Walter S. Foster
If we think about our species compared to all other species there is clearly no comparison. In the past 8,000 years we have increased in number from 8 million (8,000,000) to over 8 billion (8,000,0000,000) an increase of 1,000 times. During the same period, our life expectancy has tripled form 25 years to over 75 years. From space our alterations to our environment to improve our lifestyle are infinitely greater than the alterations to our environment of any other species. While it is in our nature to always complain about our inefficiencies, it is important to remember that our species has learned to prosper despite plagues, world wars, epidemics, climate changes, pestilence, etc., etc., etc. After such a successful history how can we not overcome the remaining minor shortcomings that we face today.
While some may suggest that this is an optimistic view of human nature, our success has nothing to do with optimism or pessimism but rather our genetic imperative to survive. This genetic imperative does not mean we will survive without struggle. It merely means that in the long run we have no choice but to select functional behavior over dysfunctional behavior and survival over death. It does not mean we will avoid wars, pandemics, climate mistakes etc. merely that when the harm becomes great enough and clear enough, we will stop fighting and dysfunctional behavior and devote sufficient energy to developing more functional behavior that increases the dominance of our species.
Because of this genetic imperative to survive the purpose of all activity is progressive understood activity i.e., activity designed 'to leave the world a better place.’ The struggle for individual survival through genetic activity in animals, has been largely replaced by the struggle for collective survival though understood activity in humans. The purpose of understood activity is to make the world a better place. Therefore, while the fundamental force shaping animal survival is the natural selection of successful genes, the fundamental force shaping human survival is the historical selection of functional knowledge - the fact, skills, objects and behavior that increase the dominance of our species.
