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Post by marie ashley siy on Jul 9, 2015 7:08:43 GMT
WEEK 2
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
“Everything we see around us is just the mixing of different types of atoms.” (Lane 15) This quote is important and crucial to philosophy itself. We and everything around us are atoms. Without atoms, there would be nothing and with that, there would be no universe and of course, no philosophy. Something so small makes up everything in the universe is incredible to think. Physics and the general rules of the universe are so important to philosophy because they are the starting points of this subject on what makes up everything in this universe. The foundation of our understanding and lives are based on physics. According to Shaun, like the dice our actions can alter what we see and what we know. Not just with dice but also in the real world do our actions alter knowledge. Physics and the natural rules of the universe are important to know as members of the universe itself.
2. What is eliminative materialism? Provide three examples of it
According to the video: Eliminative Materialism, Eliminative materialism is where an occurrence cannot be explained with one science, we go to the next subject to try to explain it and we cycle through all of these disciplines to try to explain why it is what it is.Finally if the use of mathematics and sciences cannot explain this phenomena and no answers can be found at all, the only explanation is that a higher force, or god did it.
In the video’s second part, when an explanation is found, “We eliminate the gods, or spirits” that had caused the phenomenon. As time progressed science created new reasons of why these things happened. When science advanced our reasoning replaced the unknown and the spiritual which were outdated. In some examples, the spirits being the causes of diseases were eventually replaced with viruses and bacteria. The “ghosts” in our anatomy’s muscle, they were replaced with the discovery of the nervous system. Lastly of course, we removed the thunder god, Thor with the reasoning of electro magnetic currents. Nowadays eliminative materialism is one reason of how we update how we think about the world.
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Post by jsayanath on Jul 11, 2015 3:25:28 GMT
Week 3:
1) Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
- The theory of evolution helps humans have a better understanding of how we were created and how everything came to be. The theory of evolution is so important in account with philosophy because the theory may as well explain our origins of life, if true or not true. Evolution, in turn, is the way humans have progressed over lifetimes and have fully achieved a normal being. What evolution brings to the table of philosophy is that evolution contributes to a number of things related to the growth of humanity and how we progressed on Earth, from the beginning to now.
2) Which question do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
- Religion revolves around belief and does don’t concern much to the answers of the questions asked. With saying this some questions I feel cannot be answered by the evolutionary theory are, “why did God create only two genders?” “ who created dinosaurs?” “Is there really a God?” "Why was the world created" "Why does God permit for bad things to happen in this world? Religion I believe is more a though thing to be explained and to show facts and proof for things.
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Post by Tyler Vigneault on Jul 11, 2015 4:01:00 GMT
1. Understanding physics and the general rules of the universe are instrumental to philosophy because of the similar goal they wish to achieve. At first glance, the averagely educated citizen would consider these scholastic disciplines to be on opposite sides of the spectrum. One relies on theory and abstract thinking and one relies on facts and scientific proof. However, both disciplines seek to make more sense of our reality and approach it from different angles and go to different lengths. “It is wrong to think that the task of physics is to find out how nature is”(Lane, 20). “Physics concerns what we say about Nature”(Lane, 20). Niels Bohr reveals here in my opinion, that he views physics as a branch of philosophy or vice versa. I believe an element of both abstract thinking and empirical evidence are needed to explain the world around us and the world we have created through society.
2. Eliminative Materialism is applying various disciplines of life sciences and fields of knowledge to situations that can’t be explained by one field in order to explain the unknown. For example as stated in the “Eliminative Materialism Part 1” video: if mathematics can’t explain it we move to physics, if not physics we go to biology, if not biology, psychology, and so forth. If none of these subjects provide sufficient answers then one usually comes to the conclusion that a higher power or God is responsible. In my eyes it is an attempt by man to explain the unexplainable. Within the video three examples are provided, the first being that instead of the god of thunder Thor being responsible for the weather phenomenon, we have electromagnetic currents. Instead of spirits being responsible for disease, we find bacteria and viruses. Lastly, instead of “ghosts” circulating throughout our anatomy and pulling various muscles we find a central nervous system.
