[CLCV 115] Response #2 PDF

Preview

Summary

This is an brief assignment regarding CLCV 115....

Description

1) According to Michael Balter, the 10 stages of human development may be summarized in this way: a) Step 1: When primates emerged, their bodily features seemed to be similar throughout all species of primate. All primates share characteristics that are scarcely found in other mammals: namely, larger brains, well-developed visual abilities, and five fingers and five toes, as well as Meissner’s corpuscles, which are special nerve endings that make their hands and feet immensely sensitive to touch. b) Step 2: Primates remained fruitful, spreading throughout Africa, Europe, and Asia. A new type of primate emerges - after studying fossil records, they are said to have lived in Kenya and Uganda. Their physical features appear “evolved”: they have larger brains; closer eye sockets; their faces are now fully forward, enhancing their binocular vision; and flexible joints. They become known as the ancestors of modern apes such as the chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and humans. They can maneuver both through trees and on the forest floor. c) Step 3: Chimpanzees and humans undergo their respective evolutionary patterns. The chimpanzee and the bonobo (pygmy chimpanzee) are speculated to be the common ancestors of both chimps and humans. Both species are extremely sociable - however, societies of the common chimpanzees are male-dominated and include warfare; whereas bonobos are female-dominant and live rather harmoniously together. d) Step 4: 5 million years ago, primates began walking on two feet. One theory as to how this occurred was proposed by C. Owen Lovejoy, who believed that bipedality emerged as a result of relationship and mating patterns. Bipedality allowed more bodily freedom and made it easier for parents to gather food for their offspring; accordingly, survival rates peaked. e) Step 5: Simply put, our brains expand. Psychologist Robin Dunbar and anthropologist Leslie Aiello believed that our brains developed because of large social groups as well as the development of language; it seemed that the bigger the group, the bigger the society. Dunbar and Aiello decided that a larger brain would have been beneficial to keeping track of the hustle and bustle of community life. f) Step 6: Humans (homo erectus) begin to colonize, spreading throughout Asia and Europe. As societies grew, our brains also expanded. About 150,000 to 200,000 years ago, a new species of human emerged in Africa, known as homo sapiens, the modern human. They began to invade the societies of prior humans, until they became the only humans left. At this time, the development of language became very prominent. g) Step 7: Here begins the Upper Paleolithic era. Symbolic expression becomes a significant form of communication, and art, figurines, and tools also enrich the culture. At this time, humans have also developed the concept of “release from proximity,” which is the ability to main close relationships despite far and long distances. In fact, humans are the only primates who are capable of this mentality. h) Step 8: Humans begin to settle down with the Natufians. They shape their environments in such a way that allows for peak sustenance. i) Step 9: Here marks the Neolithic Revolution. Agriculture becomes the major way of obtaining food and created order within communities.

j)

Step 10: The Urban Revolution occurs. Civilization advances and various kinds of technology emerge as a result of rapidly growing knowledge.

2) Balter uses different bursts of physical and mental evolution to differentiate his stages. 3) I believe spirituality and religion began somewhere between steps 6 and 7, where symbolism and creativity surfaced. Step 7 indicates that cave art had transpired during the Upper Paleolithic - it is very likely that the art of this time were of those depicting divinities and nature. 4) Perhaps I would have more information on how science began overshadowing religion once the advancement of technology emerged....