(A-1-2) EDITOR340
Consider the simple single-cell Eukaryote, and the evolutionary process driven by sexual competition which through time and iteration evolved to produce our civilization. The Eukaryote is a class of single and multicell life form which can sexually reproduce, it has only two basic functions, the discovery of food, and sexual reproduction. I suggest that these two functions are primal motivators, and all else are emergent characteristics that come from the increasing complexity of evolution over time.
Even this simplest life form capable of reproduction exhibits consciousness, for it must have some form of suffering and satisfaction as it competes for its choice of mate, and looks for food. In essence as simple as this single cell organism may be it must make choices and differentiate those between good and bad. Its curiosity leads to discovery of both food and mate, and both curiosity and discovery must be incited by either hunger or sexual competition, therefor these two factors drive evolution. Desire and suffering is the foundation upon which all life forms perceive and comprehend their environment.
I see only two factors that have driven evolution, sexual dominance and curiosity, or discovery. There are other concepts and words we have developed that describe more complex factors, love, evil, hate, virtue, etc... for that matter language itself is an evolved concept far beyond the basic motivation of curiosity and sexual dominance. Language is an emergent characteristic, which certainly did not exist when the highest forms of life were single-celled.
So which came first , discovery or sexual reproduction? Obviously discovery, since we know that before sexual reproduction, life reproduced asexually, by simple “cell division,” mitosis, and this requires no sexual competition in the reproduction process, so therefore curiosity, a required trait to find food came first, then the behavior of sexual competition emerged.
Somewhere ingrained in our genetic biology lies the root of suffering, a primal force fueled first by hunger then by sexual desire. It is the iteration of these two forces that drives us to love and hate. Both desire and suffering are personal and subjective experiences that define our place in the natural order, and gives us a keen awareness of our existence. Without suffering, our consciousness would not be the same, and the meaning and purpose of our reality would lack foundation and drive.
I think we can say that sexual reproduction requires desire, which gives rise to consciousness, which in turn evolves through a life and death process of evolution. We are motivated by sexual desire and trained through a cycle of suffering and satisfaction.
The question of consciousness in the early stages of evolution raises intriguing questions into the nature of the biological competition that over time gave rise to human motivation. As we contemplate the complex processes involved in the race of the sperm to reach the egg, we may ask whether the sperm is imbued with any sense of consciousness in its journey. Similarly, we may ponder the degree of consciousness exhibited by the male and female whose reproductive drives sparked this competition. Were their desires deterministic, driven purely by the primal, lizard-like impulses of the cerebellum, or were they informed by more complex cognitive processes of an independent soul, where love or compassion are actually considerations of the self and its intellect?
The emergence of consciousness in the simplest creatures with sufficient brain activity is a fascinating area of study. Such creatures, driven by their innate curiosity and the competition for mates, have undergone natural selection processes that have resulted in the evolution of modern human civilization. These two factors, curiosity and competition, have proven pivotal in shaping the world as we know it today.
How do seemingly insignificant initial conditions give rise to complex human civilizations?
You may be familiar with the concept of fractals as a visual representation of patterns that emerge from repeating a simple mathematical function. However, in biology, it is sexual competition and curiosity that drive the underlying mechanisms of evolution. These foundational impulses have propelled evolution towards increasing complexity over millions of years, in a manner similar to the geometric iterations of fractals. I argue that the complexity we see today is a result of these simple interactions between single-celled organisms that reproduce sexually.
Furthermore, I believe that the process of single-cellular reproduction is far from simple. The molecular-quantum state of these organisms gives rise to an almost infinite number of permutations, the complexity of which is beyond our current ability to calculate or observe. We are left with only a apparently chaotic system that is impossible for us to fully understand.
It is well-established in the scientific community that sexual competition plays a central role in the evolution of species. Through the process of natural selection, organisms that possess advantageous traits that enhance their ability to compete for mating opportunities are more likely to reproduce and pass on those traits to their offspring. Over time, this can lead to the development of entirely new traits and species that are better adapted to their environments.
Likewise, curiosity, the activity of discovery - the drive to explore and understand the world around us - is equally crucial in shaping the course of evolution. This impulse is what motivates organisms to adapt to their changing environments, to seek out new sources of food and shelter, and to innovate in order to overcome new challenges.
In essence, it is the interplay between sexual competition and discovery - these two fundamental characteristics - that give rise to the complexity and diversity of life on our planet. As these impulses drive organisms to adapt, innovate, and evolve, the patterns of evolution that emerge can be seen as a kind of fractal, with each iteration building upon the previous one to create a richer and more intricate tapestry of life.
The human organism is intricate and the resulting behavioral diversity is increasingly intricate. With an estimated 30 trillion cells contributing to the reproductive act, the act itself and its associated competition are no longer straightforward. When humans develop language and propagate in sufficient numbers, civilization emerges, adding further complexity. Ultimately, the evolutionary process and subsequent civilizational behaviors can be traced back to the initial factors of sexual dominance and curiosity, iterated to produce complex social patterns of behavior.
Of course the process of evolution is not over, and although it may be over for us, evolution and emergent behavior will continue into the future, a future we may never be able to comprehend.