SOME INTERESTING QUESTIONS FOR THE EXPERTS ON EVOLUTION
The theory of evolution is the generally accepted explanation for the
miraculous characteristics of life that we observe here on earth, and it
explains them very well.
There are, however, some characteristics of the human species that set
mankind far apart from all other life on earth, and seem to defy the
accepted principles of evolution. Could our current view of the speed or
timescale of human evolution be flawed? Or is there more to life on earth
than science has so far explained..?
1. Human intelligence is so much better than that required to survive on
earth, and so much higher than all other life on earth, that it is difficult
to see how this can be explained by evolution alone. How can we explain the
remarkable intelligence of mankind in evolutionary terms?
2. Furthermore, according to current thinking, the human mind has not
changed since the species emerged thousands of years ago. What use to Homo
sapiens in 200,000 BC would the human mind be, that has the potential to
facilitate such things as art, religion, and high-tech civilisation?
3. One of the constraints upon human intelligence is cranial capacity; that
is, the amount of room in the skull for the brain. The size of the human
skull at birth is constrained by the dimensions of the birth passage in the
female anatomy. Is it possible that one way in which evolution might
increase human intelligence could be to elongate the top of the skull into
dome-shape to provide additional capacity for brain tissue? (Just for fun.)
A QUICK REVIEW OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
The characteristics of life on earth has been very slowly influenced over
the millenia by evolutionary factors.
The basic principles of evolution are common-sensical. It is a process of
natural selection, or survival of the fittest. Certain properties of a
life-form are passed on from one generation to the next. These hereditary
characteristics are subject to change. If a change is advantageous to the
life form, then it is likely to persist.
The current consensus among anthropologists and rest of the scientific
community is that modern man emerged at least approximately 200,000 years
ago, and as a species has not changed biologically since then. The only
detectable differences between modern people and the first Homo sapiens are
superficial ones, such as culture and technology. The human species has not
been changed by evolution over the past two-hundred millennia.
Consider modern man today - he is an impressive specimen. Man can appreciate
and concieve advanced mathematical models in his mind. Man has an average
vocabulary comprising about 30,000 words - including such wonderful examples
as 'fractal', 'harmony', 'profound', and 'music'. He has ascended into
space, learned the laws of physics and applied them in a variety of clever
ways.
The human brain and mind have not changed during the past 200,000 years, so
the first Homo sapiens were obviously far more intelligent than they needed
to be. What practical use to the first humans could it possibly have been to
have possessed all of the potential for maths, music, art, philosophy, and
religion, and advanced high-tech civilisation?
According to the fossil record, Homo sapiens seem to have emerged suddenly
about 200 millennia ago with a fifty percent increase in cranial capacity,
together with the capability for speech and a fairly modern anatomy. Yet for
160,000 years man lived humbly using simple stone tools. Archaeology
indicates that modern behaviour only began about 40,000 years ago. Then,
suddenly, after about 1,000 years, man discovered agriculture. 6,000 years
later and man had formed great civilisations with advanced science and
astronomy, maths and geometry, tools, music, arts and crafts, religion,
educational institutes, local and national governmental organisations,
etc... It is only a mild exaggeration to call this period of four- to
six-thousand years ago 'modern civilisation but without electricity'!
THE MIRACLE OF MAN
One of the great unsolved mysteries of human evolution is how suddenly
modern man appeared.
One of the great unsolved mysteries of human civilisation is how and why it
began so suddenly after 200,000 years in the 'stone age'.
RELIGION: SCIENCE FACT OR SCIENCE-FICTION?
Until science solves these mysteries of mankind, it is interesting to note
that religion has offered answers to these questions since civilisation
began. At the onset of human civilisation 4,000 years ago, people living at
the time documented that man learned civilisation from Gods who descended
from space. The records of the ancients form the basis of the scriptures
that we inherit today.
BE INSPIRED
Take a moment to consider the comparison between mankind and other forms of
life on earth. Many people take it for granted that mankind is far superior
to other life forms on the planet, but what a difference! Consider the
advanced civilisation that we now live in, and imagine what the distant
future might be like.
I hope the reader shares my sense of absolute awe at the miracle of life,
and amazement at the sheer brilliance of the human species that almost
seems to transcend our humble, beautiful planet earth.
