Biological and Cultural Evolution of Human Beings

Human behavior is the result of the interaction of both biological and cultural factors (De Winter, 1984).
Therefore, the study of biological and cultural evolution of the humans are significant in understanding its
origin.
There are various explanations regarding this topic in the early history. For instance, Greek philosophers
like Aristotle and Plato presented their study that human beings form a connection with the universe
while the Roman philosopher Lucretius believed that the early humans were cave-dwellers. Likewise in a
biblical account on the book of Genesis, it was believed that humans were created by God and the first
parents were Adam and Eve. Meanwhile, social scientists said that societies have evolved as human
beings learned to adapt their environment through social evolution with process of socialization and
enculturation whereby it was explained through biological and cultural evolution.
Biological evolution refers to the changes, modifications, and variations in the genetics and inherited
traits of biological populations from one generation to another. It is also a process whereby organisms
undergo various genetic and physical changes that pave the way for biological diversity. This includes
physical changes in the body of humans like its shape, size of body organs, movement, and the
development of the feet in a straight posture (Jeffery, 2019).
Biological evolution is based on Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Darwin (1809-1862) is a famous
naturalist and geologist who wrote the book “On the Origin of Species” in 1959 wherein he visited
Galápagos Islands to grasped the significance of the unique wildlife he found there only after he returned
to London (Sulloway, 2005).
In his study, Darwin argued that the species develop and evolve in form through natural selection.
According to Live Science, natural selection is a change of species in small ways, causing a population to
change color or size over the course of several generations. Darwin hypothesized that the basic idea of all
biological change can be described in terms of just three basic principles: variation, competition, and
inheritance.
On the other hand, anthropologists introduced the concept of cultural evolution or sociocultural evolution.
This refers to the changes or development in cultures from a simple form to a more complex form of
human culture. This happens as a result of human adaptation to different factors like climatic changes and
population increase. Scientists studied this by analyzing the changes in the way of life reflected in the
different man-made tools and equipment that they humans have used.
From Hominids to Homo Sapiens Sapiens
Scientists have believed that the evolution of man follows an evolutionary ladder which illustrates that the
African great apes (chimpanzee, gorilla, bonobo) like humans of the ancient ancestors at the base and the
modern humans (Home Sapiens Sapiens) at the top.
This development were studied by archaeologists. It refers to scientists who study the past by excavating
artifacts and fossils buried in the earth’s surface and analyzing it. Artifacts are objects that were made and
used by humans. Examples of these include stone tools, metal tools, jars, ornaments, and ceramics.
Fossils are the preserved traces of species like plants, animals, and other organisms commonly found
inside a rock. According to the archaeologists, artifacts and fossils are important sources of information
about the human evolution because it can give a deeper understanding of the development of humans.
Hominid is the general term used by scientists to categorize the group of early humans and other
humanlike creatures that can walk erect during the prehistoric times. Hominids are divided into four
categories based on the age of artifacts and fossils found: Sahelanthropus, Ardipithecus, Australopithecus,
and Homo.
Australopithecus are considered as the first stage of human evolution together with Sahelanthropus and
Ardipithecus. Their fossils were excavated in the African continent. Australopithecus afarensis is
considered as the common ancestor of Australopithecus species. The 3.2 million years old
Australopithecus afarensis fossil named “Lucy,” discovered in Hadar, Ethiopia in November 1974 by
paleoanthropologists led by Dr. Donald Johanson, was considered as one of the modern human’s earliest
ancestors and the most famous hominid fossil discovered. Paleoanthropologists are the people who study
the origin and development of human beings dealing with fossil hominids.
However, Australopithecus disappeared in the evolutionary map million years ago and was replaced by
the Homo, a much more intelligent hominids who were classified as humans and humanlike creatures
because of having bigger brains and two feet that erect walk. From the fossil evidences, it was believed
that Homo first lived in Africa for about 2.4 million years ago. Homo species included Homo habilis
(handy man), Homo erectus (upright man), and the Home sapiens (wise man).
Archaeologists used toolmaking abilities of the early humans in the 1960s to determine the first direct
ancestors of the Homo. It was believed Homo habilis (handy man) was the direct ancestor of the modern
human because of its ability to produce tools. From this species, Homo erectus (upright man), who are
considered as skillful hunters, came from and it is believed that it is more intelligent and more adaptable
than Homo habilis in terms of cultural development. It was believed that Home erectus can do the
following: (1) species are said to be intelligent because of its ability to invent and develop different
technologies to respond to their needs; (2) first species to use fire and to live in caves and small houses
made of tree branches; (3) first Homo to use spoken language; (4) able to develop different religious
rituals particularly burial practices; (5) fossil was first discovered in Africa; (6) first Homo to leave Africa
and travel to other continents like Asia and Southern Europe; and (7) first Homo to survive Asia.
The first Homo erectus fossil in Asia was found in the Longgupo Cave in China and was believed to have
lived around 1.9 million years ago. Another evidence was excavated by Eugene Dubois (1848-1940), a
Dutch anatomist and geologist, in Trinil, Java, Indonesia. It was known as Java Man and was recorded to
be 1.8 million years of age. Another Homo erectus was discovered in 1920 in Zhoukoudian, China which
was known as Peking Man and was estimated to have lived for about 1.1. million to 1 million years ago.
The last stage in the evolution ladder of the Homo family was the Homo sapiens (thinking man) who was
considered as the modern man. Their physical anatomy has similarity with modern human beings the
reason why they are considered as the species where modern humans belong to.
Unlike other Homo species, Homo sapiens made smoothened tools and had more developed shelters and
advanced technology. Examples are the different stone tools like fish hooks, harpoons, bows and arrows,
spear throwers, and sewing needles. Even if that it was Homo erectus were believed to develop oral
languages, anthropologists argued that it was the Homo sapiens who first develop and use that skill
because they have more developed brains and speech organs.
The Cro-Magnon or the Homo neanderthalensis are considered as the first group of Homo Sapiens during
the past years but after conducting DNA analysis of Neanderthal in 1997, it was proven that it was not an
ancestor of modern humans. With that, Cro-Magnon was known to be the first fossil skeleton to be
considered as a species of the Home sapiens called Homo sapiens sapiens (wise man). Cro-Magnon
fossils and artifacts were first found in Europe but is believed that it first appeared in North Africa and
later on travelled to Europe and Asia.
Museums as History Teller
Museums are places where people can be able to see and appreciate various artifacts, fossils, and other
proofs that can tell the history of the past. It is difficult for an ordinary person to have an access to
important evidences of the past but it was made possible through the museum galleries. As for Eric
Lefebvre, director of the Cernuschi Museum in China, museums open doors, bringing people closer to a
different culture – to hear, to see, and to experience where one door will lead into many entry points of
history
The National Museum of the Philippines located in Ermita, Manila.
In the Philippines, there is The National Museum of the Philippines which is divided into three major galleries:
National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of Anthropology, and National Museum of Fine Arts. The
National Museum is an educational, scientific and cultural institution that acquires, documents, preserves, exhibits,
and fosters scholarly study and public appreciation of works of art, specimens, and cultural and historical artifacts
representative of our unique to the cultural heritage of the Filipino people and the natural history of the Philippines
(National Museum of the Philippines, 2016). These museums are institutions that are primarily tasked to conserved,
communicate, and exhibit all material and nonmaterial heritages of human society. Through the museum galleries,
the human biological and cultural evolution can be studied. Other than the National Museum, there are more public
and private museums located in the different parts of the Philippines where people can visit to appreciate and
recognize the history, culture, heritage of the country, and the proofs of human evolution.