Human learning and survival Essay

There is a common belief that the efficacy to learn is what makes gentlemans gentleman race survival possible. I believe that survival is non based solely on scholarship. homo beings survival especi exclusivelyy in times of vast surroundingsal transfer is the result of a combination of larn, logic, ratiocination and subsequent application of noesis. The liaison that sets humankind apart from other living affairs is intellect, which according to the dictionary is the might to learn and reason. encyclopedism is simply the ability of animals (humans included) to acquire and retain reinvigorated knowledge.Whenever we try to learn a new dance step, learn a new language or simply remember the names of sight we meet, we in fact use our acquisition faculties. So do animals when they elaborate let out that scrounging around in garbage cans can reward them with nutrition. Darwinian theory proposes the idea of evolution wherein living things adjust biologically, mentally a nd physiologically to env exhortmental conditions and demands. When the concept of survival of the fittest and natural selection is discussed, it pertains to animals that ar not just physically fit exclusively mentally as surface (Arrizza).In fact most biologists and anthropologists support this finding by citing the prototype of how humans demand always depended on their wits in launch to survive. More often than not, it is the to a greater extent than dull-witted nonpareils who perish even before they sop up given birth to offspring, which probably is a good thing for deliver the goods generations (Thorndike, 1931, p. 184). It was stunningly simple. Nature does what animal breeders do, but gradually, and over longer periods of time. In a species, those individuals who argon best adapted in their hereditary natural endowment volition succeed, and survive, burst than their fellows.That is the struggle for pull roundence. Those successful individuals will leave more o ffspring, and this will move the mode, the central tendency of the species, in their direction. Following generations will continue to undergo selection for still better rendering running, swimming, seeing, hiding, chewing, or all together. (Howells, 1993, p. 6) Supposing this theory was coiffe however, it would imply that the weak or larn challenged humans would down been weeded out a long time ago. The thing is that in todays times, learning challenged humans still make it and even thrive.There ar some quarters that may look that intelligence and the development of skill are products of mental evolution. developing refers to cash advance to something more functional, advanced and suited to the current environment (Human Evolution). The fashioning and use of primitive tools are just a fewer hallmarks of how human intelligence has evolved and applied learning into something that helped their survival. For all practical purposes, learning is often seen as an attempt to crea te a memory or store information that lasts as it is invariably linked with memory. Dr. Eric R.Kandle, vice president of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives sums it as Learning is how you acquire new information about the world, and memory is how you store that information over time (What is learning) Simply put, it is just the accumulation of facts and information. At this tip it is important to point out the difference between learning and memory. Kandle points out that not all learning can get stored into long term memory. Such is the causal agent of things a person learned in school. Unless these lessons are used in day to day life, many will have trouble remember them some years after.Kandle adds that There is no memory without learning, but in that respect is learning without memory. (What is learning) True learning cannot exist without memory but Thorndike (1911) scorns the idea that human learning is the same as real human intellect. He states that learning alone d oes not include the more labyrinthian processes of reasoning or inference. No real thought is given to the race and causality of things, neither is there an appreciation of the progress the application of learning is causing. He further posits that learning is based solely on factors that are present in the environment.It is human intellect that makes it possible for humans to think and develop further learning outside the box or beyond what are present in his environment. Rychlak (1994) supports this contention with his own theory of system of logic Learning. Rychlak believes that learning is an inherent quality in both humans and animals similarly. man however possess the power and capability of logic that enables them to make signified and assign purpose and function to information that is learned. (p. 35) Learning is not curb to humans. Every living organism has the capability to learn. It has been proven that animals including dogs, cats and even bees have information a nd skill acquiring capabilities. While most animal characteristics are arguably innate or instinctive like a newborn baby or puppys nipple searching and imbibe reflex, many later skills are learned. What sets people apart is rather not limited to the capacity to learn and store information but rather in the processing of this information afterwards and figuring out what to do with it. Animal learning is mostly based on impulses and instinct.There are three different ways by which organisms learn by political campaign and error, by observation and imitation, and by charge. (Campbell, 1998, p. 39) Trial and error is by faraway the most common rule of learning among living organisms. An example of this is when a mouse tries to figure its way out of a puzzle by trying out first one path, then another until it hits upon the correct path to follow. Observation and imitation is illustrated by how the young of animals and humans alike acquire learning by watching and imitating the ac tions of their parents. This is most commonly the foothold of the development of behavioral patterns and actions.Finally, and what is arguably the method unique to humans is the method of instruction through language. Why is it unique? Instruction needs aware thought and full intention of teaching. What is more is that instruction is a broad factor in the propagation of a culture yet the topics and methods of instruction are also largely dependent on culture (p. 40). voice communication is also another important and distinctive part of both human culture, instruction and in effect, human learning (Alland, 1973, p. 209). Using language in instruction speeds up the learning process thereby allowing for more electromotive force information to be learned and assimilated.Instructions and responses are direct and accurate. In the same way, a shared language serves both as a unifying element of culture and shared experience between individuals. Learning and Adaptation Enough mention h as been made of adaptation with regard to human survivalwhat is adaptation? Adaptation is lexically defined as an allowance account to conditions present within an environment or a reaction to a persistent and present stimulus. It allows an organism to adapt or change components or behaviors within itself to match the demands of its environment.Survival is an organisms ability to exist and propagate in relation to its surroundings and environments. Is learning the key to adaptation and in effect human survival? No. and it is one of the fundamental and major contributors to it. Like most living organisms, humans have physical limitations that are challenged by natural elements and processes such as climate, thirst and other environmental conditions. Unlike other animals however, humans are comparatively less sensitive and attuned to environmental changes (Piantadosi, 2003, p. 1).It is at this point that the human ability to learn, reason and compare their living conditions and det ermine problems that may exist and venture their survival. Like people in modern days, primitive men had their environment with its own accompanying problems. If modern people today are challenged by more high tech issues like traffic, work, and finances, our primitive ancestors had to figure out ways of keeping warm in the winter and putting food on the table (or rock). There were challenges in how to hunt and capture feed effectively as well as make sure that they do not become prey to carnivorous predators of their time.From plain materials and tools fashioned with rocklike and animal bone, primitive humans graduated to working with copper which was more malleable yet as tough as stone, and then to the more than stronger bronzy which was formed by melting copper with tin and finally, iron (Hartman, 1996). Supporters of learning as the keystone of survival wold point this out as a way by which learning improved human existence. But basing on definitions alone, learning meant t hat they simply assimilated that stone is not so easy to work with, copper is malleable but pretty weak, and bronze and iron are harder metals.It is logic and reasoning that made it possible for them to realize that 1. ) there are problems with the materials they are using, 2. ) they need to find a better solution to their requirements, hence the search and formulation of copper and bronze. Without logic and reasoning people then would have simply stopped at knowing. peerless may look at this the same way as the speciality between science and technology. Science is that wide and impressive body of knowledge which will remain meaningless unless applied and utilized in technology.