Why would love have evolved into humans? All other animals are successfull without it? It is not neccessary to propegate the species... what is it's purpose?
(not trying to trap anyone or imply anything... I am genuinly curious.)
2006-10-30 13:24:06 · 16 answers · asked by out of order 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Animals have instincts... not love.
2006-10-30 13:32:57 · update #1
steve... let me get this straight... men would have no interest in propagation without love?
2006-10-30 13:39:51 · update #2
I would have to disagree that the emotion of love is uniquely human. Many other animals show attachment and loyalty that are manifestations of love. I would imagine that this would indeed be enhanced by natural selection because organisms which have a communal tendency toward cooperation tend to prosper. This cooperation requires some degree of affection between members of the species. Therefore, love yields cooperation which yields a higher chance of survival.
2006-10-30 13:34:17 · answer #1 · answered by Magic One 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
With the evolution of humans, something rather new to the evolutionary world happened. Humans are the most intelligent species we know of in history. This has allowed us to use a substantial part of our brains for things other then survival. The extra parts of our brains were allowed to be used for more then just survival. So the concept of time, actions and reactions, God, love, etc formed. Basically there was extra room in our brains, so because of our culture, human emotions and thoughts are what filled it. If very early humans were more independent creatures rather then group creatures, there is a good chance love would never had developed.
2006-10-31 11:03:34 · answer #2 · answered by Take it from Toby 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Love is inherent in other intelligent species.
Ever see elephant tears when an elephant mother loses a child?
Do you think your Dog or Cat loves you?
Doves mate for life.
Love is not just a base human emotion, it is an expression for all family or pack oriented animals towards one another. The only difference is that as a human, we have assigned it a definition.
Love stems from the same place as hatred, that misunderstood ball of nuerons we call a brain. It's purposes seems to be for a general feeling of empathy and compassion among species, a way of relating to one another that is beyond casual.
2006-10-30 21:30:40 · answer #3 · answered by Random 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Other animals do experience love.
There are many animals that hold life-long monogamous relationships.
There are many social animals that grieve at the loss of family members, including sexual partners.
Primates especially experience love for the other primates in their families and family groups, and grieve over them when they die.
We are not alone.
But those things aside, I do not know why love is present in evolution. It is one of the many mysteries not even we humans can understand. I do know why there is love present between a mother and child. Instinctually, mothers have to love their children, especially in the cases of wild animals, or they would not care enough to keep them fed, sheltered and safe until they are able to fend for themselves.
Humans still experience love simply because it did not evolve out of us as we continued to progress biologically. It has stuck with us through our evolution because there has been no biologically significant reason for us to lose it. For many of us, it keeps us alive...
2006-10-30 21:33:50 · answer #4 · answered by Lady of the Pink 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is necessary because humans are thinking, reasoning creatures (the current U.S. president notwithstanding). It works for us because our offspring need a long period of parental care and something has to keep the parents around and working together, unlike say, fish which scatter their eggs hither and yon and forget about them. If humans did it that way we would have been extinct a long time ago. There is also evidence that other mammals have strong emotional bonds, particularly those that mate for life.
2006-10-30 21:39:45 · answer #5 · answered by kevpet2005 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What makes you think other animals don't love. If you have pets, you'd know that's wrong. I think you're getting at having sex recreationally. Humans and dolphins are the only species who have sex recreationally. They both are also considered to have the most intelligence. Sex for us is never completely physical but mental and emotional as well. Most animals don't have those capabilities.
2006-10-30 21:36:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ah, but animals do love. Animals have the same feelings as humans. People just assume. Don't believe me? Pay attention and observe, you will see. And it is essential to propagation. Otherwise we wouldn't be interested.
2006-10-30 21:36:12 · answer #7 · answered by steve 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Love" is a poetic word used to describe closeness and kinship with members of the same species. If you don't think animals are capable of the same closeness, you need to watch some Animal Planet or National Geographic documentaries. The fact that humans write sonnets about it doesn't make it theirs exclusively.
2006-10-30 21:31:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
I think that you do see love amongst animals, albeit not exactly like human love. Mother elephants cradle their dead calves in their trunks and rock them softly while other elephants gather to her and touch them both gently with their trunks. I don't think we can prove that is emotion or love but it looks like it to me. I can think of many other animals behaviors where animals certainly seem to be exhibiting emotions of caring. Many animals show strong protective instincts toward their young. I think this sort of behavior could be the evolutionary origin of higher emotions like love. Love acts to strengthen relationships that ensure cooperative behaviors which in turn aid the survival of the species. That doesn't make love less precious or wonderful to me.
2006-10-30 21:29:49 · answer #9 · answered by Zen Pirate 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What makes you think that other animals don't have love?
I expect that our love has more dimensions to it, coming from our greater intelligence, but the underlying emotions are probably much the same.
I think there are obvious advantages for survival of the species that come from love. Don't you?
2006-10-30 21:33:32 · answer #10 · answered by Jim L 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