Humans have been inhabitants of planet Earth for a long time along with many other species. Over time, human beings have evolved as the most powerful species of all. But are human beings living an existence favored by nature? In this article, I have tried to learn logically if we, humans, are in charge of the planet Earth or if we are living in an unnatural environment (for humans) without knowing so. I hope my readers will enjoy it as they go through the coming lines.
All the Abrahamic religions say that the earth is a temporary place for humans to stay. So, it becomes almost a duty of every human who believes in any Abrahamic religion (a vast majority of the world) to scientifically explore this statement given by the Creator in the Bible Torah, and Quran.
Many scientists have worked on it and given verdicts both in favor and against it. I will present the facts and will give my humble opinion about it. I would love to hear back from my readers to contact me to discuss it further.
When a human is born, they cannot survive without the help of parents at least for the first few years of life. On the other hand, any other species is in the position to survive on its own from the first day or a few days of its birth. It may mean that the environmental conditions are favorable for other species from day one on this planet (as opposed to humans).
Secondly, except for humans, no species has to work hard for survival as all the food is available for them everywhere without effort. They are physically resistant to extreme weather changes and can survive temperature extremes as opposed to humans who have to take special measures to survive and make their livings as no food options palatable and digestible for humans are readily available. They have to make special changes to food in order to make it edible and digestive. Similarly, humans cannot survive extreme weather conditions and they have to take very special measures to survive.
In addition, being humans and having a high degree of intellect, we have a basic instinct that helps us feel the difference between moral and immoral actions. We understand that some actions are innately “good” or “bad”. The ability to engage in moral reasoning creates more problems for human societies as they grapple with issues of law and order and social control versus individual freedom and survival.
Although like other species, humans also carry a fear of death, it is interesting that only humans give meaning to their deaths. Most of them comfort themselves by telling themselves and others that this world is not a permanent and lasting place to live and they will be in ease and luxury in the next life/eternal world, as taught by Abrahamic religions. But this proclamation does not stop people from living as if they will never die. They are deeply engrossed in their worldly affairs, making their lives revolve around what their religions consider a “temporary existence”.
Even if we look at the phenotype of humans and their evolutionary adaptations, they often do not seem to align with the laws of physics and nature itself. For example and very interestingly, backache is a normal symptom for almost all humans. This could be because they stand upright on their feet and because of gravity, their muscles and bones experience pain due to stress. Most other species move use four limbs for locomotion and rarely have backache issues, as discussed in veterinary research findings. It is also true that humans have to change their posture while sitting or lying down. They may do so unconsciously or consciously but the conscious efforts taught by fitness gurus are postures which are very close to ones that come naturally to other animals.
These are a few of my observations based on my daily life, my imagination, and reading on this topic. I cannot answer these questions related to the “naturalness” or “unnaturalness” of human existence by giving a sweeping statement but I can comfortably say that reliable and valid research should be conducted in collaboration with doctors, physicists, astronauts, and environmental scientists to find out more about how this question can be answered.
Such studies will also open the doors for the scientific search for life after death and for conducting scientific research on religious texts, especially those that are the most widely adhered to today.
In the closing remarks, I would love the readers to think and do some brainstorming on this topic. I, for one, would love to be a part of the kind of interdisciplinary research I have mentioned a need for.