By Tyler Vigneault
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Post by sara cardenas on Jul 11, 2015 7:39:09 GMT
WEEK 3:1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how humans behave? The theory of evolution is important in understanding how human beings behave because it helps us understand what has led to these characteristics. "Mutations create features...that impart an advantage for attracting mates, hiding from or confusing predators, or gaining access to food" (15). These are adaptations that occur to increase the chances of survival. Evolution has shown how our brain has evolved and created our consciousness. From the brain "all of human thought, including our deep and ponderous musings, is built upon" (18). So "every deep question we have, every deep thought we ponder, is the result of the confusion of a neural system when confronted with its own dissociation. Consciousness is dissociation" (20). We behave the way we do because of "our consciousness (a "first person affair" displaying intentionality, reflecting beliefs and desires, etc.), our creativity, even our value systems, have a basis in brain function" (23). 2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? The question that I think evolutionary theory cannot answer is why we are unable to see ourselves as nothing more than just "this body, this brain, this material" (34). The book The DNA of Consciousness says "The glitch, though, is that we have allowed eliminative materialism to change our thinking about almost everything EXCEPT ourselves" (34). Even though there's been a great change in the way we view everything else, there hasn't been a change in ones own self. There is still a dependence on psychology to explain things. Evolutionary theory can't explain why it's become to difficult for humans to do this. Extra Credit Response:
I really like your answer to what the evolutionary theory can't answer. I found it hard to think of an answer, since I viewed the evolutionary theory as encompassing everything, but it's true that those questions that you posed are some that can't be answered. I agree with you on that the theory of evolution helps humans understand why we are the way we are and how we got here. Week 3: 1) Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? - The theory of evolution helps humans have a better understanding of how we were created and how everything came to be. The theory of evolution is so important in account with philosophy because the theory may as well explain our origins of life, if true or not true. Evolution, in turn, is the way humans have progressed over lifetimes and have fully achieved a normal being. What evolution brings to the table of philosophy is that evolution contributes to a number of things related to the growth of humanity and how we progressed on Earth, from the beginning to now. 2) Which question do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? - Religion revolves around belief and does don’t concern much to the answers of the questions asked. With saying this some questions I feel cannot be answered by the evolutionary theory are, “why did God create only two genders?” “ who created dinosaurs?” “Is there really a God?” "Why was the world created" "Why does God permit for bad things to happen in this world? Religion I believe is more a though thing to be explained and to show facts and proof for things.
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Post by c on Jul 11, 2015 8:03:04 GMT
Week 3: 1) Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? - The theory of evolution helps humans have a better understanding of how we were created and how everything came to be. The theory of evolution is so important in account with philosophy because the theory may as well explain our origins of life, if true or not true. Evolution, in turn, is the way humans have progressed over lifetimes and have fully achieved a normal being. What evolution brings to the table of philosophy is that evolution contributes to a number of things related to the growth of humanity and how we progressed on Earth, from the beginning to now. 2) Which question do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? - Religion revolves around belief and does don’t concern much to the answers of the questions asked. With saying this some questions I feel cannot be answered by the evolutionary theory are, “why did God create only two genders?” “ who created dinosaurs?” “Is there really a God?” "Why was the world created" "Why does God permit for bad things to happen in this world? Religion I believe is more a though thing to be explained and to show facts and proof for things. I liked that for your first answer you used multiple examples of how evolution affects our every day life. Like you stated, it CAN explain our origins, but it will never be proven because it is one of those things we cannot understand and turn to religion to fill in the blanks. I think that it is amazing along the way of becoming the country we are and having what we have someone had the brain to fix something which lead to an evolved, improved version of the original which leads to other improvements, but we will never know WHY that specific person had a more evolved brain than others. Why do some evolve drastically and others fall behind? |
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Post by Courtney Leos on Jul 11, 2015 8:04:27 GMT
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
The theory of evolution by definition of Google.com means, “
