Humans share have some reflexes (suckling, e.g.) but there are no biologically determined human behaviors that will allow them to survive without culture. What humans have that no other animals have is culture-a way of life of the people in a society that is learned, shared and transmitted from one generation to the next.
Humans, through culture, have been able to change their environment whereas other creatures can only react to their environment. I don't know what is meant by the statement that "people's desires are unlimited". Desires for ??? I certainly have no unlimited desire for a supply of poisoned arrows nor do I desire a mink coat or diamonds. Selma ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Hudson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 3:23 AM Subject: Intertwined (was Name Dropping) Hi Harry, At 17:33 19/03/02 -0800, you wrote: <<<< Our ability to sustain ourselves rests squarely on our ability to reason. Unlike other animals, we don't rely on instincts. >>>> I don't agree. You're falling into the same taxonomic fallacy as religionists. We're not in a separate category from the rest of animal life. We have plenty of instincts (from suckling through to rank ordering), and animals have plenty of reason (ask any dog owner or elephant trainer or any scientist who studies cetaceans or chimps). In my opinion all lifeforms share an inexplicable something, itself shared with the basic fabric of the universe (of which 90% of its mass/energy constitution is still totally unknown to physicists). So, in order to retain our sense of wonderment, I respectfully retain my suggestion of a third self-evident truth when considering man's role in economics and history: 1. People's desires are unlimited 2. People seek to satisfy their desires with the least exertion 3. People have a curiosity beyond present needs for survival Keith __________________________________________________________ "Writers used to write because they had something to say; now they write in order to discover if they have something to say." John D. Barrow _________________________________________________ Keith Hudson, Bath, England; e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________
