Natural Selection Led To Human Values

Apr/7/2017

  Natural selection promoted memory of the past and forecasting of the future. The ability to simulate future scenarios in the mind rather than to live it in the physical world made it possible for animals to  safely navigate new circumstances. The animals are driven by their instincts. The basic survival drives such as eat, fight, flee, reproduce were supplemented by the higher level ability to remember the past and simulate the future. e.g.. animal is hungry and wants food. When food is not readily available, those that were able to remember location of food sources from past experiences were better survivors. Those that were able to simulate the movements of prey became better hunters. These abilities were refined generation after generation. Eventually, hunters that were more successful when hunting in groups and those that were safer when they lived in groups evolved social abilities. Social abilities by way of continued evolution gave rise to groups ethics, altruism, language, culture and so on. 

eg. why altruism - it promotes one's self image, respectability and likability in the parent group, respect and likability promote survival - if group members help each other, the group becomes better fitted for survival. An individual does not trace this rationale, it merely experiences pleasure from helping others. In evolutionary terms, altruistic behavior promoted the survival of the group in relation to competing groups. Those that enjoyed altruistic behavior simply became more helpful, consequently their group became better at survival. Groups that were better at survival lasted longer. Consider the idea that human values that are experienced as good promote survival of the individual and of the species. Bad values inhibit survival. Are there examples of moral good and bad that don't fit this pattern?