In “The DNA of Consciousness,” Page five introduces us to Darwin’s definition of natural selection, “Owing to this struggle for life, any variation, however slight and from whatever cause proceeding, if it be in any degree profitable to an individual of any species, in its infinitely complex relations to other organic beings and to external nature, will tend to the preservation of that individual, and will generally be inherited by its offspring.” This means that any gene that survives the process is good enough to stay and will be passed down. This is the process that brings about the theory of evolution. The video, “evolution explained in four minutes “ explains evolution by giving us the acronym “visited” which is broken down as variation- sexual selection and genetic mutation, inheritance- DNA can retain important information from your past, selection- the out process in nature from competition with a specie, over population , natural disaster, and so on, Including- the three factors come together over time, Time- evolution needs time to work, Equals- enough variation, a way to record this, and time to play it it will lead to design and Design- the development of the previous letters. In the words of Professor Andrea Diem-Lane, it means that, “Evolution by natural selection isn’t much about “fittest” or “strongest” or “best” but rather as contingently successful. Then on page six, she continues with “That anything does survive tells us much about both the environments from where it arouse and the competition it had to go head to head against in order to live long enough to pass its code.” With this, we learn that the “things” (genes) that make each person unique, has had to “fight” to stay alive, each gene had to evolve to survive. Then, in chapter two, the question “why do we think the way we do” comes up. Alike everything else, there are religious beliefs that can answer this question, but science says evolution is part of it. Evolutionary philosophy is “uncovering why humans are predisposed to ask so many questions which, at least at the present stage cannot be answered.” To answer this you have to look at what we think with, our brain. Everyone thinks differently, because as you grow up you evolve, but how did we get to the point of being able to use our brains in a way that have created technology, languages, and religion? Finally, we learn how evolution is important to understanding how we behave. Since our environment and the dynamics of it changes literally every time we go somewhere, our brain evolves to help us, it becomes more aware and notices things we need to notice to help us be better and survive. Then, in the first video it uses “a pivot foot” in basketball as an analogy, one foot stays still, while the other (pivot foot) can move around and do whatever it needs to do. In real life, asking why would allow you to turn and think and evolve as needed to answer a “why” question, like a pivot foot. “Why” is also compared to an all function button on a laptop; that opens up programs you cannot see, similarly, asking “why” opens up things that would otherwise have been hidden.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
I think some questions that evolutionary theory cannot answer would be the theory of humans evolving from primates and where those primates came from. What I don’t understand is, if humans came from primates, where did the primates come from? I myself believe in God, I believe he created us in seven days, but I am open minded. Yes, I know animals evolve to survive in their living conditions, I have seen a sea lion in levee water in my hometown, Stockton. I don’t understand that if you change the environment and living conditions of an animal generally speaking they will evolve. They will all evolve the same too. If humans evolved from primates, why is the human species so diverse? Why are we not all the same? Sure, not everyone in the world lives in the same environment under the same conditions, but why is there such a diverse group in areas where everyone came from the same place and same ancestry?
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Post by Valerie on Jul 11, 2015 18:58:24 GMT
1. Why is understanding physics and the general rules of the universe so important in doing philosophy?
“Philosophy begins where Physics ends and Physics begin where Philosophy ends.” Physics is the science that studies matter, energy, motion and force. Philosophy is the study of the truths and principles of knowledge, reality and existence. Without having an understanding of the law of physics and the universe, one cannot fully have an understanding of philosophy and the theories of philosophers. Physics is an important part of studying philosophy because it helps us to understand what everything is made of and is relied upon by philosophers to ensure their theories. A good example from the book Quantum Weirdness would be the Las Vegas casino example (page 9). A casino does not have the ability to know in advance whether or not a person will win or lose when they enter the casino, however; if the same game is played repeatedly, the probability of them winning or losing can become more certain and predictable.
2. What is Eliminative Materialism? Provide 3 samples of it.
Eliminative Materialism is the philosophy of the mind. “It’s primary claim is that people’s common-sense understanding of the mind (or Folk Psychology) is false and that certain classes of mental states that what most people believe in do not exist.” (google) Eliminative Materialism, part one (Lane) states “ once someone has gone through mathematics, Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, and Sociology, if none of these academic disciplines can be explained, then it’s ok to say that God did it.” The idea of eliminative materialism is to change the way we think about the human body and universe by eliminating myths and ghosts and replacing them with science (Eliminative Materialism, part two). Instead of focusing on ourselves, we have resorted to using folk psychology (common-sense psychology) to describe our own beings (Eliminative Materialism, part three). Examples of this would be it was once believed that mental illness was actually demonic possession and the placebo effect.
