Darwin Destroyed the Concept of Human Specialness

Darwin destroyed the concept of human specialness I would say I disagree quite strongly with the assertion that Darwin destroyed the specialness of humanity. For this relatively brief paper I am going to attempt to refute this claim and try to highlight some of the things that highlight how we have kept the same level of ‘specialness' that we have always had. There are many people who would say that we humans are the only beings with full consciousness, in the words of a great many this would translate to having a soul.Humans surely have a soul-like property, a mind, something that separates us from the multitudes of lower species from the smorgasbord of earthly life. It isn't my purpose for this paper to discuss whether or not we have a soul but I do intend to talk about what constitutes our mind, our selves. The fact that we as humans possess a high degree of consciousness to me spells a very special kind of existence.Can even our nearest intelligent creatures on the tree of life appreciate the magnificence of life? Can a chimpanzee sit back and admire the beauty of the sprawling life in the jungle? Does he marvel at his own bodies ability to repair itself after he has been in a bloody brawl with a rival? Can a dolphin be awestruck by the morning sun glistening on the surface of the water? Does he wonder what life would be like for him if he were one of those surface beings he often sees on boats in the ocean?Humans are extraordinary because, being the most advanced form of life on the planet, we possess brains larger than all other forms of life(save for some large mammals but even then ours are much bigger proportionally) With this we have evolved two magnificent features which can only set us worlds apart from and ahead of all other life forms. We have this amazing sense of self, sense of awareness- in a word -consciousness. This grants us the capability of knowing who and what we are (to a large extent anyway), and where we came from (Darwin is owed some credit in this field).It is the ability to see beauty in a sunset on a savannah, to hear the splendour in Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker, to read great works of literature and be able to travel the universe with our imaginations. The other great feature we have as a follow on from having large brains is the wonderful power of language. This splendid trait has gone hand in hand with consciousness to create the incredibly unique life form that homo sapiens has become. Our ability to understand the universe and our position in it is one of the glories of the human species.Our ability to link mind to mind by language, and especially to transmit our thoughts across the centuries is another (Dawkins 2008 p3) Our advanced cultures have truly become magnificent phenomena. We have complex, yet highly virtuous systems of ethics and values. Largely stemming from our aforementioned large brains and the use of language we have self evolved to create ways of living that set us apart from all t he rest of earthly creatures, both those alive today and all the previous inhabitants of the earth including ones from bygone eras.Humanity is replete with themes of co-operation, love, compassion, altruism, sympathy for our fellow beings as well as for all other life forms. We have been capable of many such virtues for a long time, since we became human one could say. As John Eccles (1980 p204) reminds us, there are snippets of evidence that as far back as eighty thousand years ago Neanderthal man held ceremonial burials- a truly altruistic act. Or, as he also noted- the bones of two men dated from sixty thousand years ago which show they were incapacitated for up to two years yet they had been kept alive by caring tribes folk.There is other evidence from as far back as this of the compassionate behaviour between members of humanity and we all know only too well of absolutely countless examples of it in recent history and of course in present day. For all modern mans shortcomings a nd problems in our societies, we have always been gifted with a great sense of right and wrong, of cruelty and kindness. With this majestic property that is consciousness comes the boundless faculty of thought. We are capable to reason, plan, remember to a limitless degree.Technology today has become something we could never have imagined even one hundred years ago. We have invented the most ingenious and sophisticated equipment to be able to look inside our brains. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)scans and the more recent positron-emission topography(PET) scans are machines with wonderful capabilities for seeing goings on in the brain. We can monitor which parts of the brain are being used when we experience certain thoughts. We cannot however, as Ward highlights(2008 p147), even begin to monitor in advance what people are thinking.Our thoughts are far and away more complex and profound than any other animals (or machine) can hope to have and, importantly, remain ours and ours only . If we try to look at the bigger picture, the macroscopic view of things, are we still special? When we gaze up into the night sky and contemplate our place in the universe it is very easy to become overawed by the sheer scale of the cosmos and our relative minuteness in it. How can there be anything special about us when we are almost nothing in relation to the vast universe.I believe it is not that we are in the universe but that we are the universe. â€Å"Far from exposing human beings as incidental products of blind physical forces, science suggests that the existence of conscious organisms is a fundamental feature of the universe†(Davies 1992 p21). As Davies alludes to here humanity is actually an intrinsic part of the universe and, whether or not there are other advanced conscious beings far out in space, we are or are part of the pinnacle of life, of nature, and of the cosmos.If the universe is one giant living organism, a vast clockwork mechanism, a massive computer then we are its brain, its central cog, its CPU. I try to imagine the perspective of a person who would make a statement like the title for this essay. I can understand the point whereby humanity is seen as simply the result of a very long line of life adapting and developing or, to use the term elucidated and made famous by Darwin- evolution. Life is just mechanical, they might say they have learned from Darwin, it only instinctively drives to keep living.What's so special about what is simply the as yet highest point of this unconscious , robotic like endeavour in nature. Are we more special than the animals below us on the food chain, or before us in eras like the dinosaurs. Was even the earliest amoeba not as special as us given its importance in the chain of events? This viewpoint, while largely correct in its facts and assumptions, doesn't give any credence to what homo sapiens has become since he has evolved from the ape.Hopefully this paper has made some of a case as to why the two legged big brained organisms that we are have a deep specialness to them. Bibliography Davies, Paul. 1992. THE MIND OF GOD. London: Penguin Books Dawkins, Richard. 2008. MODERN SCIENCE WRITING. Oxford: Oxford University Press Eccles, John C.. 1980. THE HUMAN PSYCHE. Berlin: Routledge Ward, Keith. 2008. The Big Questions in Science and Religion. Pennsylvania: Templeton Foundation Press

