Theories of human origins

The problem of the origin of life has now acquired an irresistible fascination for all humanity. It not only attracts the close attention of scientists from different countries and specialties, but generally interests people all over the world.

Many people believe that this problem is not worthy of study. This is what those who believe in divine or supernatural forces and, accordingly, in the creation of life think. But over the past decades, many scientists have intensively explored the possibility of spontaneous emergence of life. One way or another, any of us, whether he is a supporter of this or that idea, should have an idea of ​​​​the current state of this field of knowledge. This question is interesting not only for theologians, philosophers and natural scientists, but also for every person. The theory of the origin of life, even more sharply than Darwin's so popular evolutionary theory, poses the question of how - or, if you prefer, why - we came into this world.

In order to reach the current level of development, biological systems took a very long time (hundreds and thousands of millions of years). Whether we study origins from such sources as our Earth, other planets or meteorite matter, we directly have only a brief moment of the present. When studying the origin of life, it is necessary to try to read and reconstruct the past, in particular in order to find chemical and morphological evidence of previous formations and determine the age of rocks. The theory of the origin of life is based on chemical and biological data. Philosophy also makes a significant contribution.

Essentially, the problem of the origin of life is the problem of recreating the oldest of all ancient stories. The better we understand the situation that existed in primitive times, the more valid and reliable will be the experiments that simulate early events.

The concept of “life” is very difficult to completely and completely define; no matter from which side we try to approach it, there is always a feeling that it is eluding us. You can follow the phenomenological approach and make a list of the properties of a living thing: a living creature moves, it has the functions of excretion, nutrition and metabolism, it grows, reproduces its own kind, and so on. The difficulty encountered with this approach is that there will always be exceptions to such a list that compromise the definition itself. Such a definition - in the form of an arbitrary list of properties - is hardly fundamental. For example: in the case of a virus, a growing crystal, or a bacterial spore, it turns out to be unsatisfactory.

In order to explain the emergence of cellular life forms, a number of hypothetical models, both laboratory and theoretical, have been developed. All of them seem to be to some extent probable and, undoubtedly, were, among others, tried during the 1500 million years of earth's history between 4500 and 3000 million years ago.

The theory of external intervention.

According to this theory, the appearance of people on Earth is in one way or another connected with the activities of other civilizations. In its simplest form, TVV considers humans to be direct descendants of aliens who landed on Earth in prehistoric times.

More complex TVV options involve:

a) crossing of aliens with the ancestors of people;

b) the creation of Homo sapiens using genetic engineering methods;

c) the creation of the first people in a homuncular way;

d) control of the evolutionary development of earthly life by the forces of extraterrestrial superintelligence;

e) the evolutionary development of earthly life and intelligence according to the program originally laid down by extraterrestrial superintelligence.

There are other, to varying degrees, fantastic hypotheses of anthropogenesis related to the theory of external intervention.

A large amount of literature on this topic mentions, in particular, civilizations from the planetary system of Sirius, from the constellations Libra, Scorpio, Virgo, as progenitors or producers of earthlings. Many messages emphasize that earthlings are the fruit of failed experiments, and this is not the first time that this “tainted” fruit has been destroyed (for example, by the Atlantean community), so the death of all humanity is not excluded, but rather assumed, this time too.

Evolutionary theory

Evolutionary theory suggests that humans evolved from higher primates - great apes - through gradual modification under the influence of external factors and natural selection.

The evolutionary theory of anthropogenesis has an extensive range of diverse evidence - paleontological, archaeological, biological, genetic, behavioral, cultural, psychological and others. However, much of this evidence can be interpreted ambiguously, allowing opponents of evolutionary theory to challenge it.

Theory of spatial anomalies

Followers of this theory interpret anthropogenesis as an element of the development of a stable spatial anomaly - the humanoid triad "Matter - Energy - Aura", characteristic of many planets of the Earthly Universe and its analogues in parallel spaces. TPA assumes that in humanoid universes on most habitable planets, the biosphere develops along the same path, programmed at the level of the Aura - information substance.

