How is it possible that an unpurposeful evolutionary force has shaped a purposeful entitity named human being?

Answer 1

We don't know. And are we really more purposeful than a wolf? What if we meet an alien that plans out the next 100 years of it's life? Will we really seem so purposeful?

Answer 2

How is it possible that an unpurposeful force as a tsunami can shape a purposeful human response? Your question is ill posed; showing a lack of familiarity with evolutionary theory. Learn what evolution by natural selection really is ( "Evolution ", by Mark Ridley, Is a good place to start. ) before you embarrass yourself with such an ill posed question again.

Answer 3

All so called entities are entirely made up of simple parts reacting with each other in simple ways to make a highly complex system. It is truer to think of ourselves more as a system/process than as an entity - like a swarm of bees or a computer. This is true for a rock and a human. These simple parts that make up each system have a simple function (not a purpose) Like binary switches on a computer.

When a rock rolls down a hill it doesn't have a purpose. The notion that humans have of purpose is simply a necessary byproduct of the system which we call human. (i'm typing this for my boyfriend and I don't agree with him. 'The fact that humans have a notion called purpose ' etc as if he's not human. Yo Spock....we're not computers are we. Computers can't surf a wave or write a play can they?)

So what. (boyfriend back again) Humans can't make honey. What's your point.

Answer 4

Because early humans that had a purpose in life, whether growing food, catching a bigger antelope, or finding a mate - had a better chance to pass on their genes than the ones that sat around and waited for someone else to do the hunting and gathering.

Evolution is not a force or entity that says, "Let's shape this amoeba into something that can throw a fast ball or paint a portrait". It's a concept that espouses the idea that any organism that can survive better in its environment will over the long run probably do a better job of passing on the genes or behavior that let it survive. That's all there is to it. No master plan, no guiding hand that says "This creature doesn't please me, therefore I shall wipe it out". It's just survival of the fittest.

Answer 5

evolution indeed has no purpose, it acts upon species to shape traits for survival, but there is no 'goal' it works towards, traits that evolve may end up disappearing over time as the environment a species lives in changes. I'm not sure what you mean by purposeful in terms of humans, are you saying every other animal stumbles blindly through life without any awareness of what it is doing? I don't think that is the case. We are unique certainly with our habit of altering our own environment and high intelligence, but you might argue other species like cockroaches are much better adapted for survival than we are, and there is no evidence to say our aims in life are any nobler than any other creature seeking pleasure and avoiding pain, just more complex.

Answer 6

I'd second Roy's recommendation of Dawkins' book. You could also read Stephen Gould's collections of essays from "Natural History" magazine for a different viewpoint; although Dawkins and Gould have differences regarding the mechanism of evolution,they agree that there is no purposefulness involved.

Apologies to anybody whose ego is involved in a wish to have an overarching Purpose or Meaning to LIfe, imparted by an external Agency, but ... we shape our own ends.

Answer 7

Your question assumes human kind is purposeful, yet there is evidence that not every human is purposeful, or that when purpose is perceived it varies widely.

Evolution may not accord with the purpose you have identified but it certainly is not random. The web reference here is to a book that addresses the non-random nature of evolution.

Answer 8

Get yourself a copy of "The Blind Watchmaker " By Richard Dawkins. It shows how evolution can work without a "guiding hand". A fascinating read.
"Evolution has no long-term goal. There is no long-distance target, no final perfection to serve as a criterion for selection, although human vanity cherishes the absurd notion that our species is the final goal of evolution."

Answer 9

The "evolutionary force" DOES have a purpose: making babies. Humans are good at making babies, and so were our ancestors.

Answer 10

And what is the grand purpose of human beings?