Why humans are unique
Zhouhang Shao
Professor Guillermo Algaze
Culture, Art and Technology
Nov 22 2013
Why humans are unique?
Our human have made so many amazing achievements in the earth’s history. We pass laws, fight for poor and stand for what was right; we sacrifice, care about our families and cherish friendship; we build great thing，explore the universe, cure diseases and make ungodly technological advances; we reach for stars, act like men; we aspire on intelligence, but don’t belittle it. Why it is only human beings dominate the earth and make those amazing achievements? People have been exploring this question for a long time. An anthropologist, Richard G Klein believes that abrupt genetic changes, which happened 50 thousand years ago, led to dramatic changes in human behaviors, which make humans unique. In his mind, the evolution of brains gives people the ability to innovate and differentiates modern humans and non-modern humans. On the other hand, a biologist, Paul Ehrlich explains human behavior changes in broader aspects by illustrating how gene evolution creates culture evolution and culture evolution, in turn affects gene evolution. This process interacts and is repeated constantly, finally creating human nature. Ehrlich believes recent evolution of human brains enable us to solve problems that are difficult or impossible for other animals to solve. He also points out “memory” is essential to the formation of human natures, saying “Man differs from the lower animals because he preserves his past experiences” (p110).(Summary, relationship).
Klein believes that genetic changes cause abruptly human behavioral changes. According to the theory “out of Africa”: Human first originated in Africa in about 200ka and then spread to Europe and Asia in about 50ka. It seems that 50ka is a watershed in human history. Before that time, people had lived in Africa for thousands of year without dramatic change in culture and technology. However, advanced
Professor Guillermo Algaze
Culture, Art and Technology
Nov 22 2013
Why humans are unique?
Our human have made so many amazing achievements in the earth’s history. We pass laws, fight for poor and stand for what was right; we sacrifice, care about our families and cherish friendship; we build great thing，explore the universe, cure diseases and make ungodly technological advances; we reach for stars, act like men; we aspire on intelligence, but don’t belittle it. Why it is only human beings dominate the earth and make those amazing achievements? People have been exploring this question for a long time. An anthropologist, Richard G Klein believes that abrupt genetic changes, which happened 50 thousand years ago, led to dramatic changes in human behaviors, which make humans unique. In his mind, the evolution of brains gives people the ability to innovate and differentiates modern humans and non-modern humans. On the other hand, a biologist, Paul Ehrlich explains human behavior changes in broader aspects by illustrating how gene evolution creates culture evolution and culture evolution, in turn affects gene evolution. This process interacts and is repeated constantly, finally creating human nature. Ehrlich believes recent evolution of human brains enable us to solve problems that are difficult or impossible for other animals to solve. He also points out “memory” is essential to the formation of human natures, saying “Man differs from the lower animals because he preserves his past experiences” (p110).(Summary, relationship).
Klein believes that genetic changes cause abruptly human behavioral changes. According to the theory “out of Africa”: Human first originated in Africa in about 200ka and then spread to Europe and Asia in about 50ka. It seems that 50ka is a watershed in human history. Before that time, people had lived in Africa for thousands of year without dramatic change in culture and technology. However, advanced