little inconvenience.
  • D. It is an organ capable of surviving outside the human body much longer than a heart or liver.
Question 8 of 9
Why does the author argue that the human foot is a more uniquely human organ than the human hand?
  • A. The human foot develops much earlier in the womb than the human hand.
  • B. The foot is an engineering marvel that enables upright walking, whereas the hand is just a modified version of primate hands.
  • C. Humans are the only known creatures on Earth to possess opposable digits on their feet.
  • D. The foot contains a significantly higher concentration of nerve endings than the hand.
Question 9 of 9
What did Mary Leakey's 1978 discovery of 3.5-million-year-old bipedal footprints reveal about human evolution?
  • A. It proved that early humans developed a large, highly advanced brain before they began walking upright.
  • B. It proved that early hominids walked on all fours until they discovered the use of complex stone tools.
  • C. It proved that bipedalism only emerged after early hominids migrated out of the African continent.
  • D. It proved that walking on two feet preceded brain development, freeing the hands to use tools.

Adventures in Human Being — Full Chapter Overview

Adventures in Human Being Summary & Overview

Adventures in Human Being (2015) is a sort of anatomical travel guide. A series of philosophical reflections on each of the body’s major organs, the book combines a clinical perspective on the body with select stories from our cultural history. The result is a series of striking ruminations on the human condition from the unusual angle of human anatomy.

Who Should Listen to Adventures in Human Being?

  • Students of medicine open to a more philosophical approach to the body 
  • Philosophers curious to hear a doctor’s perspective on the human condition
  • Anyone who wants to learn about the inner workings of their body

About the Author: Gavin Francis

Gavin Francis has worked as a pediatrician, a surgeon, an ER specialist, a trainee neurosurgeon, and even an expedition medic in the Arctic and Antarctic. He now lives with his family in Edinburgh, Scotland, and works as a family physician. Before this book, Francis authored two travelogues about his experiences as an expedition medic – True North: Travels in Arctic Europe and Empire Antarctica: Ice, Silence, and Emperor Penguins. The latter book won the Scottish Book of the Year Award for 2013.

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