Why do humans have plans, ends and desires?

Question

Why do humans have plans, ends and desires?

Answer 1

cuz Jehovah God made us that way

Answer 2

It is called having and making the most out of life

Answer 3

Because they must fufill their purpose an sustain their self till they live balanced an happily.

Answer 4

Human nature has an innate curiosity that must be fulfilled. The problem lies in the fact that the desire humans have to find the meaning of life is different for everyone and there is no one to say which one is correct, so we keep searching and hoping that the next thing we do will lead us one step closer to finding the meaning of life.

Answer 5

Check out Maslows Hierarchy of Needs.

From low to high:

Physiological needs, Safety needs, Love and Belongingness needs, Self-esteem needs, Self-actualization.

We all achieve these needs in order from low to high of this hierarchy.

when we have our physiological needs met (food, water, shelter) we then worry about our safety. Safety includes, medical insurance, Job security, Financial reserves etc. Once you feel you've met your standards in this area you move onto love and belongness.

This may have happened to you. Have you ever felt yourself looking for a partner but not really interested in anybody in particular? You are debating the potential for a relationship with someone when in fact you don't really feel anything for them? This is you seeking to meet your 3rd stage of this hierarchy. If this stage is met you go on to work on your self esteem and once you are happy with yourself you set goals to improve everything you do in order to reach self actualization and realize "who you are".

This is why we ALWAYS have a problem. A problem is really a goal we are setting for our self. In order to reach a goal a problem must be over come and since you can never really reach self actualization, because there is always room for improvement, there will always be a "plan" as you put it, or as I would put it, a "goal".

Next time you think you have everything in your life in order, remember this post when you find yourself picking out the smallest things in order to create a problem to solve (for whatever level of the hierarchy you are in)

I think this was more of a psychology question than a biology one.

Answer 6

the pre-frontal cortex. i don't remember which part, medial or orbital, but that is the area that forms plans and goals, part of executive functioning.

Answer 7

Probably because having a desire to do something that would assist in passing along our genes makes that something more likely.

Answer 8

money, s*x and fame