Beyond the Animal

Two posts ago, I mentioned something about John Cleese. Although I did not, as I said I might, post something about it the very next post, I will settle for still being the very next day.

The documentary was entitled the Human Face, which was a four part mini series narrated and hosted by the comedic Brit. After all, how would we take them seriously if they didn't have a British narrator?

While several years old, it is a very enlightening and insightful look at human behavior, biology, evolution, and psychology/sociology. A bit redundant on that statement I admit. And before I forget to mention, it is available on this wonderful thing called Netflicks, and their instant play feature which is quite amazing to have actually.

Now, if you're expecting me to give you a run-down on what all I learned from watching this, don't. I'm not going to. That isn't how I work on this thing. Rather, for whatever reason I chose to do it this way, this is the place where I spew out whatever random thoughts come into my head, or various theories I am working on. Often enough, my theories are held up, looked at, played with, then tossed aside like so much day old coffee. Hopefully few of these theories will find their way onto here, but it's more than likely to happen. Assuming I can ever stop rambling long enough to hold up a theory in the first place.

It is true that humans are advanced creatures. However, it's possible that we are not nearly as advanced at it may seem. Much of our behavior can be explained through terms of evolution and biological comparisons. This is sad, and depressing, but true enough when you make yourself look at it. But we are not able to be completely explained away through these theories. Despite my harsh view on many things about our culture, namely pop-culture and fashion trends, there are some things that cannot be waved away about us.

I'm obligated to bring up art first and foremost. Art has no purpose in the strict role of survival, nor is it required for a social network. Popularity and tools, yes, these are direct analogs, but art has no role. Nowhere in the animal kingdom (that I am aware of) are objects created solely for their own sake. Some primates use tools. Many diverse animals have complicated social structures. But no art. This transcends the simple mundane call of biology into something more etherial.

Compassion is another. Not just for the weak and wounded among our close network, but humans are capable of compassion for things beyond even our own species. While this is not unheard of, dolphins come to mind quickly as an example of creatures who are not close to us but can be extremely helpful to humans, it is extremely rare, especially among the "lower" animals.

And to have a third example, science. While science is based upon the basic need for tools, much science goes beyond any practical purpose to the search for knowledge and understanding. Many surprising benefits may arise from such research, but these benefits are not why the scientists set out in their research. They wanted to understand more than themselves. Like the artist, they looked up at the sky and asked "why." Science and art can be seen as two sides of the same search for greater understanding. Religion is a third way (although more prone to corruption than art or even most science), and is closely tied in with the ideas of compassion in most cases. So maybe, through some combination of the three, we'll eventually get somewhere.