Evolutionary Reasons

[CalebFish]

Okay, I'm not really a science major (not yet), and I haven't done any school-related science study since highschool (only a bit in leisure time), so what I say may be a little bit like "old news". I'm here to learn more than anything.

 

Now, my question in this thread is if you have considered the potential reasons behind things society does and people do in evolutionary terms? I'm pretty certain that everyone here has! Take, for instance, celebrity "worship". People consider celebrities "heroes" to them, which could easily relate to tribal leaders or war heroes in early civilization. Many celebrities are also activists, and many of the fans try to imitate them and follow them, just like they would tribal leaders.

 

This would likely be a philosophical topic, of course. Or you can provide evidence that you have found elsewhere.

 

 

-Caleb

Edited July 16, 2013 by CalebFish

[ydoaPs]

There's actually a field of study on this subject called "Evolutionary Psychology". Frans De Waal works tangentally to it and has several good lay books.

[too-open-minded]

Well what other reasons are their in particular to talk about? I'm sure that celebrity idolization has a lot to do with the fact that most primates have a pecking order or different level of ascerted dominance. Which evolved into groups of homosapiens having leaders, which is what has transended into celbrities being idolized. Culture also has much to do with it. Idolization varies in different degrees of separate cultures, even much changes in 1 generation in our culture.

[CalebFish]

Well what other reasons are their in particular to talk about? I'm sure that celebrity idolization has a lot to do with the fact that most primates have a pecking order or different level of ascerted dominance. Which evolved into groups of homosapiens having leaders, which is what has transended into celbrities being idolized. Culture also has much to do with it. Idolization varies in different degrees of separate cultures, even much changes in 1 generation in our culture.

 

 

Celebrities weren't the only subject. They were an example. There are various other psychological and sociological things humans do. I think YdoaPs gave a good link, which I will look at soon.

Edited July 16, 2013 by CalebFish

[Ophiolite]

Bottom line - we are animals and we behave in ways appropriate to the particular kind of animal we have evolved to be. There is precious little about our behaviour that is not, ultimately a response to evolutionary pressures. Sometimes the reponses are different, for cultural reasons, but the fact that a response is required is down to evolution.

[too-open-minded]

You could go as far as to say that culture is part of evolution. I would, even culture "evolves."

 

Honestly I would say everything that we do is based off evolution or derived from the building blocks that homo sapiens stand on.

 

Yes I know that the celebrity thing was just an example but, the threads up and I like it so what else is their to discuss? How about the looking glass self or consciousness involving how others/peers perceive us. Racism. Riots. Why is it that hearing someone else laugh can make something funnier? Why do we smile? Why do we cry? Why do people commit murder? Why do we have things like foreign aid and the peace corps? Why is teen bullying a talked about problem in this country or do people slander others period? Why does religion exist?

 

I have my own thoughts for all of these but i'd love to see which ones you guys think are interesting and would like to talk about.

Edited July 18, 2013 by too-open-minded

[CalebFish]

The reasons behind racism are kind of an interesting discussion. Racism is a difficult one for me to comprehend a reason for! I might have to think about that! I'm usually better at this...

 

Maybe it's Tribal, and based on the fear of other tribes? I think racism probably relates to humanity's fear of anything different, which I'm sure is evolutionary too.

[too-open-minded]

I agree Caleb, It would seem that racism is derived from humanities fear of something different. Other tribes is a good way to put it. Primates go to battle over competition of resources/land/ etc. At some point in our evolutionary history i'm sure that recognizing something like our own species that at the same time looks different was a major threat. Probably a competing group of Australopithecus all the way up to Homo-sapiens was more threatening than the occasional predatory animal. This can't be the entire reason, or everyone would be racist but i'm sure this has a majority of the cause.

Edited July 19, 2013 by too-open-minded

[zapatos]

The reasons behind racism are kind of an interesting discussion. Racism is a difficult one for me to comprehend a reason for! I might have to think about that! I'm usually better at this...

 

Maybe it's Tribal, and based on the fear of other tribes? I think racism probably relates to humanity's fear of anything different, which I'm sure is evolutionary too.

You need to be careful when trying to find an explanation in evolution for a particular behavior or attribute. Sometimes the behavior is simply a by-product of something else.

For example, you can look all you want, but you are not likely to find a link between our ability to play basketball and evolutionary pressures that derived on the basketball court. Meaning, we are not tall and quick so that we can play basketball, but rather we can play basketball because we are tall and quick.

 

Racism may not exist because of the obvious possible reasons such as 'tribes' or 'differences'. It may come from something totally unrelated, such as our ability to convey beliefs. Similarly, our tendency to be theists may come from the fact that some dolt 10,000 years ago was the first person able to teach his children what he believed in (gods) and it has been passed down ever since.

[too-open-minded]

What do you mean by convey beliefs?

 

I have to disagree with the theist thing. I think that religion is actually derived majorly and mostly from fear. Fear is an emotion, arguably the first that we have evolved for survival. How could fear cause people to be theists you might ask? Well, the fear of death for one. We fear death so we can live and procreate. The thought of existence ceasing and fear of the unknown in my opinion is why or the major reason we have theism. The psychological reassurance of eternal life and certainty of reason for life, the solution through theism.

[zapatos]

What do you mean by convey beliefs?

I mean the ability of one person to believe something, to be able to teach those beliefs to another, and for that other to understand and remember what they are taught. Orangutangs cannot do that, and at one time neither could our ancestors.

 

I have to disagree with the theist thing. I think that religion is actually derived majorly and mostly from fear. Fear is an emotion, arguably the first that we have evolved for survival. How could fear cause people to be theists you might ask? Well, the fear of death for one. We fear death so we can live and procreate. The thought of existence ceasing and fear of the unknown in my opinion is why or the major reason we have theism. The psychological reassurance of eternal life and certainty of reason for life, the solution through theism.

But of course you don't know that your scenario is correct and that mine is wrong. It just seems more plausible to you. The real reason could be mine, it could be yours, or it could be something else altogether. That is why I said "You need to be careful when trying to find an explanation in evolution for a particular behavior or attribute." Just because something seems more likely does not mean that it is true.

[too-open-minded]

I'm sure both of what we are proposing has to do with it. Of course I don't know that mine is correct and yours is wrong (or that one has more cause than the other), I was just arguing my opinion lol.

[too-open-minded]

I like this thread! What else do you guys think would be interesting to ponder about?