Post by darryl on Sept 24, 2015 20:44:00 GMT
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
In his famous work The Origin of All Species, Charles Darwin was able to explain and convincingly argue that the sum total of the current human genome was not the result of some complete and absolute random design that just happened to be successful, but rather an ever changing design component resulting from the continual trial and error process known as evolution. Darwin maintained that natural selection, driven by the notion of “survival of the fittest”, would eliminate those behaviors and techniques that were unsuccessful for life to thrive while simultaneously introducing, enhancing and preserving those behaviors that were favorable for life to prosper. The evidence is overwhelming that natural selection is a force at play in most, if not all living things. While the effects of selected variations in human behavior may be difficult, if not impossible, to observe on a day to day level, over time those effects and the resulting behavior can be easier to identify and understand. Knowing that time is a key component for these variations to manifest, one could look at a particular observed current human behavior and trace back through time to see how and why such behavior came to be in the first place, and then make inferences about the effects of those behaviors in the future.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
Mainly those questions of consciousness and those concerning the existence of mankind’s soul, for the sake of argument, if such a thing exists. I believe it does. Even though Darwin was able to convincingly argue the existence of natural selection and the evolution process, he was not as successful in his argument when trying explain the level of human consciousness and or spiritual awareness in the human genome. Empirical evidence is strong that “something” within humans separates us from all other creatures on earth, past or present. All creatures have the ability to adapt to their environment and therefore “evolve”, however only humans seem to have the ability actually change it. Many would argue, myself included, that that ability is not the result of an evolution of human consciousness, but instead evidence of a connection with God, or an entity that no other observed creature in the history of mankind has experienced. Alfred Wallace vehemently asserted that in no way could the unconscious processes in evolution, over time create a conscious self-awareness. This is a theory supported by the fact that, every creature currently known by science to predate or postdate the existence of the human genome, has evolved in a manner that is void the level of human consciousness and awareness.
philweek 56.docx (13.06 KB)
In his famous work The Origin of All Species, Charles Darwin was able to explain and convincingly argue that the sum total of the current human genome was not the result of some complete and absolute random design that just happened to be successful, but rather an ever changing design component resulting from the continual trial and error process known as evolution. Darwin maintained that natural selection, driven by the notion of “survival of the fittest”, would eliminate those behaviors and techniques that were unsuccessful for life to thrive while simultaneously introducing, enhancing and preserving those behaviors that were favorable for life to prosper. The evidence is overwhelming that natural selection is a force at play in most, if not all living things. While the effects of selected variations in human behavior may be difficult, if not impossible, to observe on a day to day level, over time those effects and the resulting behavior can be easier to identify and understand. Knowing that time is a key component for these variations to manifest, one could look at a particular observed current human behavior and trace back through time to see how and why such behavior came to be in the first place, and then make inferences about the effects of those behaviors in the future.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
Mainly those questions of consciousness and those concerning the existence of mankind’s soul, for the sake of argument, if such a thing exists. I believe it does. Even though Darwin was able to convincingly argue the existence of natural selection and the evolution process, he was not as successful in his argument when trying explain the level of human consciousness and or spiritual awareness in the human genome. Empirical evidence is strong that “something” within humans separates us from all other creatures on earth, past or present. All creatures have the ability to adapt to their environment and therefore “evolve”, however only humans seem to have the ability actually change it. Many would argue, myself included, that that ability is not the result of an evolution of human consciousness, but instead evidence of a connection with God, or an entity that no other observed creature in the history of mankind has experienced. Alfred Wallace vehemently asserted that in no way could the unconscious processes in evolution, over time create a conscious self-awareness. This is a theory supported by the fact that, every creature currently known by science to predate or postdate the existence of the human genome, has evolved in a manner that is void the level of human consciousness and awareness.
philweek 56.docx (13.06 KB)
