Human Behavior Evolution: Evidence of Active Modification in the Modern Era
For many, the concept of evolution is often revered as a force that actively shapes human behavior. However, the notion of evolutionary modification in human behavior is subject to debate, with some arguing that it is a phenomenon that has never actively modified behavior, while others emphasize the significant impact of human choices and actions on evolutionary processes.
Controversy Surrounding Evolution and Behavior
Many critics of evolution argue that it is misused as an ideology that hinders genuine understanding rather than elucidates it. They point out that the abundance of books and discussions surrounding evolution since Darwin’s Origin of Species is evidence that this idea has been adopted and propagated like a contagious disease. It is often considered a sham, promoting superstition rather than scientific fact.
Evolution and Natural Selection: A Passive Force
According to many scientists, evolution by natural selection and the concept of “survival of the fittest” is a passive force that does not actively modify behavior. Instead, it merely consolidates the most successful behaviors that already exist due to the inherent properties of matter. Evolution is not an active agent but a process resulting from the operation of natural systems, similar to how the chemical properties of an atom arise from the properties of its elementary particles.
These prevailing behaviors are virtually pre-existent, independent of evolution, and can emerge regardless of whether they will survive or not. This suggests a design inherent in the properties of matter that makes such behaviors possible. Such a structure of events can be seen as a design made by a designer, but one must be blind or obstinate to fail to recognize it.
Human Behavior Changing Evolution
The question is not whether evolution is changing human behavior, but whether human behavior is changing evolution. This is evident in the unprecedented freedom of choice and the ability to organize our lives in unprecedented ways. Humans can now overcome evolutionary limitations and engage in actions that contradict natural selection, such as the decision to eschew the traditional purpose of reproduction to spread genetic material.
Steven Pinker, in his book How the Mind Works, succinctly states, 'By Darwinian standards, I am a horrible mistake… But I am happy to be voluntarily childless, ignoring the solemn imperative to spread my genes. And if my genes don’t like it, they can go jump in the lake.' This point highlights the impact of human free will on evolutionary processes.
Free will has fundamentally altered the dynamics of evolution. Instead of determining what forms of life will survive, the surviving forms themselves are increasingly dictating the direction of evolution. Humans, in essence, are controlling their own evolution, rather than being controlled by it.
Freedom of Choice and Scientific Contradictions
The impact of free will directly contradicts the deterministic nature of Darwinian evolution. Many argue that free will is incompatible with scientific knowledge, especially with the principles of Darwinian evolution. However, the undeniable evidence from human behavior suggests that free will can coexist with scientific knowledge.
Despite the significant advancements in our understanding of human behavior through scientific means, the human mind has the capacity to transcend biological constraints. The willingness to engage in behaviors that contradict evolutionary imperatives demonstrates that we are not solely governed by evolutionary pressures, but by our own choices and intentions.
Conclusion
The debate over whether evolution actively modifies human behavior is a complex one that involves nuanced understandings of both biology and human agency. While natural selection plays a passive role in consolidating pre-existing behaviors, human free will has the potential to change the course of evolution. This dynamic interplay between biological imperatives and human choice highlights the intricate relationship between evolution and human behavior in the modern era.
Keywords: evolution, human behavior, free will