Given favorable conditions, this path leads to the emergence of a humanoid mind of the earth type.

In general, the interpretation of anthropogenesis in TPA does not have significant differences with evolutionary theory. However, TPA recognizes the existence of a certain program for the development of life and intelligence, which, along with random factors, controls evolution.

C. Darwin's theory

The English scientist Charles Darwin made an invaluable contribution to biological science, managing to create a theory of the development of the animal world, based on the determining role of natural selection as the driving force of the evolutionary process. The foundation for the creation of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution was his observations during his round-the-world voyage on the Beagle. Darwin began developing the theory of evolution in 1837, and only twenty years later, at a meeting of the Linnaean Society in London, Darwin read a report that contained the main provisions of the theory of natural selection. At the same meeting, a report was read by A. Wallace, who expressed views that coincided with Darwin's. The two reports were published together in the Journal of the Linnaean Society, but Wallace acknowledged that Darwin had developed the theory of evolution earlier, more deeply, and more fully. That is why Wallace, emphasizing Darwin’s priority, called his main work, published in 1889, “Darwinism.”

The main work of the scientist’s entire life, named verbosely according to the tradition of that era: “The Origin of Species by Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favored Breeds in the Struggle for Life,” was published on November 24, 1859 and sold 1,250 copies, which was considered unheard of for a scientific work at that time. Darwin himself wrote about this: “It has sometimes been said that the success of the book proved that “the question was already in the air” and that “minds were prepared for it.” But I have repeatedly probed the opinions of many naturalists and have not met one who doubted the constancy of species. Two or three times I tried to explain to very capable people what I mean by natural selection, but completely unsuccessfully.” It should be noted that the first sketch of the theory of evolution was made by Darwin back in 1842. There is disagreement over whether Darwin achieved in the 40s. the evolutionary concept set forth in the Origin of Species, or his views, underwent radical changes. In this work, Darwin showed that the species of plants and animals are not constant, but changeable, and that the species that exist today evolved naturally from other species that existed earlier. The expediency observed in living nature was created and is being created through natural selection of undirected changes beneficial to the body. Thus, in the struggle for existence, the forms most adapted to given environmental conditions survive. In 1868, Darwin published his second major work, “Changes in Domestic Animals and Cultivated Plants,” which was an addition to the main work. This work includes a lot of factual evidence of the evolution of organic forms, drawn from centuries-old human practice. Darwin published his third major work on the theory of evolution, “The Descent of Man and Sexual Selection,” in 1871, and was supplemented by the book “The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals.”

In the evolution of Darwin's views there were periods of stagnation and periods of rapid change. But, taking into account the words of Darwin, who wrote: “My theory is correct, and if it were accepted by even one of the competent judges, it would mark a significant step in science,” we have the right to say that it is the evolutionary theory that most clearly describes the process of speciation in living nature, and therefore it is advisable to focus on it.

Theory of creation (creationism).

This theory states that man was created by God, the gods, or divine power out of nothing or from some non-biological material. The most famous biblical version is that the first people - Adam and Eve - were created from clay. This version has more ancient Egyptian roots and a number of analogues in the myths of other peoples.

Orthodox theology considers the theory of creation to be self-evident. However, various evidence has been put forward for this theory, the most important of which is the similarity of myths and legends of different peoples telling about the creation of man.

Modern theology uses the latest scientific data to prove the theory of creation, which, however, for the most part do not contradict the theory of evolution.

Some currents of modern theology bring creationism closer to evolutionary theory, believing that man evolved from apes through gradual modification, but not as a result of natural selection, but by the will of God or in accordance with a divine program.

