About when in human history did humans become aware that s*x causes reproduction?

Question

And is there any indication that any other creatures understand this?

Answer 1

I would say very very early on - long before rubber (and the modern condom) was discovered various devices (e.g. made from animal skin) were utilized to prevent conception in both humans and animals and some specimens survive in museums.

The earliest record I can locate (after a very quick search) is from the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC).

Answer 2

Immediately.  Why is it women are said to have a "biological clock" or that people become "in the mood".  It's because reproduction and the act of it are as primal an instinct as the need for water, food and shelter.  Without s*x, there would be no species.  So on some level, every species that engages in s*x knows that this process is for procreation.  Otherwise they wouldn't do it.

Answer 3

It seems like teens now days are still unaware of this.

It's funny that they act surprised when a baby is on the way.

Answer 4

History refers to written events (written by humans). So from the beginning of history, humans knew about this

Answer 5

Uga buga!!!

Answer 6

As correlational thinking is quite human, I would suspect rather sooner than later. No such thing as goddess cults that kept the " secret ". Men are not quite that stupid.

Answer 7

The use of the word aware is interesting.  I think most mammals know instinctively that procreation leads to reproduction, it is a biological imperative.  But awareness is a whole new level of understanding.  it would appear the the neanderthals were aware that they had a soul since they ritualistically buried their dead with flowers etc.  (whether you believe in a soul is irrelevant here, as long as you are aware of the concept).  Even before that, prehominids were aware that organized living, hunting, gathering etc made it more likely that they would have enough food to live.  They were aware that if they modified rocks into stone tools they would be more likely to kill large prey to feed more people.  So awareness of cause and effect , I suspect, happened long before "humans" even roamed the earth.  

Then there is the interesting idea that humans are the one of only mammal to have s*x even when the female is not fertile.  Most mammals, including apes, have a heat where they are receptive to s*x, which coincides with their cycle of fertility.  (Bonobo Chimps also have s*x willynilly).  so evolution of the humanoid females reproductive cycle may be telling us that "awareness" of procreation's effects were so long ago that our biology has had to time to adapt to our new circumstances.  

Ballpark:  a million years ago.

Answer 8

Some cultures still don't. The !Kung still think that pregnancy just happens. So how can we possibly know?  Surely for some cultures it was before written history.

Answer 9

You should read CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR by Jean Auel.  It's a novel, but this is one of the concepts covered in the book.  You'll love it and the four subsequent novels in the series.