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Post by vanessamagdaleno on Jul 11, 2015 19:47:11 GMT
WEEK #3 Post:
#1: The Theory of evolution is important in understanding how human beings behave because the way we behave has helped us survive and keep from going extinct. Through a process of natural selection those with behaviors that helped them survive the environment survived and reproduced and those that did not died off and reached genetic death. We can understand our behavior in terms of what was useful for us to stay alive and pass down our traits. Eventually, those with a self-conscious awareness kept surviving and reproducing because that is what humans have today. Having conscious awareness leads us to behave differently than other organisms that do not have it. So our behavior that we see today in humans stems from a conscious awareness. Those with a conscious awareness were better able to analyze their surroundings and react/behave accordingly to their predictions. If their predictions failed them then most of the time they died. Now we see that our consciousness is always trying to adjust itself accordingly to reduce prediction error and increase our chances at survival. (The DNA of Consciousness)
#2: The Theory of Evolution cannot answer all questions. Why does suicide exist if the theory evolution insists that organisms are fighting for survival? It is a philosophical question that Albert Camus poses to be “the only one really serious philosophical question.” (The Evolutionary Imperative) Hamlet also poses this dance with willing to living and willing to die. But why did suicide get selected? Another question that evolution cannot answer concerns the origin of sexual reproduction. The Theory of Evolution incorporates the ongoing importance of sexual reproduction and how it constitutes to variety across species but it can’t answer how it started.
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Post by Adam Elashi on Jul 11, 2015 20:12:18 GMT
1.)The theory of evolution is so important to understand for it shows how human beings behave because it shows how we evolved to where we are at now, there is a step by step process showing where we came and how far we were able to evolve to the advanced species we are today. The theory of evolution states in order for us to evolve we must mutate and when we mutate some of the genes that are bad dont get used but the genes that will benefit us are used. I think this is astonishing how through process of mutation we pick genes that are most suited for us to flourish into a better species so we can prosper long lives. "We now have convincing proof that evolution occurs when accidental mutations create features such as spots or stripes that impart an advantage for attracting mates, hiding from or confusing predators, or gaining access to food," (Page 15) Asking why is also vital in the theory of evolution because it shows that we behave in a manner that questions the state were at and were always looking for the best answer to better our lives on a daily basis. In the video of Pivotal consciousness it states “any organism that can develop a mental pivoting tool will develop new and tremendous strategies” if we are always questioning what is around us we will we always be bettering ourselves.
2.)To me the evolutionary theory cannot answer the question what is the point of living without a purpose. Some people might say that it is simple there is no purpose to life and we were here by random coincidence. I as critical thinker and student of higher education can come to simple reason that this thinking is not viable but irrational for someone to think so. Purpose I feel is what really drives the human race, a tired parent who works 2 full time jobs just to feed her kids has purpose and drive to make her kids not starve. On page 32 of The DNA of Consciousness it talks about how we need purpose it goes as follows "We cannot live without purpose, even if that purpose is an adaptive fiction evolved over eons of time designed to blind those with such sentiments from the truth that nature has no such sentiment.” This quote proves that we do need purpose in our lives and without it there is no point in living. In the video “Evolutionary Imperative” it talks about how every organism is competing because nature is competitive and if we don't have purpose to be competitive we would die off.
Extra credit response Courtney Leos
Courtney Leos: I think some questions that evolutionary theory cannot answer would be the theory of humans evolving from primates Extra credit response Courtney Leos
and where those primates came from. What I don’t understand is, if humans came from primates, where did the primates come from? I myself believe in God, I believe he created us in seven days, but I am open minded. Yes, I know animals evolve to survive in their living conditions, I have seen a sea lion in levee water in my hometown, Stockton. I don’t understand that if you change the environment and living conditions of an animal generally speaking they will evolve. They will all evolve the same too. If humans evolved from primates, why is the human species so diverse? Why are we not all the same? Sure, not everyone in the world lives in the same environment under the same conditions, but why is there such a diverse group in areas where everyone came from the same place and same ancestry?
Hi Courtney i think you're making extremely valid points, primates make up a family tree of apes, monkey and humans we all come from the same origin that’s the point the theory of Evolution is trying to make. Species don't evolve over night it takes hundreds of thousands or even millions of years for a species to do evolve. We are not the same because nature intended us not to be the same when has an organism's been the same as another thats what diversity is all about it makes us different from one another.
Response:
Hi Courtney i think you're making extremely valid points, primates make up a family tree of apes, monkey and humans we all come from the same origin that’s the point the theory of Evolution is trying to make. Species don't evolve over night it takes hundreds of thousands or even millions of years for a species to do evolve. We are not the same because nature intended us not to be the same when has an organism's been the same as another thats what diversity is all about it makes us different from one another.