Main stages of human evolution

Australopithecus

Australopithecus or "southern apes" - highly organized, upright primates, are considered to be the original forms in the human ancestry. Australopithecines inherited many properties from their arboreal ancestors, the most important of which were the ability and desire to handle objects with their hands in a variety of ways (manipulation) and the high development of herd relations. They were completely terrestrial creatures, relatively small in size - on average body length 120-130 cm, weight 30-40 kg. Their characteristic feature, as I noted above, was a bipedal gait and an upright body position, as evidenced by the structure of the pelvis, skeleton of the limbs and skull. Free upper limbs made it possible to use sticks, stones, etc. The brain section of the skull was relatively large in size, and the facial part was shortened. The teeth were small, densely spaced, without diastemas, with a tooth pattern characteristic of humans. They lived on open plains such as savannas.

Judging by the discovery of Louis Leakey (Zinjanthropus Boyes), the age of Australopithecus is 1.75 million years.

Pithecanthropus

For the first time, fossil remains of ancient people, called archanthropes, were discovered by the Dutchman E. Dubois on the island of Java in 1890. But only in 1949, thanks to the discovery near Beijing of 40 individuals of ancient people along with their stone tools (referred to as synanthropes), scientists agreed that it was the ancient people who were the intermediate “missing link” in the human ancestry. The archanthropes already knew how to use fire, thereby rising a step above their predecessors. Pithecanthropus are erect creatures, of medium height and dense build, which, however, have retained many ape-like features both in the shape of the skull and in the structure of the facial skeleton. In synanthropes, the initial stage of chin development has already been noted. Judging by the finds, the age of the oldest people is from 50 thousand to 1 million years...

Paleoanthropus

We have the opportunity to judge the culture of paleoanthropus from numerous Mousterian sites. The Mousterian culture, in relation to the previous one, was more advanced both in processing technology and the use of tools, and in the variety of their shapes, the thoroughness of processing and production purposes. Neanderthals were people of average height, strong, massive build, and in general skeletal structure they were closer to modern man. The volume of the braincase ranged from 1200 cm3 to 1800 cm3, although the shape of their skull differed from the skull of a modern person. In my opinion, the biggest inconsistency in evolutionary theory is precisely the period of the Neanderthals. How to explain such a sharp dissimilarity in the appearance of a Neanderthal and Homo sapiens? And what could have caused the sudden disappearance of paleoanthropes? How could it happen that ancient people, creators of a fairly high material culture, to some extent close to us in the manifestation of their intellect and emotions - suddenly so quickly and “mysteriously” disappeared from the face of the Earth, giving way to neoanthropes - Cro-Magnons... etc .d. and so on.…. But nonetheless

Neoanthropus

The appearance of modern humans dates back to the beginning of the Late Paleolithic (70-35 thousand years ago). It is associated with a powerful leap in the development of productive forces, the formation of a tribal society and a consequence of the process of completing the biological evolution of Homo sapiens.

Neoanthropes were tall people, proportionally built. The average height of men is 180-185 cm, women - 163-160 cm. Cro-Magnons were distinguished by their long legs due to the long shin length. A powerful torso, a wide chest, highly developed muscle relief - an impressive characteristic, isn’t it?

Neoanthropes are multi-layered sites and settlements, flint and bone tools, and residential structures. This includes a complex burial ritual, jewelry, the first masterpieces of fine art, etc.

The distribution area of ​​neoanthropes is unusually extensive - they appeared in various geographical areas, settled across all continents and climatic zones. They lived everywhere where a person could live.

Human ancestral home

Currently accumulated scientific data allows us to consider North-East Africa as the “cradle of humanity”. Although some researchers still defend South Asia, the following facts speak in favor of the African hypothesis:

Anthropomorphic monkeys currently live in Africa, the closest of all primates to humans.

In South Africa, the remains of creatures were discovered that, in all likelihood, were bipedal and in the structure of the front teeth and the entire skeleton as a whole were extremely similar to humans.

The differentiation of higher primates, the development of different types of locomotion in them and the transformation of some groups of bipedal terrestrial anthropomorphs into ancient people should have been favored by the very large size of the African continent and the diversity of its landscapes.

Data on Telanthropus suggest that in South Africa at the beginning of the Pleistocene there existed forms even closer to humans than Australopithecus.

