Many human-like species roamed the landscape for millions of years. Some of them existed at the same as modern humans. They had intelligence but did not have feelings of compassion and empathy. They did not help one another in need. As a result, all of them became extinct. One way they differ from modern humans was that did not have emotions.
Emotion is the tool of our survival. Without our passions, we would not have prevailed as a species. Intelligence and emotions are equally essential for our existence.
Our strength is in our values. Our strength is in our empathy and compassion. Our strength in helping and saving others. We use our strength to survive. We have survived as the fittest species not only because of our intelligence but also because of our virtues. Without those, we would have extinct without being replaced by other species.
Numerous scientists have challenged Darwin’s theory of evolution. Although only 66% of American scientists agree about Darwin’s theory, 98% of scientists connected to the American Science Association say, they believe humans evolved according to Pew Research Center survey on science and society.
Darwin’s theory is the most well-established theory of its kind and no significant replacement of the theory has been found yet.
I don’t believe that theory is 100% correct, but I have no hesitation to agree with that that the purpose of life is to survive and reproduce or put forward our inheritance.
Let me suggest a correction. I would say that one of the main purposes is to reproduce. Reproduction is not our only one goal. There are many other purposes of the life. Many humans of different sexual orientations are not reproducing, but they are doing quite fine.
You don’t have to be a genetic scientist to understand that the essential thing in our life is to survive. If you believe in the religion, you have to endure to serve God and to fulfill the purposes of God.
We, humans, are more concerned about our children and the next generation than ourselves. Why are we worried so much about the environment and the increase in global temperature? We want to put forward our genes, and we want our inheritance to survive. We could enjoy using all natural resources if we were not more concerned for our children than ourselves. Our survival also means the survival of human civilization in the present and the future.
The theory of Darwin applies to all living beings. All animals are here to survive. But we have some survival technics that differentiate us from other animals.
We are the fittest not only because we are intelligent but mostly because we have human values and emotions. If we did not have those, we would have extinct ourselves without being threatened by other species. We have “society, friendship, and love” which have protected us from both external and internal threats. Because of those, we have survived and thrived.
Our way of survival is different from that of other species. We use human values as a means of survival. We have empathy and kindness that have saved us.
We often watch on the discovery channel that wild predators kill and eat mammals but others of its kind do not save them. These animals don’t have empathy or feelings for one another.
I know this analogy is not perfect because other animals don’t have intelligence. Many human-like creatures were intelligent.
As recently as 30,000 years ago, three other hominin species were around: the Neanderthals, Denisovans, and the hobbits.
Neanderthals were very similar to modern humans. We have plenty of archeological findings to know about them. They evolved long before us and had survived for several hundred thousand years. They had proper hunting tools and techniques. Evidence suggests modern human evolved when Neanderthals roamed on the landscape.
Evidence suggests that we replaced them. How could we do that?
Anthropologists and archeologists together have found the answer. We have developed something unique which is “symbolic art “ and communication skills which have helped us to outcompete human-like species.
Humans practiced music before they moved from Arica to Europe.
When the number of humans grew, they started to live in the society
and developed sophisticated ways like arts to communicate one another.
Nicholas Conard at the University of Tübingen, Germany was the head of a research project working on an archaeological examination in caves. He has some interesting remarks based on his research result:
Humans shared information among groups even 40,000 years ago
Art was a critical part of our identity that helped to bring different groups together.
Human used symbolic arts to share their knowledge among themselves and pass on to generations. Social organization and information sharing were something other species, which Neanderthals could not.
At a conference, arranged by Arizona State University on “Origins of Human Uniqueness and Behavioral Modernity,” famous scholars discussed how human species survived and colonized the world.
The evolutionary theorist Rob Boyd of the University of California explains, “In the wild, a lone human would not be able to survive without culture.” He adds, “Think about what is necessary to live in Alaska; You’d need a kayak, a harpoon, a float to not sink. Nobody invents a kayak. People learn the proper way to make a kayak from others.”
Culture has historically always give survival edge. This edge is over other species and other nations. Emotions influence culture and vice versa. We can communicate across cultures. We can exchange among groups.
Mutual co-operation was vital for our existence from the very beginning. We can know that without archeological digging. Humankind is stronger than ever before because we live in a globalized society. As much as we are enhancing our co-operation, we are thriving.
We share our knowledge and information. We continuously develop our expertise in co-operation with one another. We pass knowledge on to next generation, and they develop learning further.
The core purpose of life is still to survival and reproduction vital for us.
But the art of our survival is different from other animals.
We have empathy and compassion for one another.
We save the life, and we help them who are in need. We live in a group or society. Those are our foundation of success. We have survived because we have human values.
One person helps another. One group help another.
All nations help the nation that is in crisis.
In this way, we survive. Our love and emotions are our strength.
Sex is one of the essential motivators for us all. Sex is closely linked to our survival. To survive from the very beginning, we needed to eat and reproduce. Nevertheless, sex is the greatest enjoyment that we can achieve.
Unlike other species, our love and sex are related to one another.. Although, I don’t agree with Freud that we are sexual beings and every action is motivated by sex. I believe sex is an essential part of our life.
We can turn our romantic love into sex. That is an advantage of species and gives a significant boost to our reproduction ability.
Originally published at medium.com