Impact Of Pastoral Nomads And Transhumant Herders Essay

The impact that pastoral nomads and transhumant herders can still be seen today. They had a huge impact in Egyptian, Mesopotamia, and the Indus Valley civilizations. Some of the impacts were things such as culture, agriculture, religion, social classes/hierarchies, gender roles, and specialization of labor. Throughout all of these influences, it is seen that none of these societies were isolated from each other. One way pastoral nomads lived a different lifestyle than transhumant herders was through agriculture. First, agriculture was a big part of the nomad’s lifestyle. The earliest sign of agriculture is in Southwest Asia and was their main form of survival which included planting crops and domesticating animals. Agriculture gave people a regular food supply, and eventually was able to produce surpluses of food (pg.7). Thus, surpluses of food allowed for large populations and for labor specialization. Large populations and labor specialization led to social classes which ranked from highest to lowest was: elites (kings, religious leaders), commoners (craftsmen/farmers), and slaves. As wealth and social standings grew, so did the gender gaps. Women were thought of as being the first to begin the systematic care of plants, while men began to capture animals and domesticating them (pg.7). Transhumant herders lived a much different lifestyle than those of the nomads. The main difference between these two societies is that the herders hunted and gathered their food instead

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot Essay - 1844 Words

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot It is said that George Eliot’s style of writing deals with much realism. Eliot, herself meant by a â€Å"realist† to be â€Å"an artist who values the truth of observation above the imaginative fancies of writers of â€Å"romance† or fashionable melodramatic fiction.† (Ashton 19) This technique is artfully utilized in her writings in a way which human character and relationships are dissected and analyzed. In the novel The Mill on the Floss, Eliot uses the relationships of the protagonist of the story, Miss Maggie Tulliver, as a medium in which to convey various aspects of human social associations. It seems that as a result of Maggie’s nature and of circumstances presented around her, that she is never able†¦show more content†¦Maggie always felt a responsibility to please her father and to never cause him any grievances. She was loyal to him at times that he seemed to not return her affection â€Å"How she wished that [her father] would stoke her head, or give her some sign that he was soothed by the sense that he had a daughter who loved him!† (Eliot 371) When her father was in the lowest point of self-ruin and was under the scrutiny of the family, Maggie took upon the position of the protector and loyally defended her protector. â€Å"Her father had always defended and excused her, and her loving remembrance of his tenderness was a force within her that would enable her to do or bear anything for his sake.† (Eliot 284) Maggie’s brother, Tom, is the person of whom she was the most fond of. She turned the cheek on some of his unkind actions toward her in the realization of a strong, unbreakable bond. This excerpt from â€Å"Brother and Sister† (Ashton 90) portrays the type of relationship Maggie and Tom Tulliver have. He was the elder and a little man Of forty inches, bound to show no dread, And I the girl that puppy-like now ran, Now lagged behind my brother’s larger tread. â€Å"Every episode in the early chapters show Maggie’s high hopes of pleasure being dashed by disagreements with Tom.† (Ashton 75) â€Å"Tom indeed was of opinion that Maggie was a silly little thing: all girls were silly...still he was very fond of his sister and always meant to take care of her.†Show MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Mill On The Floss By George Eliot2199 Words   |  9 PagesThis research report reviews scholarly criticism on the much debated character MAGGIE TULLIVER from the book Mill on the floss written by George Eliot. The project I propose analyses Maggie’s character as a whole. The report will begin by discussing the critics point of view of various reasons responsible for the death of Maggie Tulliver. 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Varieties Of Religious Experience By John Updike - 1474 Words

