• FUTURE HUMAN EVOLUTION - Can we change human nature?

    Author(s):
    S M Sigerson (see profile)
    Date:
    2022
    Group(s):
    Anthropology, Environmental Humanities, Pagan Studies, Sustainability
    Subject(s):
    Ethnology, Anthropology, Evolution, Human evolution, Evolution (Biology), Ecology, Environmental policy, Sustainable development, Sustainable agriculture, Sustainability
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    evolution, homo habilius, human, Human Behaviour, human communities, Human Dignity, human environment, Human evolution, human interactions with nature, Humanity
    Permanent URL:
    https://doi.org/10.17613/p8ba-mk90
    Abstract:
    Humanity's age-old dilemmas are often set down to what we call human nature. Even the most philosophical shake their heads in despair at this, as an impassible boundary to progress. Though some have denied its existence, studies indicate that we do indeed have a nature, instincts, and patterns of behavior which are endemic to our species. Even so... Could we change? In what does our nature consist? Is it hopelessly etched in stone? Or only written on our DNA? If our instincts and behavior have evolved beyond that of earlier primates and hominid ancestors, is it possible for us to improve them? If so, why haven't we done so, noticeably, lately? This article proposes that homo sapiens sapiens has remained remarkably, static, for an unusually long time, in evolutionary terms. And that this is particularly extraordinary, considering its chronic, compulsive repetitive syndromes of destroying its own environment, resulting in collapse of its societies / civilizations. The hypothesis is that, like other species, which continually evolve to solve species-wide survival dilemmas, human beings could engage in spontaneous evolutionary change to address these self-destructive patterns. The questions raised are: When did we stop doing that? Why did we stop? Can we reawaken our capacity for spontaneous evolution, now and in future? If you could change one thing about the human species to address its chronic problems, what would it be?
    Notes:
    The purpose of this article is to catalyze DISCUSSION: on the concept that Future human evolution is NOT a problem for science to solve. We evolved into our present form without the help of science or scholars. IT'S IN OUR HANDS. Could talking & thinking about it help re-awaken our capacity for spontaneous evolutionary self-modification, to address our species-wide survival dilemmas? LET'S TRY IT & SEE!
    Metadata:
    xml
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    12 months ago
    License:
    Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

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