Does evolution have a purpose?

[sayak83]

Yet they are changed before the environment changes. If not, they wouldn't survive.

No. The change follows the environmental change. Polar bears evolved after the formation of the polar ice caps. Humans became bipeds after the spread of the grasslands in Africa. Etc.

 

[F1fan]

Rocket science is an excellent example of what evolved consciousness can achieve; but it doesn’t tell us anything about how or why - if there is a why - that consciousness evolved. The how or why of which, being the stated purpose of this thread.

What is "evolved consciousness"? It sounds like what you are referring to above is just humans accumulating more knowledge and experience over time. Consciousness itself is a state of living brains. There can be some fuzzy definitions.

 

[RestlessSoul]

What is "evolved consciousness"? It sounds like what you are referring to above is just humans accumulating more knowledge and experience over time. Consciousness itself is a state of living brains. There can be some fuzzy definitions.

I assume it’s a given that consciousness has evolved, and continues to evolve, as all qualities of living beings evolve. If there is such a thing as the pinnacle of evolution, a crowning achievement of the evolutionary process to this point, it seems to me that pinnacle is human consciousness. Through us, the universe is looking at itself.

The capacity of great apes to look at the stars and wonder, to look within and ask “who am I, where did I come from and where am I going?”, to question the nature of existence and to find convincing answers to some of those questions; that’s all evidence of what I would call a highly evolved consciousness.

 

[F1fan]

I assume it’s a given that consciousness has evolved, and continues to evolve, as all qualities of living beings evolve. If there is such a thing as the pinnacle of evolution, a crowning achievement of the evolutionary process to this point, it seems to me that pinnacle is human consciousness. Through us, the universe is looking at itself.

I find it troubling when humans high five each other about how awesome we are. We still have humans who hold dangerous and irrational beliefs that cause the planet harm, including the future of life on the planet. I've seen fervent religious people think their fervor equates to some high level of consciousness when it's evident that they are just absorbed in an irrational framework of belief. From what I have observed it is evident that those who feel less a motivation to believe in some framework are closer to some sort of conscious awareness. I say this because believers get absorbed and lost in their head full of concepts whereas those with fewer beliefs are more aware of their raw conscious state. Fewer beliefs means less interference to wisdom and understanding.

The capacity of great apes to look at the stars and wonder, to look within and ask “who am I, where did I come from and where am I going?”, to question the nature of existence and to find convincing answers to some of those questions; that’s all evidence of what I would call a highly evolved consciousness.

A more advanced mind will realize the self is just a being on the planet, like any other animal, and can think about itself in ways that confuses itself, unlike other animals. Looking for an answer about "who the self is" only suggests to the self there is an answer. Does this self even wonder WHY its asking questions that don't have an answer? No. We evolved with a high degree of fear and anxiety, and our capacity for rational thinking can exacerbate fears and anxiety to a degree that we seek to create or adopt a framework of belief to offset these emotions.

I suggest it's better to understand how our brains work and face the fears head on, and deal with these emotions as disciplined and wise adults. It's easy to believe. It's hard to develop discipline and wisdom.

 

[QuestioningMind]

But is there a purpose driving the evolution of consciousness?

Evolution remains a natural process that is incapable of having purpose, even if it does happen to lead to beings with consciousness.

 

[QuestioningMind]

I assume it’s a given that consciousness has evolved, and continues to evolve, as all qualities of living beings evolve. If there is such a thing as the pinnacle of evolution, a crowning achievement of the evolutionary process to this point, it seems to me that pinnacle is human consciousness. Through us, the universe is looking at itself.

The capacity of great apes to look at the stars and wonder, to look within and ask “who am I, where did I come from and where am I going?”, to question the nature of existence and to find convincing answers to some of those questions; that’s all evidence of what I would call a highly evolved consciousness.

