What does it mean to be human What makes one human - Essay Example

What makes one human? The ancient humans walked and climbed trees. This flexibility aided them in adaptation to changing climates and to have diversity in their habitats. These people butchered animals many years ago. They also made spears that were used in hunting large animals. The early humans scattered to different environments where their sizes and shapes evolved helping them adapt to the climatic conditions. The change in their diets brought about the change in their sizes and shapes. Due to the harsh conditions of weather the ancient man faced, their brains became more complex and large to deal with the challenges. The aspect of food sharing, networking and taking care of young ones helped these people tackle their challenges. Symbols transformed the manner in which humans lived and brought new ways to tackle the changing world (American Anthropology Association, pp.385) What does it take to become human? What is about to be discussed in this paper will answer the question adequately. The origin of human tackles the important aspect of the question. To know how to be human is partially what it is to be human not only as common species but unique persons. To answer this question is a process that involves adaptions to change in climate, geographic expansions and stops at Homo sapiens. If an individual was to walk through exhibitions in Sant Ocean room, one would go through a tunnel which draws back one in time, making an individual have a rough idea of life may looked like for extinct human species. To start with is a panel that outlines the relationship between climate change and human evolution. Contradicting the idea of humans evolving in reaction to an ancestral environment or change in climate, it has been suggested that the adaptation hypothesis to change in climate in itself had implications on human evolution (Goldsmith and Rabinowich, pp.2) The first argument to the question about what makes us human will be done by relation of context and background on which humans fit tree-life. There is a human tree that has been generalized that feature the widely accepted early human extinct species grouped into four main categories, with 5 skulls and family tree of the primate illustrating how DNA association shows our relationships to those living primates. Apart from that evidence, there is an astonishing display of a constructed full body of 3.1 million year old, most probably the early fossils of the Australopithecus. Instead of collecting evidence on the question of discussion, the display takes a very unique approach in the organization of evidence to human character; the things that make humans unique. This is inclusive of walking on two legs and upright, eating other new foods, use of new tools, body size and shape changes, complex and large brains, unique aspect of the social life and symbolism and language. The characteristics define the display organized in a chronological order like walking followed by making stone tools, followed by changes in the body shape and size of humans, with evidence of evolution and origin of every characteristic inclusive of interactives, touchables, videos and object. Some other evidence that can answer the question at stake in the gallery is the snap shots. The interactive, dynamic, large screen occurrences allow individuals to go into the pre historic sites and explore an indication on what took place. How do people know their past? The question is common for science such as paleoanthropology and a topic for human origins hall. How do people know? There are labels everywhere around the exhibit; answers are provided for common question on how the fossils are known to be human, knowing of fossils age, knowing of changes in climate in the ancient period. Every label is inclusive of what the exhibit mean in science. Among the objectives of exhibition is presentation of evidence on human evolution. A close computer specialist allows individuals to have an intensive exploration of the differences and similarities among ancient human species and how the species may be associated with three family trees of the humans. The exhibition comprises of a total of many object from 47 countries. Most of them are replicas as precious and fragile original fossils have to remain in their original countries. Although the exhibit features many archeological objects, it also features Neanderthal fossil which is the only existing in North America (Regal, pp. 45). The skeleton has been kept in a place where it is secure and where both climate and temperature are controlled. It can be removed in case there are researchers who want to have a view. The exhibit totally and effectively explains how anthropologists tell the age of an individual’s life by studying their bones. For instance, they can establish that one is a male from bone size, one is of what age from teeth size, the life one lived from the arthritis positioned in the ankle, what one ate from the remnant found indented in the teeth and how an individual died from such like stubs. It is in the central area that one can as much looking into the ancestral eyes, can also be one. The morphing station is a known area of exhibition. The visitors to this center are always queued to have photos that will have their faces changed to ancient species which they can later email themselves. There are rumors that the pictures were used in some social sites profiles. Ultimately, the area has another vital station which keeps exhibit to present date: “What’s hot in human Origin”. The station has an electronic kiosk that has new stories on human origins that were posted immediately they were announced. This is because genetic, fossils, primate and archeological behavior discoveries are generated at fast rates. There is a part in that center that exhibits what focuses on humans own species. At this point is where the art, language and expression symbolism is evident: figurines, ancient necklaces and oldest crayons. This is where an individual explore a Paleolithic niche with fireside lighting, with rock art, decorated and carved objects from many places around the globe, while listening to moving music played replicating an ancient made instrument. There is another human creativity exploration that features the evolution, origin and Homo sapiens recent history that includes human’s impact on earth. Take a consideration on the period of domestication of animals and plants and unintended results of human species’ large breakthrough: population explosion, settlements, and disease increase. In conclusion what it means to be human focuses on how one becomes human. Fro along period of time, man has evolved and adapted to changes in climate to change with the changing world. Humans have defined their species today by the evolution of characteristics. Therefore, majorly the character traits of humans answer the question of what makes one human. These character traits as by this paper have evolved over a long period of time. For instance, ancient humans walked on two legs before making tools. There have also been rapid changes in brain size that took place before communication of human took to effect (Hinshelwood, et al. pp. 178) The highlighted traits occurred long before animals and plants were domesticated. The ancient humans walked and climbed trees. This flexibility aided them in adaptation to changing climates and to have diversity in their habitats. These people butchered animals many years ago. They also made spears that were used in hunting large animals. The early humans scattered to different environments where their sizes and shapes evolved helping them adapt to the climatic conditions. The change in their diets brought about the change in their sizes and shapes. Due to the harsh conditions of weather the ancient man faced, their brains became more complex and large to deal with the challenges. The aspect of food sharing, networking and taking care of young ones helped these people tackle their challenges. Symbols transformed the manner in which humans lived and brought new ways to tackle the changing world. Looking at what has been discussed above, the character traits of human in the past has been slowly transformed in the present. The question what is being human revolves around the character of human. The character of human is determined by the social, religious and cultural aspects of human. The aspect of being human can be denied by the origin and transformation of human character. Woks cited American Anthropological Association . “Abstracts of the Annual Meeting.” Volume 102 (2003) Hyman G. and Eugene R. “A journal of science and public affairs.” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science, Inc., 1966 Brian R. “Human Evolution: A Guide to the Debates (Controversies in Science)”. 2004 Christopher H. and Francesco E. “Homo Symbolicus: The dawn of language, imagination and spirituality.” John Benjamins publishers, 2011 Read More