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AN ANTHROPOLIGICAL ESSAY
INTRODUCTION
Anthropology, time, space, science, bipedalism and being human.
Anthropology is in a word, the
study of people (humankind). That is the basis of this essay, a study of some
facets of human beings; more precisely, what it means to be human. It is
written from a humanistic point of view with the intention of providing a
grounding; a definitive benchmark of a human being. All scientific evidence and
assumptions are taken into consideration. None of the known current scientific
data is intended to exclusively
endorse the analysis that is being presented. All the connotations that are
attached to the entity of a human-being is what is being used to support and
endorse the stand that is being taken.
The intention is to relate to the reader some
worldly aspects that are often overlooked and to explore in light detail some
of the more abstract theologies associated with the existence of humankind.
While it may not be the intention of the populace to discard philosophical
notions, it does occur as we (the people) busy ourselves around the world and
so sometimes some things are left unattended. Take the sheep in the top paddock
for example, without their Sheppard it would not be long before they would be
bleating at the farm gate wanting to be shorn and shown to a new pasture. We as
humans need the assistance of a shepherd too; or a carpenter or a politician or
at least someone. We as people need people. We are needed for comfort (both
emotionally and physically) needed for conversation, for rest and for
recuperation.
The
opportunity to rest gives the person the time to reflect; to think of
possibilities. Science provides us with possibilities, and with the rapid
evolution of science we have flourishing possibilities, alternatives, options
and philosophies .Yet to this day there has never been a recorded incident of a
Primate bounding out of the trees to come and share dinner with us then stay
the night. (This shows us, or at least gives us the opportunity to investigate
the possibility that evolution may not be correct). Never has any monkey then
become so domesticated that our esteemed evolutionists have proclaimed that the
monkey is really evolving. Evolution is a protracted theory and theory alone
that lives in the realm of
“possibility”, purely because in life; possibility has a tangible
existence. A quote from Richard Dawkins (in Samuel.p.158) acknowledges that
even now science has not firmly established the evolutionary theory:-
…”the relative frequency of discrete hereditary
particles, or genes each of which was either there or not there in any
particular body. Darwinism post-Fisher is called neo- Darwinism. Its digital
nature is not an incidental fact that happens to be true of genetic information
technology. Digital ness is probably a necessary precondition for Darwinism to
work”. (Dawkins.1988) (his italics)
DESIGN (DNA Structure)
The creation or the
evolution of mankind is not substantially proven either way so that the
establishments associated with the study of the matter can show the interested
public the hard evidence as proof. On page 258(Jones), a chart listing of genes
is shown which is derived from humans as well as primates. This chart
acknowledges and qualifies the fact that humans are a unique in construction
right down to the genetic level and beyond. Consider this reasoning. If
diversification at the genetic level did occur, how could this possibly have
happened due to a need to come down out of the trees and start building
houses?. That theory just does not fit the pattern of genetic engineering. A
genetic mutation\evolution in (any subject that is sensitive to genetic alteration),
in any given place creates a different and now altered subject. If this subject
is flesh and blood the alteration creates either disease or dis-formation.
Either of these two outcomes have serious repercussions that will not allow the
recessive gene or mutation to travel too far along the genetic line.
Therefore the supposed
genetic mutation that was said to have changed primates at the specified times
could not have occurred. Not only this, but there is no further alterations
occurring in man or primate that exists in recorded history to substantiate the
claim of evolutionary proceedings. Nor does the theory of survival requirements
fit into the scenario, because the act of walking (or any other known human
activity) would never be able to exert enough of any type of influencing force;
magnetic or electrical or any other; upon base level conceptive genetic
activity to create the necessary disruptive force in order to create the
required evolutionary divergence. Genetics influence us not the other way
around. As an opening line in Friday in Jones states…”All DNA comes from pre-existing DNA”…and further to this; Friday,
in Jones.…”In addition, many biologists
feel that there is good evidence that DNA sequences do not evolve at what even
the optimistic would call a constant rate.
Biological
engineers, atomic physicists and micro-observers are all agreeable that their
seems to be design in everything, not just random function that exists at the
atomic level and beyond. This gives rise to the fact that we (people) are
unique; a one off, superior in design, never to be rivaled creation. Expanding
on that point opens up a whole galaxy of possibilities on what it means to be
human.