The latest discoveries have shown that finds like Ramapithecus, i.e. Kenyapithecus, in Africa, is older than in the Siwalik Hills, in addition, such forms as Homo habilis and Chadanthropus are more progressive forms than Australopithecus.

In Oldovaya, Pithecanthropus was discovered in the layers bordering the Glünz-Mendelian and Mendelian.

According to I.K. Ivanova, the turning point of the hominization process was reached in the equatorial part of East Africa and this was facilitated by the paleographic situation that persisted there for a long time. On the one hand, it was favorable for hominization, but on the other, it created difficulties that needed to be overcome.

Based on the above, we can summarize and draw several conclusions:

The oldest known human ancestor, Ramapithecus, is known only from a few teeth and jaw fragments, the age of which is estimated at 9-14 million years ago. It is unknown whether he walked upright.

The initial stages of anthropogenesis began 2.5 - 3 million years ago with the emergence of Australopithecus Africanus, which was upright, had a developed brain and made tools. However, some modern experts do not consider any known variety of Australopithecus to be the direct ancestor of modern humans, but believe that it was a side (dead-end) branch of evolution, and, therefore, Archanthropus only had a common ancestor with Australopithecus.

The most ancient people (archanthropes) also include various varieties of Homo erectus: Pithecanthropus, Sinanthropus, Heidelberg man (lifetime - approximately 1,600 - 650 thousand years ago), etc. Homo habilis developed from Homo erectus. - an intermediate type between archanthropes and modern people. Judging by the locations where their remains were found, the main region inhabited by ancient people was located in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The improvement of tools and human development led to the next period of anthropogenesis, represented by modern people (Homo sapiens). The modern human species includes only two subspecies: Neanderthals (Homo sapiens neanderthalensis), who appeared 250-200 thousand years ago, and people of modern morphological appearance (Homo sapiens sapiens), who appeared about 40-35 thousand years ago.

Neanderthals lived 250-40 thousand years ago during the Ice Age. These people were widely distributed over the earth, lived in different climatic and natural conditions and were divided anthropologically into different groups, but these groups do not correspond to modern races. Previously, scientists assumed that modern people originated from one of the groups of Neanderthals in the subsequent era. Now Neanderthals are considered as a kind of side branch of Homo sapiens. In the Don and North Caucasus, the appearance of people is associated precisely with Neanderthals.

The transition of human society to the Upper Paleolithic (35-10 thousand years ago) coincided with the completion of anthropogenesis - the formation of a person of the modern physiological type. The first people of modern appearance are called Cro-Magnons (after the neoanthrope site in Cro-Magnon, France).

The birthplace of modern humanity was most likely Western Asia and the adjacent regions. About 20 thousand years ago, modern people spread widely across Europe, Asia and Africa.

The Cro-Magnons developed articulate speech and the appearance of fine art. At this time, the material culture of primitive man changed significantly - stone processing technology reached a high level, horn and bone were widely used, and the primitive herd was replaced by a new form of organization of human society.

Conclusion

Today, many different theories of human origins are widespread in the world, and along with them, there is an evolutionary view of this issue. Among ordinary people there are many who consider themselves staunch adherents of anthropogenesis, but despite the large number of its admirers, there is a colossal number of scientists and ordinary people who recognize the theory as untenable and present compelling, undeniable arguments against the evolutionary view of the world. An authoritative part of scientists perceives evolutionary theory as nothing other than mythology, based more on philosophical fabrications than on scientific data. Thanks to this, in the modern scientific world, ongoing discussions continue about the causes of the emergence of the world and man, which sometimes even result in mutual hostility. However, the theory of evolution still exists and is well worth considering, although not seriously.

But only one thing is clear and obvious: none of the existing theories of human origin is strictly proven. Ultimately, the selection criterion for each individual is belief in one theory or another.