Religious Variety In John Updike’s short story â€Å"Varieties of Religious Experience†, he illustrates four different perspectives on the day of the 9/11 attacks and allows for the readers to understand the minds of multiple people on a day that will forever be remembered in American history. Updike seizes the opportunity to see through various vantage points and it also allows for the readers to have wider sense of faith in the short story. The opportunity of multiple perspectives suggests that there could be something more from a religious experience especially in an ever-evolving technology driven society. Honestly, when I first began to read the short story I was confused as to why Updike would use multiple points of view, but once I had finished I knew that what Updike had done was something only very gifted writers can do. Through each character, Updike allows for the readers to see what happened and what emotions people of different religions felt on the day of 9/11. Updike’s use of multiple protagonists allows for the reader to see each religious, physical, and mental perspective from that fateful day. The first protagonist the reader is introduced to is Dan who is a sixty-four Episcopalian lawyer from Cincinnati. On 9/11, Dan sees the attacks as a simple on looker for a Brooklyn penthouse near the towers that Updike observed the falling towers. Dan, a believer in God until the collapse of the towers, goes through a counter conversion after 9/11. He loses his faith in

Most Significant Things For All Businesses Essay Example For Students

Most Significant Things For All Businesses Essay Scott Mocabee5 things that are most significant for all business’s1. Learning from past mistakes and correcting them in the future. â€Å" The soft- spoken west Virginian got a firsthand glimpse of how arrogance and reluctance to change caused severe pain and dislocation. 2. Cisco uses technology to its advantage. â€Å" Using the network for tech support allows Cisco to save more than its nearest competitor spends on research and development. 3. Cisco has found was to make distribution more efficient. â€Å" By outsourcing production of 70% of its product, Cisco has quadrupled output without building new plants and has cut the time it takes to get a new product to market by two- thirds, to just six months. 4. Cisco shows concern for new an employee who builds loyalty and a close family. â€Å" It tells new employees that Cisco wants then, that Cisco cares about then and that were not just another big company. 5. With loss of personal contact they try to make up with contact later. â€Å" The network works better when you’ve already had a personal touch. Bad1. Cisco has a lot of dependency upon the Internet. â€Å" The network is the glue for the internal working of the company.† 2. Lack of personal contact. â€Å"When an Employee wants information about a company event or health benefits, or needs to track an expense report, the network is the place to go at Cisco.†3. Measuring success by employee retention can lead to some bad employees4. Cisco believes that every deal must have both short and long term goals. This could lead to oversight to long term benefits if no short-term benefits are available. 5. It seems that Chambers is reluctant to have change as it is relevant to it culture which can lead to being stubborn in ones ways. Business Essays

