It is important to understand that while oxytocin may be the hub of the evolution of the social brain in mammals, it is part of a very complex system. Part of what it does is act in opposition to stress hormones, and in that sense release of oxytocin feels good - as stress hormones and anxiety do not feel good.

It seems probable that humans have been on the planet, with much the same brain, for about 250,000 years.

Suppression of impulses that would put you in danger is obviously an important neurobiological function.

In all probability, mental states are processes and activities of the brain. Exactly what activities, and exactly at what level of description, remains to be seen.

Humility bids us to take ourselves as we are; we do not have to be cosmically significant to be genuinely significant.

If you give up because you announce the phenomenon cannot be explained, you are missing out.

Brains are not magical; they are causal machines.