TRANSPORT (the Bipedal
Hominid)
Martin
lists seven major skeletal differences which ensures that we (the Human) are
bipedal; these seven are what differentiate us from any other species on earth,
these are the ones that create the morphological differences that also
distinguish us. The size of the brain and the ability to communicate an
infinite amount of knowledge and understanding between each other over a short
distance or even a huge distance, are two more exclusive features that display
what it means to be human.
This is what it means to be
human; we are not bound by instinct to a territory, we are not restricted by
diet to eating grass, the beaches are not our surface boundaries. We are freely
able to chose which climate we live in. We can travel by more than one means in
any direction without internal homing devices controlling our passage. We
posses technological communication. The capacity to emote and be emoted. As a
being we are barely restricted in any way apart from some rudimentary
obligations such as sleeping, eating and reproducing. Apart from that we go
freely anywhere and do anything. We are unique within the design, constraints
and activities of the universe. We are a unique construction of the universe.
EVOLUTION (Eclipsed Time
Frames)
According to evolutionary theory
if a family car was driven down the highway long enough and fast enough the car
would evolve into an aircraft or some other speeding or weightless thing. This
would be statiscally more possible if the doctrine of panpsychism were applied
to the beast. Or to put it another way, according to evolution, the evolving
human species must have been on earth for two thousand million years slowly
“evolving” to become the most advanced ecospecies on earth. This reasoning fits
neatly with evolutionary theory because the rocks and the trees and other
creatures have not caught up to us, so therefore according to evolutional
theory we are the oldest living
thing. The dinosaurs have been and gone without evolving into anything. Various
other creatures have gone extinct, effectively evolving into ashes and dust.
The earth itself is said to be evolving, albeit slowly. And yet here we are;
the human being, supposed kin of the primate, the most advanced sophisticate
known to ourselves, and with only one other comparative creature or organism in
sight that might be used to dispute our reign. We are so far ahead on the
evolutionary time scale it is impossible to give or find a sound scientific
explanation of how all this has came about.
SOUL (the Brain)
Another factor that makes us human and sets
us apart from our primate comparatives is our brains and all of the capacity of
the brain. We have love and compassion. Discernment and reasoning. There are
highly intelligent people and there are simple people. These factors (plus a
myriad of others) illustrate the immense capacity of the human brain, which is
totally unmatched to this day. Contained within this brain is an entity known
as the ‘soul’. It is the identifying agent of the mind, body and persona. This
‘soul’ has an immense capacity of its own, none the least of which is
rationalism. This is used to discriminate fact from fiction. It is one of many
factors of enablement that the human entity uses for clarity of thought and
advancement of same. Denying this would be akin to denying the existence of
oneself. Plato was one of many that went to great effort to describe and
display the presence of the soul. In his writings he spoke of the ‘Form of the
Good’; he was able to convey the message of the essence of soul in many ways.
One of which was his notion of a divine constructor; and another of the
struggle of life, being in constant exertion trying to create divine
achievement but never yet, and never quite, attaining it.
Although the presence of
this character defining soul is difficult to scientifically locate it must be
acknowledged that it is present and worthy of recognition as an intrinsic piece
of the human psychological construction. It is a driving force (among other
things) that motivates the being to achieve the extraordinary and the
phenomenal. It may be possible to say that this soul and its intrinsic
components are a guiding force (of a digital nature) derived perhaps from the
very paradigms of the universe. Or it may be a receptor for as yet undetermined
communications. The array of our psychological makeup; the plethora of mental
functions is a defining element of what it means to be human; guaranteeing our
survival; perhaps containing a capacity to harbour a divining force that
consists of the very fabric of the universe. We are not just in existence as an
organism that is on the earth; but the earth is an organism that is there for
us. Edward Pols supports the idea of there being a governing force in the
universe, he gives a quote and statement:-… there
is an ordering power intrinsic to nature that cannot adequately be explained in
scientific terms…
CONCLUSION
The
conclusion of this analysis is that our existence is no accident; for being
human means that we can direct our energies to do just about anything. We have
a soul that is immeasurable, the capacity to do things that no other creature
can do or even conceive of, and we “feel” the existence of our exploits. Our
exploits range from basic to profound. What it means is that our limitations
are equal to the science and scientific boundaries of the universe. This is
what it means to be Human.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
FRIDAY, A E. in JONES, S
Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution.
FLEAGLE, J G. in JONES, S
Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution.
POLS, E.
Mind Regained
SAMUEL, G.
Mind, Body and Culture