Brutus As A Hero Essay Research Paper free essay sample

Brutus As A Hero Essay, Research Paper Who is the existent Hero of this Play? The dictionary defines a hero as man/woman who is famed for bravery or workss of art. The character in the drama Julius Caesar, who best fits this description, is Brutus. Brutus is the hero in this drama because he demonstrates certain character traits that would be necessary for a individual to be defined as a hero. Brutus demonstrates how he loves Rome even more than himself and those close to him. He demonstrates honesty and leading qualities throughout the full drama. Brutus is the lone true hero in this novel due to the fact that the other characters in this drama do non show these character traits to the same degree, as did Brutus. Brutus # 8217 ; altruistic qualities are but one trait that proves him to be a hero. The violent death of Caesar is a genuinely epic title. We will write a custom essay sample on Brutus As A Hero Essay Research Paper or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He kills Caesar because he knows that with Caesar going the lone swayer of Rome, the latter would go a tyrant and enslave the people of Rome. # 8220 ; It # 8217 ; s non that I love Caesar, but that I love Rome more. # 8221 ; ( 3,2,22-3 ) -Brutus. This love for Rome is known by the people, and that is why the he is so popular and good respected. Cassius provinces, # 8220 ; O, he sits high in all the people # 8217 ; s Black Marias # 8220 ; ( 1,3,157-60 ) and Antony asserts Brutus is # 8220 ; The noblest adult male to populate in this tide of times. # 8221 ; ( 3,1,256-7 ) . Brutus is non merely seen as a hero by most readers, he is besides seen as a hero by the people of Rome up to a certain portion of the drama. Brutus is the most honorable individual in Julius Caesar. How many slayers would state the whole metropolis that they had merely committed a slaying? The lone 1 that comes to mind is the honorable Brutus. He tells to Romans that the violent death of Caesar is in the best involvement of Rome. He is besides honorable to his state ; he puts his best friend and himself after the well being of Rome. When he began to gain that killing Caesar is non in the best involvement of Rome, he admits it like an honorable adult male, and so kills himself. â€Å"Caesar, now be still ; I kill’d non thee with half so good a will. ( 5,5, 51-2 ) † All in all, a individual so honorable as Brutus should be considered a hero. Over the old ages most great heroes have been great leaders, and that is no exclusion when it comes to Brutus. Equally shortly as Brutus joins the plotters, he instantly takes charge. He decides to kill Caesar but non to kill Antony ; he speaks to the angry rabble right after he kills Caesar, and he is the chief leader of the ground forces contending Mark Antony. He falls down with his ground forces merely like a good leader should. He besides states that killing Caesar was a error, and he apologises for it before he kills himself. Basically Brutus may do some errors, but he makes up for them and that # 8217 ; s what makes him a great leader. In short these are but three of the many grounds why Brutus is a hero. Merely a hero puts his state before himself and his friends. Merely a hero admits to killing a adult male with giving merely cause, right after he commits the slaying. Merely a hero can take so many work forces into a losing conflict with merely cause. Quite merely, Brutus is a hero because his enemy Mark Antony said so ; # 8221 ; He is the baronial adult male to populate this tide of times. ( 3,1, 256-7 ) # 8221 ;

