Made in the Image of God
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What are "modern humans" and when and how did they appear? Presentation by Dr. Dennis Wilson.
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Made in the Image of God
- 2. Outline 1. Introduction, Working Definitions – Note: This is primarily secular, scientific definitions 2. Characteristics of Modern Humans 3. When & Where did Modern Humans Emerge? 4. Inventions as a Discriminator 5. Summary
- 3. Questions for Discussion 1. What features distinguish “Modern Humans (MHs)” from other animals? – Anatomical: brain mass, bipedal locomotion, etc. – Artifacts: inventions, e.g. tools, weapons, etc. – Abstract: intelligence, knowledge, advanced civilization …Spirit? 2. When/how did “MHs” appear? – Was it sudden or gradual? – Was it a single event or a multistep process? – Was it random, natural process or special creation? The fossil record is a major stumbling block for some Christians
- 4. The Term Human has Different Meanings • Humans (confusing term) – Individual of the genus Homo, especially Homo sapiens. – The only existing species of the Hominid family. • Homo Sapiens – Characterized by brain capacity of ~ 1400 cc dependent upon language and the creation and utilization of complex tools • Homo Sapien Sapiens – Only existing species of homo genus, subspecies of homo sapiens, i.e. modern humans – Appeared ~ 50,000 YA Taxonomy: science of describing, classifying, and naming organisms
- 5. • Darwinian Evolution Hypothesis: “Humans (Homo sapiens) are primates of the Hominin family, and the only extant species of the genus Homo.” Hominid (Hominin) Family* *Remember, this is the secular, random, undirected, approach based on anatomy Hominin cranial capacity vs. time. Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. Modern humans are Homo sapien spiens
- 7. Darwinian Evolution: Fact or Theory • Evolution has been described as: – fact and theory; fact; theory; multiple theories, not fact; and neither fact, nor theory. [1] • Evolutionary biologist Kirk J. Fitzhugh: – Evolution cannot be both a theory and a fact. Theories are concepts stating cause [2]. • Evolutionary theory as advocated by Darwin is not a single theory, but a bundle of related but independent theories. [3] 1. Gould, Stephen Jay (1981) "Evolution as Fact and Theory" Discover 2 (May): 34-37 2. Fitzhugh, K (2007). "Fact, theory, test and evolution". Letter to the Editor. Zoologica Scripta. 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19936626
- 8. Anatomical Differences Have Issues Problems with anatomical (morphological) differences 1. Several species (Homo Habilis and Homo erectus) co-existed 2. Pathological problems within a group are real issue 3. Very limited and damaged fragments with each excavation 4. Paleoanthropologists don’t know how many hominid species existed Anatomical comparison of the skulls of Homo sapiens sapiens (MH) and Homo neanderthalensis (right) Ref: Bradshaw Foundation
- 9. Outline 1. Introduction, Working Definitions 2. Characteristics of Modern Humans 3. When & Where did Modern Humans Emerge? 4. Inventions as a Discriminator 5. Summary
- 10. What is Modern Human (MH) Intelligence? • Intelligence* is a property of the mind that includes: 1. Abstract thought 2. Complex ideas & inventions 3. Symbolic logic & mathematics 4. Self-awareness 5. Planning 6. Reasoning 7. Problem solving It is dramatically different than animal intelligence *Caveat: Logical/mathematical and verbal/linguistic intelligence Language is critical
- 11. What is Animal Intelligence? • Chimps make tools and hunt in organized groups. Lab experiments show chimps are capable of empathy, altruism and self-awareness. • This dolphin in Australia uses a sponge (tool) to protect her snout when foraging on the seafloor, a behavior that is passed on from mother to daughter. • This Asian elephant appears to recognize herself in the mirror. This behavior is shared only with humans, great apes and dolphins. • Crows fashion tools from twigs and other bits of debris to snare food from hard-to-reach places. • This dog discriminated between photos of dogs landscapes - an indication he was able to form the concept of "dog“ (self-awareness) Are these tools really complex inventions? Was self-awareness motivated by reward?
- 12. Other Ways We Are Unique • Creativity/innovation – What is the source? – Answer from several disciplines has converged on a key answer: language • Language gives us access to information in the brains of other humans. • Collective learning - we are like networked computers. Language allows us to exploit this unique characteristic – We bring in multiple disciplines to solve problems Prof David Christian
- 13. Other Ways We Are Unique • Cumulative knowledge is integrating ideas and applying it to a new context. – Each successive generation benefits from the previous generation • This is entirely different than any other species
- 14. Other Ways We Are Unique The Human Trinity - even non-Christians recognize a “secular” trinity Humans are God’s only creature with a spirit – and we are concerned with the Big Questions. Origin – where did we come from? Identity - who are we? Purpose – why are we here? Destiny – where are we going? Morality – How should we live?
- 15. Special Creation Stages • Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let Us make [ asah] man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. • Genesis 1:27: God created [bara] man in His own image, in the image of God He created [bara] him; male and female He created [bara] them. • Genesis 2:7: Then the LORD God formed [yatsar] man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. The Hebrew word bara is often translated "create". The Hebrew word asah is often translated "make". The Hebrew word yatsar is often translated "form".
