Duncker / Prieß / Wütscher On the Uniqueness of Humankind

1. Auflage 2005
ISBN: 978-3-540-27171-0
Verlag: Springer-Verlag
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 124 Seiten

Biological and philosophical anthropologies of the 20th century keep emphasising the 'Sonderstellung' of humans among the realm of living beings. However, it is not clear how this particular role should be characterised, how it should be reconciled with biological findings, and which theoretical and practical conclusions should be drawn from it. Partly in opposition to these anthropological views on humankind biological disciplines underline the extensive similarities and common characteristics between humans and other species. Apparently, these biological findings concur with the criticism of anthropocentrism, which is expressed in Western philosophy of nature and by ethicists. To discuss these issues the Europäische Akademie organized the conference 'The Uniqueness of Humankind - Über die Sonderstellung des Menschen'. The proceedings of the conference documented in this volume approached the theoretical and practical concept of the 'Sonderstellung' against the background of present day knowledge in biosciences. Furthermore, by interdisciplinary efforts, an attempt was made to clarify those conceptual problems that arise with the idea of the uniqueness of humankind. The present volume partly takes up and further develops topics that have been raised by volume 15, On Human Nature, that was published in this series in 2002.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Duncker, Hans-Rainer

Prieß, Kathrin

Wütscher, Friederike

Prieß, K.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Preface;6
2;Foreword;7
3;List of Authors;8
4;Contents;11
5;Human as a Biological and Cultural Being;12
5.1;Introduction ;12
5.2;1 The present situation of the evolutionary biology of modern humans;12
5.3;2 The first basic mechanism in the evolution of organisms;13
5.4;3 The second basic mechanism of organismic evolution;14
5.5;4 The consequences for the understanding of the evolution of modern humankind;16
5.6;5 The biological evolution of modern humankind;16
5.7;6 The human senses and their functional hierarchy;19
5.8;7 The evolution of the human brain;27
5.9;8 The evolution of human languages and planning activities;31
5.10;9 Special form of human sexual behaviour and human social structure;34
5.11;10 Principles of the biological evolution of modern human;36
5.12;11 Human socio-cultural development – from birth to adulthood;38
5.13;12 The acquisition of the unique human locomotor abilities and language competence;40
5.14;13 The development of the human cognitive capabilities;43
5.15;14 The development of emotionality, social competence and self- confidence;45
5.16;15 The outstanding socio-cultural development and history of humans;49
5.17;16 The fundamental differences between the biological ontogeny of the human body and the individual ontogenetic socio- cultural development of humans;51
5.18;17 The specific exchange processes between different human cultures;52
5.19;References;55
6;The “Exceptional Position” of the Human Being – a Moral- political Concept;60
6.1;1 Theological origins;60
6.2;2 Arnold Gehlen: the instinct-forsaken animal;61
6.3;3 Emile Durkheim: The salutary compulsion of things;62
6.4;4 Summary;63
6.5;References;64
7;The Human: Between Having a World and Being a Self;65
7.1;1 Technical visions without the human;65
7.2;2 Calculation or: What can computers do?;66
7.3;3 Thought and knowledge as calculation;66
7.4;4 Life processes and calculation;67
7.5;5 Environments and isolated systems: organisms and machines;68
7.6;6 Intermediate being and being inside;69
7.7;7 Interactions and operations;69
7.8;8 Synchronisation and calculation;70
7.9;9 Human beings in their symbolic worlds;72
7.10;10 Creativity, being a self and relationships to the other and the others;73
7.11;11 Symbolic existence and symbolic operations;77
7.12;References;81
8;Social Structure, Sexuality, and Intelligence in Human Evolution – a Synopsis;82
8.1;Acknowledgements;92
8.2;References;92
9;Genes, Instincts and Identity;94
9.1;Introduction;94
9.2;The emotions;94
9.3;Instinct;95
9.4;Adaptation and design;96
9.5;Failure of adaptations;97
9.6;Selfish genes;98
9.7;Making an individual;99
9.8;The adaptable planner;101
9.9;References;102
10;The Special Status of the Human Being as a Topic of Practical Philosophy;104
10.1;1 The self-experience of the agent and the unsubversibility of the first- person perspective;105
10.2;2 Human being and person;110
10.3;References;113
11;The “Uniqueness” of the Human Being in Constitutional Law;115
11.1;1 Introduction;115
11.2;2 The legal status of our fellow-creatures in constitutional law;116
11.3;3 The special status of the human individual in constitutional law;121
11.4;4 References;128