The theory of evolution is the generally accepted explanation for the
miraculous characteristics of life that we observe here on earth, and it
explains them very well.
There are, however, some characteristics of the human species that set
mankind far apart from all other life on earth, and seem to defy the
accepted principles of evolution. Could our current view of the speed or
timescale of human evolution be flawed? Or is there more to life on earth
than science has so far explained..?
1. Human intelligence is so much better than that required to survive on
earth, and so much higher than all other life on earth, that it is difficult
to see how this can be explained by evolution alone. How can we explain the
remarkable intelligence of mankind in evolutionary terms?
2. Furthermore, according to current thinking, the human mind has not
changed since the species emerged thousands of years ago. What use to Homo
sapiens in 200,000 BC would the human mind be, that has the potential to
facilitate such things as art, religion, and high-tech civilisation?
3. One of the constraints upon human intelligence is cranial capacity; that
is, the amount of room in the skull for the brain. The size of the human
skull at birth is constrained by the dimensions of the birth passage in the
female anatomy. Is it possible that one way in which evolution might
increase human intelligence could be to elongate the top of the skull into
dome-shape to provide additional capacity for brain tissue? (Just for fun.)
A QUICK REVIEW OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
The characteristics of life on earth has been very slowly influenced over
the millenia by evolutionary factors.
The basic principles of evolution are common-sensical. It is a process of
natural selection, or survival of the fittest. Certain properties of a
life-form are passed on from one generation to the next. These hereditary
characteristics are subject to change. If a change is advantageous to the
life form, then it is likely to persist.
The current consensus among anthropologists and rest of the scientific
community is that modern man emerged at least approximately 200,000 years
ago, and as a species has not changed biologically since then. The only
detectable differences between modern people and the first Homo sapiens are
superficial ones, such as culture and technology. The human species has not
been changed by evolution over the past two-hundred millennia.
Consider modern man today - he is an impressive specimen. Man can appreciate
and concieve advanced mathematical models in his mind. Man has an average
vocabulary comprising about 30,000 words - including such wonderful examples
as 'fractal', 'harmony', 'profound', and 'music'. He has ascended into
space, learned the laws of physics and applied them in a variety of clever
ways.
The human brain and mind have not changed during the past 200,000 years, so
the first Homo sapiens were obviously far more intelligent than they needed
to be. What practical use to the first humans could it possibly have been to
have possessed all of the potential for maths, music, art, philosophy, and
religion, and advanced high-tech civilisation?
According to the fossil record, Homo sapiens seem to have emerged suddenly
about 200 millennia ago with a fifty percent increase in cranial capacity,
together with the capability for speech and a fairly modern anatomy. Yet for
160,000 years man lived humbly using simple stone tools. Archaeology
indicates that modern behaviour only began about 40,000 years ago. Then,
suddenly, after about 1,000 years, man discovered agriculture. 6,000 years
later and man had formed great civilisations with advanced science and
astronomy, maths and geometry, tools, music, arts and crafts, religion,
educational institutes, local and national governmental organisations,
etc... It is only a mild exaggeration to call this period of four- to
six-thousand years ago 'modern civilisation but without electricity'!
THE MIRACLE OF MAN
One of the great unsolved mysteries of human evolution is how suddenly
modern man appeared.
One of the great unsolved mysteries of human civilisation is how and why it
began so suddenly after 200,000 years in the 'stone age'.
RELIGION: SCIENCE FACT OR SCIENCE-FICTION?
Until science solves these mysteries of mankind, it is interesting to note
that religion has offered answers to these questions since civilisation
began. At the onset of human civilisation 4,000 years ago, people living at
the time documented that man learned civilisation from Gods who descended
from space. The records of the ancients form the basis of the scriptures
that we inherit today.
BE INSPIRED
Take a moment to consider the comparison between mankind and other forms of
life on earth. Many people take it for granted that mankind is far superior
to other life forms on the planet, but what a difference! Consider the
advanced civilisation that we now live in, and imagine what the distant
future might be like.
I hope the reader shares my sense of absolute awe at the miracle of life,
and amazement at the sheer brilliance of the human species that almost
seems to transcend our humble, beautiful planet earth.
