L'evoluzione della psiche
The morphological evolution of Man's origins presents the problem of the evolution of the psyche both because of the close relationship between the soma, especially the nervous system and the psyche, and also because of various paleoethnological discoveries that have been made. In order to face...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | Italian |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Ed. Pontificia Univ. Gregoriana
1979
|
| In: |
Gregorianum
Year: 1979, Volume: 60, Issue: 4, Pages: 675-702 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | The morphological evolution of Man's origins presents the problem of the evolution of the psyche both because of the close relationship between the soma, especially the nervous system and the psyche, and also because of various paleoethnological discoveries that have been made. In order to face such a problem adequately we think it is useful to observe first the similarities and the differences between the human psyche and that of the higher animals actually existing today, especially Anthropoids. In recent years interesting observations have been made with Anthropoids, both in captivity (teaching them a type of « language ») and in the wild state. Some scholars believe they can affirm that there is only a quantitative difference between the animal and the human psyche. In fact, a careful study shows that while Man is endowed with an intellectual psyche (concepts, judgments, reasonings) and with free will; Anthropoids lack these, but they possess a sensitive psyche highly developed, especially in the perceptive, imitatìve powers, memory of association and practical intelligence. It is not affirmed that these animals have reached the highest point of the capacities of the sensitive psyche. On the other hand, it is presumed that the extinct fossil forms which have preceded and prepared Homo sapiens had these capacities much more developed. We cannot know a priori to what degree of manifestations they could reach. It is easier to indicate those they could not have reached while still remaining higher animal forms: intellectual and spiritual manifestations. But with sensitive capacities more highly developed than Anthropoids one cannot see why they would not have been able to create artifacts more elaborate than those made by such animals; including building huts and lighting fires. With only sensitive capacities, however developed, they would not have been able even to realize religious or magic rites or even inhumation. And so we maintain that the Neanderthal Man, who practiced such rites, and a fortiori Homo sapiens were truly Men: while the Australopitheci, Homo habilis and Homo erectus were Preominids (not endowed therefore with a spiritual soul). |
|---|---|
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Gregorianum
|