The evolutionary process is not a conscious being capable of having a 'crowning achievement'.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I find it troubling when humans high five each other about how awesome we are. We still have humans who hold dangerous and irrational beliefs that cause the planet harm, including the future of life on the planet. I've seen fervent religious people think their fervor equates to some high level of consciousness when it's evident that they are just absorbed in an irrational framework of belief. From what I have observed it is evident that those who feel less a motivation to believe in some framework are closer to some sort of conscious awareness. I say this because believers get absorbed and lost in their head full of concepts whereas those with fewer beliefs are more aware of their raw conscious state. Fewer beliefs means less interference to wisdom and understanding.


A more advanced mind will realize the self is just a being on the planet, like any other animal, and can think about itself in ways that confuses itself, unlike other animals. Looking for an answer about "who the self is" only suggests to the self there is an answer. Does this self even wonder WHY its asking questions that don't have an answer? No. We evolved with a high degree of fear and anxiety, and our capacity for rational thinking can exacerbate fears and anxiety to a degree that we seek to create or adopt a framework of belief to offset these emotions.

I suggest it's better to understand how our brains work and face the fears head on, and deal with these emotions as disciplined and wise adults. It's easy to believe. It's hard to develop discipline and wisdom.

But we are an incredible species, and it is our consciousness that makes us so. That our capacity for destruction and cruelty is as awe inspiring as any of our other qualities, is of course undeniable.

I don’t think it’s belief, or the lack of it, that is the cause of all or most of our problems; and I would suggest that the instinct to divide human beings into categories, such as believers and non believers, is a function of our destructive instincts, not our constructive ones. Pointing the finger of judgement at one group, while ascribing all that’s good to another, helps no one imo.

As regards the self, perhaps we should define our terms here. For me, there is the lower self, the ego, and also a higher self. We need always to guard against the ego, that false self which tells us we are separate, alone, that we are right to be afraid, that we will never be satisfied.

As for the higher self, I see it as something like this description from verse 8 of the Isha Upanishad;

The Self is everywhere. Bright is the Self,
Indivisible, untouched by sin, wise,
Immanent and transcendent. He it is
Who holds the cosmos together.

Unless we learn, collectively and individually, to elevate our consciousness from the false, egotistical mind to the enlightened, exalted mind, I don’t see much of a future for our species; we need to make that evolutionary leap forward and we need to make it soon.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Evolution remains a natural process that is incapable of having purpose, even if it does happen to lead to beings with consciousness.

Care to explain how you have arrived at this conclusion, and why you are so certain?

 

[Evangelicalhumanist]

No.

Evolution just happens. It's an inevitable process that occurs whenever you have systems that reproduce with variation and which in competition over limited resources.

There's no "purpose" to it. It's just what inevitably happens in such a setting.

Simplest and best answer to the question.

 

[Valjean]

The Gaia Theory is that earth, itself, is living. It seems to react to problems and fix them (or make them worse). Though the methods are crude, it seems to function as a living organism. Thus, studying other states might hurt them.

Can something have a purpose if there is no intelligence guiding it? I think so.

Could it be that God (or some other intelligence) is guiding evolution?

Something can have a function, but purpose usually implies intention.
If someone is guiding evolution, s/he certainly hides it well, since the ordinary, automatic mechanisms of evolution seem to account for the phenomenon without any need to magically tweak the laws of nature, which is what "guidance" would require.

 

[QuestioningMind]

Care to explain how you have arrived at this conclusion, and why you are so certain?

Are you really asking how I know that the process of evolution isn't a living entity that possesses consciousness? Do you also believe that the process of evaporation is a living entity that possesses consciousness? Do you even understand what a living entity or the concept of consciousness is?

 

[rational experiences]

It doesn't follow that evolution is fake because humans have dominion over all things and because human DNA is mutated.

Healthy human is first correct species dominion over by human form.

Human said I am the last and highest conscious and life body.

Hence to own intelligence to make the claim you first have to be exact and not changed. First form as a human.

To own dominion is to be self status only just a human.

Change is notified as a human owning dominion proven by human conscious intelligence is to quote now I am changed.

So if creation is gods spirits the gases are the same equal heavens presence itself first. To be stable present before yourself as base advice.

Intelligent advice highest natural status gods gas spirits supported my highest human self.