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Post by Valerie on Jul 11, 2015 21:00:33 GMT
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
The Theory of Evolution or Natural Selection is the theory of Charles Darwin, which states evolutionary changes come through the production of variation in each generation and the survival of individuals with different combinations of those characters. “What is it about you that has led to you?” (The DNA of Consciousness, Diem-Lane, Pg. 9) “What traits do homo sapiens possess that has allowed them to last this long?”(The DNA of Consciousness, Diem-Lane, Pg. 9) Evolution is important in that it gives us the understanding of how evolution changes and helps us to understand how we came to be and the reasons we are the way we are, our DNA. DNA has been a major advancement for evolutionists. “The very nature of DNA allows it to be used as a “document” of evolutionary history: comparisons of the DNA sequences of various genes between different organisms can tell us a lot about the relationships of organisms that cannot be correctly inferred from morphology.”(The DNA of Consciousness, Diem-Lane, Pg. 10)
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
Is there a God? Did he really create the universe? Where and how did life begin? How did the conscious mind come to be? How much of our current behaviors reflect those of our ancestors? Where did the DNA code originate? How did life originate? Why do we fight for survival? And if we fight for survival, why are there those that choose to die?
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Post by Tyler Vigneault on Jul 12, 2015 4:44:05 GMT
1. The theory of evolution is so important in understanding how humans behave because it involves understanding how humans have come to be the way they are both physically and consciously. “The reason is that the very nature of DNA allows it to be used as a “document” of evolutionary history: comparisons of the DNA sequences of various genes between different organisms can tell us a lot about the relationships of organisms that cannot be correctly inferred from morphology” (Lane ,10). By looking at DNA and how it has evolved and affected human consciousness, one can more easily understand the mechanics that drive human consciousness and understanding. The theory of evolution not only gives us a “how” in relation to these mechanics but also glimpses at a “why”. I say glimpses because we have yet to find definitive proof of what has created our consciousness.
2. Upon watching “The Evolutionary Imperative” I was caught off guard by the mention of suicide but as I began to contemplate the ideas presented to me it began to connect. I believe
Evolutionary theory cannot answer whether it is “worth it” to continue to exist or not. Maybe it is because it cannot fully answer the most basic and haunting philosophical question. What is the purpose of our existence? We as a species have evolved and progressed millions of years and we know the processes behind it but we have yet to fully answer why we are here in the end. I feel that is the greatest and most cruel example of irony humans could ever experience. Richard Dawkins seemed to grasp this in an excerpt from “The Ancestor’s Tale” which is presented towards the end of “The DNA of Consciousness”. “Dawkins begins his tale by explaining that humans are pattern, meaning seeking creatures”(Lane, 52).
Tyler Vigneault
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Post by Gajinda Fonseka on Jul 12, 2015 18:33:09 GMT
Week 3, Question 1:
Firstly, this is because the 'programming' of humans is directly related to human behavior and theory of evolution is necessary to understand the 'programming'. You could say that by applying the theory of evolution to humans we can understand human behavior because it is the 'key' to our genetic codes which contain the instructions (and are therefore the answer) for our behavior. Secondly it is because our current behaviors are the result of countless mistakes, corrections, adaptations and successes ('Natural Selection automatically conserves whatever has worked up to now' - The Magic of Evolution) . Hence, to understand our current behaviors, it is first necessary to analyze and understand what went into creating these behaviors and the theory of evolution is one of the, if not the only, guide to doing so. By following the theory of evolution, we can accurately interpret past influences and responses and from that draw a correct explanation for human behavior that would help the human race come into their full potential and further progress themselves.
Week 3, Question 2:
There are many questions that I do not think the theory of evolution cannot answer. For instance, it wold be unlikely that the theory of evolution can answer question that are being created just now. For instance, metaphysical concepts like 'What is Time?' which cannot be analyzed using the principles of the theory of evolution. It is arguable, of course, that the theory of evolution is is directly related to the passage of time and the changes that occur during that passage but it is notable that one can only observe, find and record the effects of time and not its nature or cause(s) if indeed it has one (or several). The theory of evolution also cannot answer questions about origin. 'What is the origin of life?' is good example of this. The theory of evolution is based on observed facts and confirmed conclusions which are based on the certainty of facts. It cannot therefore answer questions about what came before such facts even existed.
