Embedded: An Overview of Nature's Influence on Humanity
Life Can Be Wonderful and Perplexing, but not Magical
Humans are clearly the only truly conscious beings on Earth, despite the exceptional intelligence seen in many of our vertebrate relatives, such as mammals and birds. Accepting this idea is a good starting point for understanding our impressive history of cultural development, including harnessing energy, extending lifespans, and changing the planet, but no magic was involved. The modern human brain, though quite remarkable and mysterious, evolved from earlier brains during human evolution. While some still argue that humans deserve "exceptional" status beyond biology, our species emerged from natural processes and remains an essential part of Earth.
Part of human culture involves learning and passing on knowledge. However, we are not born as blank slates waiting to be shaped by our parents, peers, or society. If that were true, we could easily be programmed regardless of personality, intelligence, sex, heredity, or other influences that are not learned. Even if we could create any environment we wanted, we would never escape the square peg in a round hole problem. Our culture often promotes the idea that we are mostly "the sum of our choices" or "architects of our own future." These messages can be inspiring and potentially helpful, but they are rarely a literal truth for most people, given the many changing challenges from inside and outside forces. Humanity cannot be fully understood without recognizing nature's influence and the unpredictable results it can produce.
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