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Rising Complexity of Humanity
Following the previous texts, “Rising Complexity of Universe” and “Rising Complexity of Life,” where we explored the formation of the universe, stars, galaxies, and life on Earth, this concise text, “Rising Complexity of Humanity,” serves as the concluding piece in the series. Here, we will explain the evolution of humans, the pivotal stages in the establishment of civilization, the hunter-gatherer lifestyle and the changes that took place with the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution and finally the uncertain possibilities of the future.
Human Evolution
In the verdant forests of East Africa, chimpanzees flourished amid lush arboreal habitats and their body structure was adapted for life in trees. However, as environmental shifts gradually transformed forests into arid lands and savannahs, our ancestors adapted by embracing bipedalism to navigate the evolving terrain. Australopithecus, our earliest bipedal forebears, emerged during this transformative era.
While there are additional human species beyond those we have mentioned, it is crucial to highlight that significant evolutionary transitions have taken place within the ones we have covered. Homo habilis was the first species known to use tools, followed by Homo erectus, which shared a similar physique to early humans. The species closest to Homo sapiens, evolving just before it, was Homo Neanderthals.
Evolving Through Collective Learning and Technology
Initially, cutting tools were large and relatively blunt, but over time, they became smaller and more efficient. This
technological progress was facilitated by collective learning, enabling further complexities.
As Homo Neanderthals continued to migrate, their tool-making skills evolved further. Following the migration of humans from Africa, the onset of the Ice Age presented new challenges. Harsh environmental conditions necessitated enhanced communication and organizational abilities, prompting the development of complex symbolic language. This led to accelerated progress, including innovations such as clothing, controlled use of fire, and the emergence of cave art. Migration persisted, accompanied by the hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
The Environmental Impact of Hunter-Gatherer Societies
While the Industrial Revolution, capitalism, and mass production-consumption are often blamed for environmental damage, early hunter-gatherers also significantly altered their surroundings. This shows that a historical and comprehensive approach is required to address and understand environmental problems.
Venturing into regions devoid of useful plants, hunter-gatherers resorted to burning wooded areas, inadvertently transforming fertile lands into deserts. Additionally, their overhunting practices led to the extinction of numerous animal species, disrupting ecosystems. For example, upon settling in Hawaii, early inhabitants contributed to a 70% decline in bird species. Similarly, mammoths faced extinction in Austria following human settlements.
Agricultural Revolution
The transition to agriculture was not a sudden revolution but rather an evolutionary process driven by changing conditions. Several factors contributed to its adoption.
Firstly, as populations adapted to survive the challenges of the ice age, various survival strategies emerged, spurring innovations. Secondly, these new strategies led to population growth, necessitating the development of new methods to sustain larger populations. Finally, with increased abundance, people had the opportunity to experiment with animal domestication. As both animals and certain seeds were successfully domesticated, the transition to agriculture gradually commenced.
Göbekli Tepe in Turkey.
Did Religion Prompt Settled Living?
While we have explored the materialistic factors behind the adoption of agriculture, the presence of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey suggests that religious motivations may have played a significant role in this transition. Following the construction of temples in this area, the first evidence of domesticated seeds was discovered nearby. In essence, temples constructed before the shift to agriculture might have prompted people to adopt a settled lifestyle.
Was Settling Down a Wise Choice?
The hunter-gatherer and farming lifestyles each had their own set of advantages and disadvantages. However, questioning the notion that history and technology always progress as continuous improvement allows us to compare these two lifestyles more critically.
The advent of agriculture brought forth surplus products, leading to the emergence of private property and inequality. This transition also saw the rise of religious officials and soldiers tasked with distributing the surplus, spawning new areas of expertise. Eventually, an elite class emerged, appropriating the surplus food and solidifying the social hierarchy and inequality.
In contrast, hunter-gatherer societies offered more free time, as hunting was only done when necessary for sustenance. This abundance of leisure time fostered storytelling and artistic expression. Besides, reliance on agriculture sometimes resulted in famine, leading to hunger, cannibalism, and epidemic diseases. Additionally, monocropping weakened people’s immune systems, facilitating the spread of diseases.
