|
I agree with ART insofar as I think that for the scientific origins of humans, we should look to science, and science tells us that we came to be through evolution. Being a Christian, I of course also believe that God is behind the whole thing.
I don't think that a blend of a literal interpretation of Genesis and evolution works at all. It's clear from scripture that Adam and Eve are supposed to be exemplars of the human race; that is, that they, if anything, were more human than we are.
Ghostsdaddy suggest that "even as human beings, we are still evolving". I'm not sure that this is the case; I'm not a scientist by any means, but given that evolution works through death rates, and we have a habit of saving the lives of the weak and infirm (at least long enough for them to reproduce), it would seem to be an open question whether or not we're still evolving.
A couple people have suggested that we are just animals with a few quirks. The question probably deserves its own thread, but my two cents is this. I'm certainly a materialist about human persons -- there is no part of us that is not material. but we seem to be quite different from animals; it's not that we are better builders or inventors or whatever. It seems that we are qualitatively different from animals. As Nietzsche writes, "We are not thinking frogs."
__________________
"Die Deutschen meinen, daß die Kraft sich in Härte und Grausamkeit offenbaren müsse, sie unterwerfen sich dann gerne und mit Bewunderung:[...]. Daß es Kraft giebt in der Milde und Stille, das glauben sie nicht leicht."
"The Germans believe that power must reveal itself in hardness and cruelty and then submit themselves gladly and with admiration[...]. They do not believe readily that there is power in meekness and calm."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche
|