Then you would discuss why your human form had been changed

Earths heavens gases don't change the state of the heavens however proved it had changed.

To then list reasons why as a human in science of God discussion.

Gases removed can only be burnt out. Science adds then applied minus subtraction in maths science.

Reasoned humans who studied then imposed the nothing thesis when they lived as a human on a planet proved they caused it.

As nothing zero is a human applied reasoning to think about it or upon it.

As to know is to reason a comparison.

Reason reasoned to convert is first law by human thesis cosmic to minus from a preceding form then to convert yet hold it by spatial status. The nothing status itself zero.

De evolution to remove was the scientific thesis. The human self hence lost status with God.

Is the genesis science attack on life reasoned.

 

[rational experiences]

The status then says man to woman human life balanced with God were equals.

Man displaced human life at his side life continuance.

Instead put his science zero maths space theme instead was hurt by cosmic conditions. Mother space.

Blamed it. Said it was wrong mother maths.

Reasoned why.

Did his minus exists first,?

No is the correct human answer.

Coercion in maths however said minus was first cosmic. Learnt why he was wrong said he studied good and evil when he only owned good.

 

[YoursTrue]

They're awesome. God put them on Earth so atheists can hold them up when YECs ask to see a crocoduck. Just proves God has a sense of humour.

I think they're ugly. I think rhinos are ugly, too. OK, and I'm not enamored of gorillas either. But the real question is: do they think they're ugly?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I think they're ugly. I think rhinos are ugly, too. OK, and I'm not enamored of gorillas either. But the real question is: do they think they're ugly?

You think playtypii are ugly??

 

[RestlessSoul]

Are you really asking how I know that the process of evolution isn't a living entity that possesses consciousness? Do you also believe that the process of evaporation is a living entity that possesses consciousness? Do you even understand what a living entity or the concept of consciousness is?

To answer your three questions in order;

1) No, that’s not what I’m asking. You clearly didn’t understand what I asked you. You have failed to recognise the distinction between a process itself having consciousness, and a process being initiated and sustained by a conscious entity.

2) No, I don’t believe that the process of evaporation is a conscious entity. That would be absurd.

3) The emergence, function, and defining qualities of life and of consciousness, raise questions that have intrigued philosophers, scientists, artists, theologians and thinkers of all types for millennia. If you think you have the definitive answers to these questions, then please, let’s hear them.

 

[QuestioningMind]

To answer your three questions in order;

1) No, that’s not what I’m asking. You clearly didn’t understand what I asked you. You have failed to recognise the distinction between a process itself having consciousness, and a process being initiated and sustained by a conscious entity.

2) No, I don’t believe that the process of evaporation is a conscious entity. That would be absurd.

3) The emergence, function, and defining qualities of life and of consciousness, raise questions that have intrigued philosophers, scientists, artists, theologians and thinkers of all types for millennia. If you think you have the definitive answers to these questions, then please, let’s hear them.

I refer you to #2. Just as there is absolutely zero evidence that the process of evaporation is being initiated and sustained by a conscious entity - making the suggestion 'absurd' to use your own word - there is also absolutely zero evidence that the process of evolution is being initiated and sustained by a conscious entity, I therefor conclude that such a proposition is equally as absurd.

Is there a reason that you find the prospect of one natural process being initiated and sustained by a conscious entity to be absurd, while accepting that another natural process might somehow be initiated and sustained by a conscious entity?

 

[osgart]

No, evolution has no purpose. It's just a natural process, but clearly something else is going on that involves intentionality. Humans are a higher order of function that has internal purposes to its body plans.

Nothing should function at all without intentionality. All life would be is viruses and gibberish without intentionality.

 

[Truthseeker]

But is there a purpose driving the evolution of consciousness?

Yes, in the sense that the conditions of the universe were created in order to create consciousness. At least so It appears to me.

 

[Truthseeker]

Could it be that God (or some other intelligence) is guiding evolution?

Not guiding, but initiating the conditions that make evolution inevitable, including the conscious entity we call man. The form wasn't inevitable, but the consciousness was, in my opinion.