The Dangerous Hominid

In their recent book The Last Human, the authors describe Homo sapiens as a “dangerous hominid.” We are the last surviving human species. All others went extinct—some of them directly driven out by us or our hominid ancestors.

Some 6-8 million years ago there were several species of primates—all dwelt in trees and moved around mostly on four legs on those brief occasions when they came to ground. Then when the dense tropical forests dried and disappeared, some primates descended from the trees and adapted to walking on two legs. Nature tried several parallel experiments—fostering several alternate species of hominid. Some failed, some were driven to extinction. Our ancestors won the contest.

In time our brains grew and we developed sophisticated tool-making skills. These adaptations pulled us away from other animals—including our primate cousins, like the great apes. We became the only species for which symbolism was the dominant way of relating to our world. We deconstruct and then recreate the world in our head, using a mass of mental symbols. It is that mental world in which we live—not necessarily the real one.

This capability is powerful—it’s how we were able to develop those sophisticated tools, create language, and spread knowledge via that language and written symbols in books. The use of language involves the manipulation of mental symbols, giving them an infinite variety of meanings. Language is a complete metaphor for symbolic thought. It’s also allowed us to project forward and backward in time, and to transmit our mind to the outer limits of the universe. What other species has any concept of what’s happening on the other side of the planet, let alone Mars? Our symbolism has allowed us humans to become dominant; a formidable creature. We’ve enveloped the globe and turned its resources to our use.

Although the use of symbols is not exclusive to humans, we dwarf all other species in its use. While we live mostly in our heads (manipulating those symbols), other creatures interact with the world simply as nature presents itself to them. While they do not have our superior cognitive abilities, their world can be more real. Ours can become dangerously aberrant, when our inner symbols become distorted.

We are continuing to find out just what we can do with our big brain and our still-emerging symbolic gifts. Human history is scattered with multiple examples of our dangerous activities in the world—both to other species and to ourselves. What does the possibility of ongoing evolutionary development of our symbolic capabilities say for our future? It may give us hope that we are still evolving and may do so in a more peaceful direction.