Billy Budds lessons in Farewell to the Rights of Man! Essays

Billy Budds lessons in Farewell to the Rights of Man! Essays Billy Budds lessons in Farewell to the Rights of Man! Essay Billy Budds lessons in Farewell to the Rights of Man! Essay Essay Topic: A Farewell to Arms The film presents itself with Billy Budd as a sailor on a ship called the, Rights of Man. A ship from the British Navy is chasing them down as they correctly suspect, to impress men aboard theyre ship to become part of the navy. As we see on the ship, Billy Budd is a very lively, happy character that made everyone happy by singing through his tiring work. Budd is forced upon the HS Avenger where the crew is an unhappy, grumpy lot. Their unhappiness is due mostly to the master at arms, John Claggart. However, Budds jubilant personality brought light and warmth to an otherwise gloomy and cold ship. Budd proceeds to innocently try and become friends with Claggart. Claggart does not trust humans and he thinks that all men are out to get each other. He believe that he had to punish them before they get to him. Budds attempts fail though, and Claggart still treats him horribly and with bitterness. Shortly after, Claggart catches wind of a plot to end his own life, he brings it to the captain and accuses Budd of being the leader in this conspiracy. It seems however, that Claggart is really threatened by Budds apparent talent at making friends and ability to attract people to follow him, causing him to think he could start a mutiny. Mutinys in the year 1797 were a major concern in the British Navy and punishments to any involved were always severe if not the end of their lives. The captain calls both Claggart and Budd to his cabin for questioning. Claggart commences in spewing lies and accusations about Budd. Before Claggart can finish this, Budd, in a fit of anger and loss of words, hits Claggart and kills him with a single blow. This causes a problem for the ships captain, Captain Vere, (meaning truth). He personally did not like Claggart and he understands that Budd had no intention, but he feels that the only just thing to do would be to hang Billy Budd. He assembles a court marshal and they consult about what to do. Vere cannot decide whether to follow his own personal feelings or whether to follow his duty. In the end, they decide that the just thing to do would be to hang Billy Budd. Surprisingly, Budd is very content and does not fight the decision, for he understands what he has done. When Budd goes to be hanged before the crew, they voice their unhappiness, but none step forward to fight for his life. Billy Budd dies in front of the crew peacefully and without last words. Portrayal of the Legal System: This film brings up issues pertaining to Capital Punishment. It seems like an unfavorable portrayal of it, since Budd is such a likeable character. The film makes Claggart seem like a criminal for all the suffering and horrible things he makes the crew got through. But one could argue that he is just fulfilling his duty. The film makes Budd look like a hero, because he makes everyone happy through trying times. The way the Captain handles it is a very realistic approach to the situation. Just like in hammurabis Code, the famous Eye for an Eye, stands true in this. The legal system is presented in a few ways. The master of arms, Claggart is almost like the police. He watches the crew and enforces the laws of the ship. If a law is broken by one of the crew, then he reports it to the Captain who then will decide a punishment for the man. A judge and jury could be compared to the questioning from the captain and then the court marshal where they decide what should be done with Budd. The punishments would be done aboard ship. The crew cannot defend themselves really; their word is not taken as heavily as that of the Master at Arms. Relationship between Legal System and the Individual/Society: The main relationship that was portrayed in this movie was that between Claggart and Billy. This was an obviously strained relationship. Billy was very open to a friendship with Claggart, but Claggart would not have it and deemed it to be impossible. Since Claggart is the legal system, and Billy is the individual this represents one relationship. Another relationship that is key is the relationship between Captain Verre and the code. Captain Verre would like to forgive Billy and to let him go and not press charges, but the code says that Billy should die. This poses a conflict between Verres moral and lawful values. Should he kill Budd as the law tells him to? Or should he let it pass, because he knows Billy is a good person and it was accidental? The Issue/Conflict: The issue/conflict arose when Billy boarded the ship. His jubilant manner contradicted how the master at arms felt sailors should be. He took this attitude as a threat to the order of the ship. He saw Billy as the type of person who would start a mutiny. Claggart felt that Billy was up to something, especially when he attempted being friends with him. It created division, because Claggart cannot trust anyone and thinks Billy Is bad news. It created division, because everything Billy does to make the crew happy, Claggart sees as it as an attempt to turn their backs on the rules and persuade them to do the wrong. The second, more important issue is that of Verre and his decision. It arose through the killing of Claggart and from deciding what Billys punishment should be. Side A says that it is the Captains duty to kill Billy according to the rules and the law. The captain also takes into account the life lost; that although Claggart was a gloomy person, he had the right to live and tha t right was taken away when Billy killed him. Side B would argue that Billy did it by accident and that it was not a malicious kill. Chances are, Billy would not kill again. There is also the chance that people will mutiny if Billy dies. These are the thoughts that run through the Captains mind when he ponders Billys future. The