Despite its drawbacks, agriculture provided numerous benefits, such as its universal applicability and mitigation of starvation, except in arid climates. Domestication of animals offered additional resources like milk, meat, and shelter, albeit with the risk of epidemics.
Both lifestyles had their merits and demerits, and idealizing one over the other would be misguided. While hunter-gatherer societies were devoid of industrial pollution, they faced the risk of consuming poisonous plants. Agriculture spurred technological advancements like irrigation systems, leading to the development of villages, cities, and eventually empires. The necessity for resource management among powerful groups even led to the invention of writing, further complicating human lives.
Escalating Sophistication
The invention of writing facilitated the storage and transfer of information across generations, significantly speeding up the process of collective learning. As established cities and empires expanded, they engaged in increased communication, trade, and occasional conflicts with one another. This interaction often involved the exchange of technology, lifestyles, religions, languages and cultures. The Afro-Eurasian region experienced significant growth, facilitated by major trade routes like the Silk Road.
Industrial Revolution
The Ottoman occupation of Istanbul, their dominance in the region, and control over the Asian trade routes spurred Europe to seek alternative trade routes, leading to significant geographical discoveries.
In the 18th century, the Industrial Revolution ignited in Great Britain. The widespread adoption of steam engines for energy production, alongside the utilization of coal in place of traditional sources like water, wind, and human labour, led to a revolutionary increase in production rates. Mechanization of agriculture further boosted agricultural output, fueling a population explosion. Items once considered luxury became commonplace necessities as production soared, further increasing production and consumption rates. Additionally, inventions such as the telegraph and the telephone facilitated the rapid exchange of ideas, contributing to a surge in complexity.
Unfinished Story: Contemplating Future Horizons
As we look ahead, it is evident that the future holds the promise of unfolding new complexities. Scientific projections offer insights into potential future scenarios.
It is well-established that the sun’s lifespan is about 5 billion years, and while its demise may not directly impact humanity if we have colonized outer space by then, it offers a glimpse into the distant future’s potential trajectory. Similarly, scientific observations indicate that the universe is steadily expanding, suggesting that distant stars may face eventual extinction and become black holes, resulting in the universe getting into the gravitational pull of black holes. Ultimately, this hints at a cyclical pattern wherein the universe could revert to a state of simplicity akin to the conditions following the Big Bang.
If we contemplate the nearer future, imminent challenges like global warming, nuclear conflict, and the trajectory of technological progress—whether for better or worse—provide valuable glimpses into the potential pathways the future may take.
References
- Christian, D., et al. Big History. [MOOC]. Big history project. https://bhp-public.oerproject.com/
- Curry A. (2016, January 20) World’s oldest temple to be restored. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/150120-gobekli-tepe-oldest-monument-turkey-archaeology
- Harari Y.H. (2015). Sapiens: A brief history of humankind. Vintage.
- Hendry L., Wong J. (n.d.) The origin of our species. Natural History Museum. https://shorturl.at/hoNP0
- Osterloff E. (n.d.) What is natural selection? Natural History Museum. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/what-is-natural-selection.html
- Oxford Reference (n.d.) Collective Learning. In Oxford reference. From https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780190622664.001.0001/acref-9780190622664-e-874
- Ponting C. (2007). A new green history of the world: the environment and the collapse of great civilization. Vintage.
Image Sources
- file:///Users/user/Downloads/mill-industrial-revolution-gettyimages-464440961.jpg
- file:///Users/user/Downloads/Go%CC%88bekli_Tepe,_Urfa.jpg
- file:///Users/user/Downloads/image_5824e-Olorgesailie-Stone-Tools.jpg
- file:///Users/user/Downloads/Australopithecus-afarensis-rendering-Artist.webp
- file:///Users/user/Downloads/HumanEvolution.png
- file:///Users/user/Downloads/Standard_of_Ur_-_Peace_Panel_-_Sumer.jpg
AUTHOR INFO
A sociology graduate who enjoys philosophy and music and who writes to learn
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