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Darwinian Evolution of the Human Body and Culture

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Abstract

The fossil record of the anatomical evolution of the human lineage shows that it was very slow and gradual. While changing their habitat from a primeval forest to the unpredictable environment of savannah, our animal ancestors had to change their ecological strategy. As a result, fertility increased, childcare was prolonged, and sedentary family life developed. A hormonal mechanism of filial and sexual imprinting supported these changes by strengthening emotional family ties. This means that such aspects of human biology as sexual behaviour, family love, herd instinct, and feeling of ownership are inherited after our animal ancestors and have a very ancient evolutionary history. The human brain size increase does not necessarily express the development of intellectual abilities but is rather a thermoregulatory mechanism connected with persistence hunting. The intellectual potential of the large brain emerged long after its evolution had been completed. A powerful tool for scientific interpretations of this paradox is offered by the application of the Darwinian way of reasoning to the evolution of human culture, resulting in the selection of ideas. Cultural evolution is cumulative, and some institutions invented by this process may partially liberate humans from the limitations of their biological heritage.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Biology, Centre of Biological and Chemical Sciences, University of Warsaw and Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warszawa, Poland

    Jerzy Dzik

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  1. Jerzy Dzik
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Correspondence to Jerzy Dzik .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Divinity, New College, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

    Michael Fuller

  2. Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle/Saale, Germany

    Dirk Evers

  3. Faculty of Theology, Uppsala University, Trelleborg, Sweden

    Anne Runehov

  4. Department of Religious Studies, Volda University College and NLA University College, Volda, Norway

    Knut-Willy Sæther

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Dzik, J. (2017). Darwinian Evolution of the Human Body and Culture. In: Fuller, M., Evers, D., Runehov, A., Sæther, KW. (eds) Issues in Science and Theology: Are We Special?. Issues in Science and Religion: Publications of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62124-1_5

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