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Post by nicole on Jul 12, 2015 19:08:18 GMT
Week 3 Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? The theory of evolution is important in understanding how human beings behave because evolution explains how each individual came to be. Evolution occurs through multiple ways, one of them being natural elimination which can be summed up to “anything that can survive [the] global and unending process” because of their characteristics that are survival sufficient (The DNA of Consciousness, 5). The concept of “natural selection only works if there are variations among organic life…” saying that each individual has to be exactly that, individual (The DNA of Consciousness, 6). Variations among each person allows nature to choose which traits are sufficient enough to keep going and which are not enough to survive. Throughout many, many years, “small incremental changes” occur to create the competition between the genes that “has led to natural ‘editing’ of what we see today” (The DNA of Consciousness, 7). Gene mutations also contribute to how human beings are today. With gene mutations they can either work for the better, or the worse. Most of the time gene mutations are negative but still seem to thrive in a world that bases their selection of traits through what is “weak” and what is “strong” enough to continue on. The theory of evolution makes each person the way they are, and hopefully betters each generation after to become more adaptive to what the environment changes to. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? I don’t think evolutionary theory can answer the questions “why” and if something is “worth having or doing”. With the question of “why”, evolutionary theory cannot answer exactly why natural selection occurs the way it does. Natural selection at times seems to choose the worst traits to keep and the best to discard. For example HIV and poor eyesight are still around although they are traits that seem to be inferior to the latter. As for the question of worth, the importance of doing something depends on the individual. An individuals mind set can somewhat answer the question of worth based on their outlook, for example an individual might believe that life is not worth living because we will eventually all die, but a different individual might believe that we were put on this earth for a reason so whatever life throws at us it would be best to stick it through and see what will become of what happens. In the short video "The Evolutionary Imperative" the comparison of the rollercoaster with life really shows and gives a detailed image of the two choices an individual has. Even though the questions of why and the worth of something are so simply put, the complexity of the questions cannot be answered by evolutionary thinking. Extra Credit: 1. The theory of evolution is so important in understanding how humans behave because it involves understanding how humans have come to be the way they are both physically and consciously. “The reason is that the very nature of DNA allows it to be used as a “document” of evolutionary history: comparisons of the DNA sequences of various genes between different organisms can tell us a lot about the relationships of organisms that cannot be correctly inferred from morphology” (Lane ,10). By looking at DNA and how it has evolved and affected human consciousness, one can more easily understand the mechanics that drive human consciousness and understanding. The theory of evolution not only gives us a “how” in relation to these mechanics but also glimpses at a “why”. I say glimpses because we have yet to find definitive proof of what has created our consciousness. 2. Upon watching “The Evolutionary Imperative” I was caught off guard by the mention of suicide but as I began to contemplate the ideas presented to me it began to connect. I believe Evolutionary theory cannot answer whether it is “worth it” to continue to exist or not. Maybe it is because it cannot fully answer the most basic and haunting philosophical question. What is the purpose of our existence? We as a species have evolved and progressed millions of years and we know the processes behind it but we have yet to fully answer why we are here in the end. I feel that is the greatest and most cruel example of irony humans could ever experience. Richard Dawkins seemed to grasp this in an excerpt from “The Ancestor’s Tale” which is presented towards the end of “The DNA of Consciousness”. “Dawkins begins his tale by explaining that humans are pattern, meaning seeking creatures”(Lane, 52). Tyler Vigneault Tyler brings up good points of the theory of evolution and how "we have yet to find definitive proof of what has created our consciousness. As for The second question of the Evolutionary Imperative, there are good points of the question of if it is "worth it" to continues to exist or not. The quote that he brings up in the last sentence of his paragraph really tie together his thoughts of the short answer of how we try to seek meaning of our lives to determine if life is really worth continuing. |
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Post by antonia on Jul 12, 2015 20:11:38 GMT