- 16. Summary: What Makes MHs Unique 1. Unique and overly endowed intelligence relative to any other species – language is critical enabling element 2. We are concerned with the Big Questions – that are not necessary for our survival from a naturalistic worldview 3. We have a body, soul and spirit 4. We use collective learning 5. We exploit cumulative knowledge
- 17. Outline 1. Introduction, Working Definitions 2. Characteristics of Modern Humans 3. When & Where did Modern Humans Emerge? – Note: this is secular scientific observations 4. Inventions as a Discriminator 5. Summary
- 18. Anatomically Modern Humans In paleoanthropology, anatomically modern humans[4] (AMH) are members of the species Homo sapiens with an appearance consistent with modern humans. Anatomically modern humans evolved about 200,000 years ago.[5] 4. Nitecki, Matthew H. and Nitecki, Doris V. (1994). Origins of Anatomically Modern Humans. Springer. 5. Bradshaw, John L. (1997). Human Evolution: A Neuropsychological Perspective. Psychology Press. pp. 185–. ISBN 978-0-86377-505-5.
- 19. “Modern” Human Behavior vs. Anatomy • “Within the grand scope of human* evolution, symbolic behavior was a very recent innovation.” • “Before 50,000 years ago, human anatomy and human behavior appear to have evolved relatively slowly, more or less in concert.” • “After 50,000 years ago, anatomical evolution all but ceased, while behavioral evolution accelerated dramatically.” *In this context human = hominid
- 22. Outline 1. Introduction, Working Definitions 2. Characteristics of Modern Humans 3. When & Where did Modern Humans Emerge? 4. Inventions as a Discriminator 5. Summary
- 23. • An invention is a novel device, method, composition or process • It a creative process that requires intelligence*. • A discovery is a previously unknown product of the workings of nature. What is an Invention? • We will use inventions to measure intelligence
- 25. First Evidence of Complexity “The flutes, made from bird bone and mammoth ivory, come from a cave in southern Germany …” “Scientists used carbon dating to show that the flutes were between 42,000 and 43,000 years old.” BBC 25 May 2012 Divje Babe flute is a cave bear femur pierced found in 1995 and dated at 43,000 years ago. First Bow and Arrow: The earliest evidence from Western Europe ~ 40,000 years ago. In 30,000 B.C., artists left cave paintings of the bow and arrow. Complexity generates emergent properties Examples: crude musical instruments, earth-fired pottery and bow and arrow. China 18,000 years old
- 26. Onset Advanced Civilization YEARS AGO Milestones more accurate 12,000 Domestication of animals 10,000 Agriculture invented 8000 Weaving 7000 Irrigation systems developed in the Middle East. 6000 First use of metals - copper smelted for making tools. 5500 Bronze, copper tin alloy, for making weapons and tools Wheel appears in Mesopotamia by Sumerians Writing (Cuneiform) invented by Sumerians 5000 Abacus invented by the Chinese. Jomon pottery dated 10,500 BC Extensive evidence of Complexity OnsetAdvanced Rapid change in Mesopotamia
- 27. Mesopotamia: First Agrarian Civilization 1. 10,000 BC: Domestication of animals 2. 8,000 BC: Agriculture begins - farmers settle in fertile river valleys, produce surplus food leading to small settlements 3. 6000 BC: Sumerians and Egyptians use irrigation to farm large areas of land in the fertile crescent. 4. Next Threshold: Rapid (Explosion) of Advanced Civilizations 3,500 BC Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals
- 28. Complex Invention in Mesopotamia • 3300 BC – Cuneiform uses pictures for words and inscribes them on clay tablets. • 3300 BC – Metallurgy first bronze - an alloy of tin and copper • 3200 BC - Sumerians use the wheel on vehicles • 3000 BC - Sumerians invent mathematics using a base 60 number system • 3000 BC - Looms for weaving fabric began 1 Kings 7:32 The four wheels were under the panels, and the axles of the wheels were attached to the stand. The diameter of each wheel was a cubit and a half. Genesis 4:22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. 2 Kings 23:7 … the quarters where women did weaving for Asherah
- 29. Homo habilis is thought to have mastered the Oldowan tool set ~ 2.5M years ago (ya) Homo heidelbergensis used Acheulean hand axes & lived from ~ 600,000 to ~ 1.3M ya Homo sapiens in Africa began to reach anatomical modernity about 200,000 ya Homo sapien sapiens exhibited behavioral modernity about 50,000 ya Ivory flute 42,000 ya, cave painting 17,000 ya Stagnant vs. Rapid Progress
- 32. Outline 1. Introduction, Working Definitions 2. When & Where did Modern Humans Emerge? 3. Inventions as a Discriminator 4. Characteristics of Modern Humans 5. Summary
- 33. Let’s review the evidence 1. We are unique with overly endowed intelligence relative to other species 2. We are concerned with the Big Questions 3. We have a body, soul and spirit 4. We use collective learning 5. We exploit cumulative knowledge 6. We exhibit complexity far exceeding basic needs for survival 7. Rapid onset of complexity is not consistent with a gradual evolutionary change but is consistent with the Bible 8. Mesopotamia is recognized as the cradle of civilization by secular scholars which is consistent with the Bible Summary