We may have evolved to make love, not war, but we ALSO evolved to use our fists!
Scientists think that human hands evolved not only for the manual dexterity needed to use tools, play a violin or paint a work of art, but so men could make fists and fight. Compared with apes, humans have shorter palms and fingers and longer, stronger, flexible thumbs–features that have been long thought to have evolved so our ancestors had the manual dexterity to make and use tools.
But biologist David Carrier says, "There are people who do not like this idea, but it is clear that compared with other mammals, great apes are a relatively aggressive group, with lots of fighting and violence, and that includes us. We’re the poster children for violence."
Humans have debated for centuries "about whether we are, by nature, aggressive animals. Our anatomy holds clues to that question. If we can understand what our anatomy has evolved to do, we’ll have a clearer picture of who we were in the beginning, and whether aggression is part of who we are" (like hybrids?Subscribers can now get this cool hardcover for LESS than $5!)
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