conflict ends with Bills execution through hanging. The Captain deduces that the right choice to make is to kill Billy according to the law, and Billy accepts that. Despite the crews disapproval of the action, the captain has to go through with it. Billy also is very content with the Captains decision, because he understands what he killed a man and that that is a capital punishment. Billy does not hold any bad feelings for feel bitter, because he feels bad about Claggarts death as well. The Message and the Subtext: (I was not clear whether you were referring to the time the book was made, or the time the movie was made) The book was started in 1886 by Herman Melville. During that time Capital Punishment might have been a controversy. This was probably a reflection upon the army and the issue of a persons rights. The army was much more strict in the 1800s than it is not and brutal punishment was not unheard of. However, I suspect that this is not related to the army and just that of how someone should be judged. I think Herman Melvilles intention was to show the conflict between duty and morals. In 1962 this movie was probably related more to the army. In 1967 the United States was in a cold was with Russia and many troops were being deployed through out the world to protect countries. Many men were being court marshaled and many people were being investigated for conspiracy, since it was a largely unpopular war to be in. It probably brought up the issue of killing the enemy. Technically for killing someone, you should die or be severely punished. Even if he/she is the enemy like Claggart, do they have the same rights that we have? This is the type of question that people in the army had to face and had to live through. The Movie, its Message, and You: To me, Billy Budd explored the idea that even though you are not a bad person, you can still be punished for a crime you committed according to the law. This film taught me that many courts are unforgiving and would never forgive a random outburst of anger. This both calms me, and frightens me. It calms me because that means that people, who kill and dont mean to or dont understand their strength and ways, are being put into jail far away from me. But it also frightens me, to think that what if it happened to me and no one is merciful? It also gets me thinking about capital punishment and where it should be applied. Such as, under what circumstances does a person have to kill for their life to be taken away? What type of mental state do they need to have? Does it matter? It arose issues such as this and I left class the last of filming thinking about all of this. I think that this is a semi-accurate portrayal of the legal system. Semi-accurate, because today we have a jury, we have many people who would have defended Billy and others to defend Claggart. Or maybe there would have been a person to defend Jenkins when Claggart ordered him to his post, which led to his death. The portrayal of someone enforcing the law and some sort of court is very accurate though. The court marshal acts as the judge and the jury. The captain calls both men in for questioning before Billy kills Claggart. This is all accurate to how thinks would be help today. Ultimately, they decided to obey the law and kill Billy. However, the issue of Capital Punishment was different throughout all ages. Back in the 1800s there might not have ever been an argument about it, and people rarely questioned the law. It was just a clear yes, he deserves to die or no, he did not commit the crime. Now, people have become more passionate and we understand that there are certain circumst antial and rightful killings. Such as, killing to defend one self. I dont think Billy would be let go completely free. Most likely, they would give him 25 to life now. I think the argument is universally a problem and it always will be. There will always be side A and B who will lock heads and argue whether this punishment is humane or just. Watching this movie in class, it was not terribly exciting, but looking back on all the movies Ive watching in school it was not the worst. I liked the character Billy a lot and how he was cheerful through everything. I thought that generally, the acting was good since bad acting is a pet peeve of mine. What I did not like was the fact that it was in black and white. I really love color to catch my eye and the fact that every color was some variation of a mixture of black and white really annoyed me. The only other thing I can think of was that in man cases, I could not understand what they were saying. Thank god, you deciphered it. Over all, Im sure that if I saw the movie in theaters in 1962 I would have thoughts I got my moneys worth. Billy Budd taught us more than the law though. During the time Billy was aboard this Miserable ship Avenger, he always kept a positive attitude and took the cup half full, approach to any situation. That teaches me that maybe school isnt that bad and maybe I should take things from a different angle instead of seeing all the work involved. I also learned to accept whats for me and what you cant help. Such as this paper, at first I was very reluctant to start a 13-paragraph essay. Thats pretty daunting, but as I rounded my 5th paragraph I knew that I had to do this. This is acceptance, not to the same greatness and peacefulness ad Billys, but still getting there. The third lesson I took from Billy Budd is not to kill someone., because there are always consequences for your actions. Not that I ever considered killing someone, but I mean that it made a big impression on me that in the real world, hey dont care is you have a problem getting the words out so you just punch. There are no s econd chances. So, with me on the road I realize that there is no saying whoops sorry, wont happen again. Theres saying, Please dont tell my parents I got arrested. Its kind of a slap in the face that bad things happen to good people, and good people do bad things to make that true.