| # |
Message |
Posted By |
| 59445 |
Mankind versus animals: a theory... (2)
One question remains: why has mankind lost his instinct? A possible answer could be what follows: because men have gathered to create societies. In those primitive groups, tasks were shared out to ease survival. While tasks became more and more numerous and precise, men became aware of their unicity and of their identities too, first linked with their tasks., which introduced in themselves the faculty of comparison. Comparing each other, men developped their minds and turned the instinct into an obsolete thing. Following this idea, we can explain the wakeup of morality in mankind, a concept alien to animals which cannot compare each other since they believe that they all belong to the same entity: Nature.
I look forward to many claims, assertions and answers to this little essay.
|
Language pair: French; English
|
|
|
| 59517 |
Re:Mankind versus animals: a theory... (2)
Arnaud, I'm sure you're exactly right.
As Darwin points out, the most surviveable characteristics are always those that are promoted, while those which are no longer necessary drop out of society. A perfect example of this is evident when you compare pre-literate cultures with literate ones.
In oral cultures, all stories must be memorized, and the ability to tell stories well is highly prized. In literate cultures, since we have a system of written language, that kind of memory is no longer important, and predictably, we no longer have anything like the kind of memory capacity that is taken for granted in oral traditions.
|
Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 59445
|
|
|
| 59623 |
Re:Re:Mankind versus animals: a theory... (2)
> In literate cultures, since we have a system of written language, that kind of memory is no longer important, and predictably, we no longer have anything like the kind of memory capacity that is taken for granted in oral traditions.
Is this because we really have lost the capacity, or because we just do not exercise it? A year or so ago I saw a long play performed by two actors speaking all the time. I am still amazed at their endless capacity to memorize all their complicated lines in a limited time.
Puti
|
Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 59517
|
|
|
| 59624 |
Re:Mankind versus animals: a theory... (2)
> One question remains: why has mankind lost his instinct? [...] While tasks became more and more numerous and precise, men became aware of their unicity and of their identities too, first linked with their tasks., which introduced in themselves the faculty of comparison. Comparing each other, men developped their minds and turned the instinct into an obsolete thing.
Instincts have not necessarily disappeared completely. They may still exist, but may just be buried under the large and complex system of intellect. Man's ability of thought may keep him too busy to notice that he still has instincts, and he also may override his instincts by his decisions of intellect. However, at less busy moments the instincts may reappear briefly to affect his behavior.
Puti
|
Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 59445
|
|
|
| 59625 |
Mankind versus apes
One question remains: why has mankind lost his instinct? [...] Following this idea, we can explain the wakeup of morality in mankind, a concept alien to animals which cannot compare each other since they believe that they all belong to the same entity: Nature.
Researchers are surprised again and again as they see the complex behavior of apes, reminding them of human morality and the human ways of breaking the morality. Apes are known to sacrifice their own good even in uncontrolled situations, which have been taken as a proof of deep social sense. They can also view themselves as with an outsider's eye so that they are able to fake in convincing ways. This probably also requires thinking that extends beyond the immediate future.
Puti
|
Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 59445
|
|
|
| 59679 |
Re:Re:Re:Mankind versus animals: a theory... (2)
I think it's a lot of both. I think most of us have lost it, because it is no longer a survival skill. I think that we can get it back, to a limited extent through concerted exercise, and I think that that will be a lot easier for some of us than for others. I have done some acting myself, and I think I'm pretty good at memorizing lines. I think if I had started 20 years ago as a storyteller, I'd certainly be pretty adept at it by now. I don't know how many epic length poems I could keep all in my head at the same time.
Puti wrote:
Is this because we really have lost the capacity, or because we just do not exercise it? A year or so ago I saw a long play performed by two actors speaking all the time. I am still amazed at their endless capacity to memorize all their complicated lines in a limited time.
Puti
|
Language pair: French; English
This is a reply to message # 59623
|
|
|
