How did we come to reason?

Question

I believe in evolution, but this is one of the few parts I don't understand. Why we came to reason. I remember hearing our common ancestor with apes was able to reason on a lower level, and this was passed onto apes and humans. Why did we reign supremacy? But more important, why and how did reasoning come to be?

Is this known?

Answer 1

Yes, there are theories on this subject. My favorite is called " the social interaction theory." We came to reason so well, because we constantly had to reason in our social milieu. Think of all the social interactions you go through in a day. All the names, relationships, status of those you interact with and the reputation of those you interact with. This does not even consider trade/barter. Our ancestors developed social interaction to a fine art and may have developed human reason that way.

Answer 2

This is not just a human traight.

Watch a mother (anything) nurture her child.

Some say it is reason that separates man from beast.

All animals have an instinct for survival.

Humans just THINK differently. I`m not sure that they`re more right than other animals. After all, animals (the lower species) rarely kill their own. Isn`t that an epiphany! Humans do that all day long (killing other humans with wars!)

If they (the lower species) had a choice, I`ll bet they`d choose a Mickey D`s over a dead rat anyday!

Answer 3

My theory is that evolution is the evidence of creation.  We are just looking at it from a different time perspective than God does.  With this in mind, we are able to reason in the way that we do, because God gave us that ability.

Answer 4

The all knowing almighty from up above obviously...GOD

Answer 5

All animals have a certain capacity for figuring things out. Take squirrels for example - if you use one method for preventing them from getting to a bird-feeder, they will find another route through trial and error. Their ability to reason tells them that their old method is blocked, so they have to find another.

Reason provides a very powerful positive evolutionary boost. The better you are at figuring things out, the more likely you are to survive. If you can tell, for example, that the leopard won't cross the water, or is a bad swimmer, then you can use that to your advantage, while the dummies around you get eaten before they can have kids. If you figure out that certain kinds of trees only have fruit after a lot of rain, then you won't waste scarce resources and energy trekking across the plain to the trees if it's been dry lately. But the idiots go, and die of hunger. We survived because we were smarter and gradually developed bigger brains. That, combined with other evolutionary advantages such as longer legs, standing upright to carry things and look around, and using tools, etc. helped.

There's also the theory of mate choice, which goes something like, people recognize smartness in others, and know it helps their children to survive, so if you mate with a smart person, it will help your children survive. That makes brains sexier, and more likely to have kids.

Answer 6

I just wanted to say that it seems to me, it would have been that step from just throwing stones to making stone weapons. The step from pointing sticks to sharping sticks. Hand to eye coordination that came from using our hands for multiple tasks.  I learned it was our hands that made us human and stone tools that ensured our survival.

Answer 7

Just a clarification. We reign supreme because the dinosaurs died off. If they didn't we would still be scampering around in the underbrush thanking our stars we weren't eaten tonight.

As for those who say God made evolution happen... Oh forget it. Its like beating a dead horse.