What Makes Us Human?
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Transcript of What Makes Us Human?
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?
Adapted from https://sites.google.com/site/highlandhsp3m/unit-1-what-makes-us-human
What does being human mean to you? What distinguishes humans from animals?
Take a moment an think. REALLY think.
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?
Anthropologists = Evolution
Psychologists = Cognitive process and personality
Sociologists = Culture
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?
Very simply.... Anthropologists ask:
Where did we come from? What are we? Where are we going?
Read Wright excerpt
WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?
WHAT IS ANTHROPOLOGY?
Anthropologists use human biological evolution to answer the question of what makes humans different from animals
They use fossils, cultural remains and the study of DNA as evidence supporting the development of humanity.
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN?
ANTHROPOLOGICAL: HUMAN EVOLUTION
Physical Anthropologists study human biological evolution Palaeontology – study of fossils Archaeology – study of cultural remains -- ?
ANTHROPOLOGICAL: PROOF OF EVOLUTION
Jacques Boucher de Crevecoeur (1788 – 1868) Found stones shaped into tools and weapons Primitive weapons less advanced than what can be
created today Shows evolution
PROOF OF EVOLUTION
Neanderthals Did not evolve tool making Survived for millions of years but eventually died out
ANTHROPOLOGICAL: PROOF OF EVOLUTION
Charles Darwin (1809 -1882) Studied on the Galapagos islands Found that within each group of plant or animal there was variation
Natural Selection: Animals and plants adaptto their environment tosurvive and produce similaroffspring. Survival of theFittest
HUMAN EVOLUTION
It was thought that humans followed the same patterns of evolution.
In 1924 Raymond Dart discovered the fossil of a child in South Africa Australopithecus Africanus
Subsequent discoveries showed an evolutionary pattern
ANTHROPOLOGICAL: PROOF OF EVOLUTION
Human brains got larger Faces got smaller
HUMANS VS PRIMATES
The genetic make up of humans and primates varies by only 1-2 percent
Why are we the dominate species?
HUMANS VS PRIMATES
Features we share: Opposable thumbs 3 dimensional vision (allows us to judge distances) Our children remain dependant for a long time and
require a lot of care to learn and develop
HUMANS VS PRIMATES
Highly developed brain which allows us to learn and think (however the human brain is more developed)
Social (humans more advanced) Can be aggressive and territorial
WHAT MAKES HUMANS HUMAN There are many different opinions as to which
factor is the most important in human evolution Bipedalism – the ability to walk upright over long
distances and perform tasks while standing Ability to communicate complex and abstract ideas
through language It is thought the combination of using tools, hunting
in a group and communicating with language led to the rapid growth of the human brain
Our ability to share/cooperate with others Developed symbols and art
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN - PSYCHOLOGY
1) The Brain2) The Cognitive Process (advanced reasoning,
problem solving, complexity of our thinking)3) Personality
THE BRAIN
The Central Core: All vertebrates Controls basic functions (breathing, eating)
The Cerebrum: Sets us apart from other species. Controls human senses, thoughts, language, memory
THE COGNITIVE PROCESS
How we acquire, store and use knowledge
REASONING
Use information to draw conclusions – uniquely human
Deductive Reasoning (general to specific): Eg. All humans have brains – Sonia is a human –
Therefore Sonia has a brain. Inductive Reasoning (specific to general):
Eg. Most men enjoy sports – I am a man – I enjoy sports
PROBLEM SOLVING
Humans problem solve throughout the day Can use reasoning to help solve problems
1. Identify the problem2. Develop a strategy to solve the problem (trial and
error, hypothesis, rule of thumb, insight)3. Carry out the strategy4. Determine if the strategy worked
COMPLEXITY OF OUR THINKING
Complexity of our thinking Human are able to think about what others are
thinking. Humans are able to think within different time
frames We can remember the past and consider what might
happen in the future.
PERSONALITY
Characteristics and behaviours that make us unique
It is thought that our personality is shaped by our genetics and environment (nature – nurture)
PERSONALITY Animals may appear to have personality traits This may be more the result of instinct and
conditioning
WHAT MAKES US HUMAN: SOCIOLOGY
Sociologists characterize a human as different from animals because of human culture.
Culture: The abilities, ideas and behaviours people have acquired to become members of society
O CanadaHockeyCanadian flag
CULTURE
Symbols Something or someone that represents something
else. Symbols have a particular meaning for people
CULTURE
Human culture (beliefs, ideas, behaviours) is constantly evolving and changing.
It is through interactions in society that culture develops.
To be part of the human culture we need to cooperate, have laws/rules and have a capacity for knowledge (we can learn and teach others)