The Four Cores

3 minute read


MODELING HUMAN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
Attempting to understand complex systems requires isolating functional subsets its structure, characterizing those subsets, and analyzing their functional relationship to the whole. The study of human neurophysiology has been greatly assisted by the models of Evolutionary Physiology and Exaptation. Applying these tools facilitates isolating discrete structural/functional subsets of human qualities, and by resolving details of their structural and functional attributes, in the context of their evolution, advance one’s knowledge about the holistic organism. A model has been constructed here using these tools that identify four distinct “Cores”, or foundational structural subsets, that encapsulate the scope of our functional and structural attributes.

As creatures evolved into dimensionally more complex space these Cores emerged and then evolved to respond to changing opportunities. The Cores as presented here are lineage-specific and determined by the path of our ancestor’s evolutionary journey. For example, Birds have a Core related to flight (wings), which is structurally somewhat similar to our Manipulation Core but which corresponds functionally to our Locomotion Core. However, Birds and Humans share some attributes of the Metabolic and Sensory/Processing Cores, which emerged before their lineages diverged. It is therefore only possible to model Cores species specifically, even though all species share the same evolutionary root.

INSIGHTS TO BE GLEANED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THESE CORES
Degeneration of our structure and function can significantly be attributed to our habituated movement patterns. For better or worse, we are conscious Animals, intentionally interacting with our surroundings. If the habitual patterns we utilize to direct our movements are sub-optimal, over time, those inefficiencies accumulate as excessive wear and tear on our structure, compromising our response potential. A prime example is in how we use our feet. The connection of our feet with the ground establishes the foundation for how our bodyweight “stacks” above our feet, with our body then compensating for insufficiencies in that contact. If our feet consistently make poor contact with the ground, our bodies will suffer from excess inflammation and degeneration.

Conversely, if our foot/ground contact is optimal, the regenerative attributes inherent in our Connective Tissue will utilize this information for restoration and recovery from injury. Other Animals do not have this issue due to their limited abilities to override those innate motor automaticities that our species surmounted. Our conscious control of movement puts us a disadvantage of having to apply some of that consciousness to the skill of moving. Inhibiting our motor automaticities enables conscious action. It is also the bane of our motor automaticities being able to perform their innate functions unimpeded. Optimized conscious control of movement requires a comprehensive understanding of our functional mechanics and those automaticities that drive it. Suboptimal conscious movement impinges upon regenerative mechanisms we have evolved over millions of years.

The Locomotive Core section of papers attempts to bring clarity to some aspects of the skill of moving, thereby improving competency and maximizing our innate healing capacities. The other sections of papers on the Metabolic Core, Manipulation Core, and Sensory Processing Core also attempt to clarify attributes of our holistic selves, dissected from the perspective of Evolutionary Theory and our current understanding of our stepwise emergence from the ancestral root of all Living Things.

The Cores have exclusive, essential functions. The ratio of the dominance of each core function is revealed in our physical appearance. This ratio derives from the context within which we develop, the context of our current setting, and the context within which our recent ancestors thrived – in some situations, some core functions afford relatively more benefit than others. These ratios are simple to observe in peoples’ physiology and are discussed here:
SOMATOTYPES


In Primates, four distinct Core Mechanisms can be isolated:

METABOLIC CORE
The Metabolic Core comprises the physiology which we share with all creatures in our lineage – those that assimilate nutrients from the surroundings. There is a discussion about the origins of Life here: Persistence Archetype.

LOCOMOTIVE CORE
The Locomotive Core is the physiology of our lineage which we share with creatures that can move – Animals, and the subset of animals with an endoskeleton – Vertebrates.

MANIPULATION CORE
The Manipulation Core is the neurophysiology of tool use, which is the dominant feature of the primates of our lineage.

SENSORY/PROCESSING CORE
The Neurological Core comprises all of the evolutionary layers of the emergence of sensing and cognition in our lineage, facilitating intentional action.



OTHER MODELS PRESENTED HERE

DIMENSIONAL PARADIGMS
The evolution of human structure and function tightly correlates to the trajectory our lineage had to follow as our ancestors discovered and then explored dimensionally more complex settings. A discussion of this expedition of discovery our ancestors’ undertook is presented here:
DIMENSIONAL PARADIGMS

ARCHETYPES
Examining the Dimensional Paradigms from an energetic perspective reveals Archetypal frameworks. These frameworks constrain evolution as categorically as the physical dimensions but are not physical. Archetypes are essential guide-rails of the evolution of our lineage and, like the spatial dimensions, exist regardless of whether our ancestors invoked them or not.
ARCHETYPES



MENU 14