Week 3Question #1: Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave? The theory of evolution is so important in understanding how human beings behave because it basically explains why humans do certain things and have the characteristics that they do in the present-day realm. Evolution is our ability to keep evolving as the human species into a continual better version of ourselves that helps us navigate challenges, i.e., finding resources and shelter, in the most optimal way possible. And here is where Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection comes into play. Darwin defined natural selection as “owing to this struggle…if it be in any degree profitable to an individual of any species, in its infinitely complex relations to other organic beings and to external nature, will tend to the preservation of that individual, and will generally be inherited by its offspring (5).” In layman’s term, natural selection is essentially the evolutionary process in which humans/animals that able to better adapt to their environment have the better chances of survival and in turn pass those traits on to their offspring. For these reasons how we behave and evolution is intrinsically linked. As Donald R. Griffith points out in Animals Minds, “many animals adapt their behavior to the challenges they face (29).” And as we alter our behavior to better equip us to overcome said challenges, we evolve and learn to keep those behaviors and in turn pass it on to the next generation. Question #2: Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer? There are many questions that I’m not sure evolutionary theory can necessarily answer, but one stands out as the more obvious one. Evolution points to us that we continuously evolve to create better versions of ourselves, but in my opinion there are more individuals that seem to be doing the opposite of that than there are people looking for ways to better themselves. As it was said in the video clip Darwin-Wallace, Wallace emphasized in his own study that natural selection cannot explain all the workings of the brain. I believe natural selection does not explain all the workings behind people’s decision making. For example, why do people commit crimes when it’s essentially declining their survival rate versus someone that walks a straighter line? And in turn they inherently pass certain of those negative qualities to their offspring. Statistics show that children that come from homes where the parent has been in jail, involved with substance abuse, and other detrimental situations, the children are a lot more likely to follow the same path. The theory of evolution does not explain why these people have not learned the characteristics of a more desirable outcome and in turn pass these traits on to their children. Extra Credit: 2. Upon watching “The Evolutionary Imperative” I was caught off guard by the mention of suicide but as I began to contemplate the ideas presented to me it began to connect. I believe Evolutionary theory cannot answer whether it is “worth it” to continue to exist or not. Maybe it is because it cannot fully answer the most basic and haunting philosophical question. What is the purpose of our existence? We as a species have evolved and progressed millions of years and we know the processes behind it but we have yet to fully answer why we are here in the end. I feel that is the greatest and most cruel example of irony humans could ever experience. Richard Dawkins seemed to grasp this in an excerpt from “The Ancestor’s Tale” which is presented towards the end of “The DNA of Consciousness”. “Dawkins begins his tale by explaining that humans are pattern, meaning seeking creatures”(Lane, 52). Tyler, this is a very good question that I never pondered. Evolution tells us that we are on a continuous path to create better versions of ourselves, but it does not go into the details of the cost except to tell us that it does take work to be the best and come out on top. But at what cost does that happen? And is it even worth it in the end?
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Post by kirvin on Jul 12, 2015 20:22:59 GMT
Week 3- Biological Philosophy and Evolutionary Thinking
1. Why is the theory of evolution so important in understanding how human beings behave?
- The theory of evolution proves to be so important in understanding how human beings behave for a number of reasons. First of all, the theory of evolution helps us understand how we humans and other animals’ behavior has developed overtime. Species are always in competition with each other in order to survive. This competition of “The survival of the fittest” creates new adaptations within a species that is then passed on to newer generations for a better chance of survival. According to the text, The DNA of consciousness, it suggest that having the ability to think and strategize events and scenarios has contributed to how humans behave and survive. In fact, the book states, “For conscious animals enjoy the advantage of being able to think about alternative actions and select behavior they believe will get them what they want or help them avoid what they dislike or fear” (DNA 30). This suggest that the development of our conscious awareness through evolution has significant role on how humans behave. In conclusion, the theory of evolution has a huge impact on human behavior as favored behaviors became more dominant, it is the unwanted behaviors that gradually fade away.
2. Which questions do you think evolutionary theory cannot answer?
- Having read the assigned reading, there are indeed a number of questions that I feel the evolutionary theory cannot answer. One question that is difficult to answer is are does consciousness appear in all species. This is difficult to discover as all animals do not show similar signs of conscious awareness. The book suggest that only certain species are conscious and can make sense of their surroundings (DNA 35). Another difficult question to answer is why some species developed a consciousness. Some may say it was to increase our rate of survival, but why do humans seem to have a conscious awareness that appears to be more superior to those of other species. What is so special about the human brain that it is able to construct thoughts and ideas at a much more sophisticated level than other species? These are just a few questions that I believe evolutionary theory cannot answer.
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