Literature

1. Bernal J. The emergence of life. Moscow: “Mir” 1969. 391 p.

2. Darwin Ch. Origin of species by natural selection. - L.: Nauka, 1991, 539 p.

3. Children of the Universe. Collection. – Donetsk, 1993. – 224 p.

4. Efimov Yu.I. and others. Modern Darwinism and the dialectic of knowledge of life. - M.: Nauka, 1985, 303 p.

5.Malcolm B., The Ape Man. Fact or fallacy. Christian Scientific Anthropological Center, 1998, 321p.

6. Roginsky Ya.Ya., M. G. Levin. Anthropology. Moscow, Higher School, 1978.- 357 p.

7. Rutten M. origin of life (naturally). Per. from English / Translation by Frolov Yu. M.; Ed. and with a preface. Oparina A.I. – M.: Mir, 1973 – 415 p. with ill.

Today, there are different versions of the origin of man on Earth. These are scientific theories, alternative, and apocalyptic. Many people believe themselves to be descendants of angels or divine powers, contrary to convincing evidence from scientists and archaeologists. Authoritative historians reject this theory as mythology, preferring other versions.

For a long time, man has been the subject of study of the sciences of spirit and nature. There is still a dialogue and exchange of information between sociology and natural science about the problem of being.

At the moment, scientists have given a specific definition to man. This is a biosocial creature that combines intelligence and instincts.

Modern science clearly separates biology and the essence of man. Leading research institutes around the world are searching for the boundary between these components. This field of science is called sociobiology. She looks deeply into the essence of a person, revealing his natural and humanitarian characteristics and preferences. A holistic view of society is impossible without drawing on the data of its social philosophy. Today, man is a creature that is interdisciplinary in nature. However, many people around the world are concerned about another question - its origin. Scientists and religious scholars on the planet have been trying to answer this question for thousands of years. -

The question of the emergence of intelligent life beyond the Earth attracts the attention of leading scientists in various specialties. Some people agree that the origins of man and society are not worthy of study. Basically, this is the opinion of those who sincerely believe in supernatural forces. Based on this view of the origin of man, the individual was created by God. This version has been refuted by scientists for decades in a row.

Regardless of which category of citizens each person considers himself to be, in any case, this question will always excite and intrigue. Recently, modern philosophers have begun to ask themselves and those around them: “Why were people created, and what is their purpose for being on Earth?” The answer to the second question will never be found. As for the appearance of intelligent creatures on the planet, it is quite possible to study this process.

Today, the main theories of human origins are trying to answer this question, but none of them can provide a 100 percent guarantee of the correctness of their judgments. Currently, archaeological scientists and astrologers around the world are exploring various sources of the origin of life on the planet, be they chemical, biological or morphological. Unfortunately, at the moment, humanity has not even been able to determine in which century BC the first people appeared.

Darwin's theory. Currently, there are different versions of the origin of man. However, the most probable and closest to the truth is the theory of a British scientist named Charles Darwin. It was he who made an invaluable contribution to biological science. His theory is based on the definition of natural selection, which plays the role of the driving force of evolution. This is a natural scientific version of the origin of man and all life on the planet. The foundation of Darwin's theory was formed by his observations of nature while traveling around the world. Development of the project began in 1837 and lasted more than 20 years.

At the end of the 19th century, the Englishman was supported by another natural scientist, A. Wallace.Soon after his report in London, he admitted that it was Charles who inspired him. This is how a whole direction appeared - Darwinism. Followers of this movement agree that all types of fauna and flora on Earth are changeable and come from other, pre-existing species. Thus, the theory is based on the impermanence of all living things in nature. The reason for this is natural selection. Only the strongest forms survive on the planet, those that are able to adapt to current environmental conditions. Man is just such a creature. Thanks to evolution and the desire to survive, people began to develop their skills and knowledge.

Intervention theory. This version of human origins is based on the activities of foreign civilizations. It is believed that people are descendants of alien creatures that landed on Earth millions of years ago. This story of human origins has several endings.

According to some, people appeared as a result of crossing aliens with their ancestors. Others believe that genetic engineering of higher forms of intelligence, which bred homo sapiens from the flask and their own DNA, is to blame.

Some people are sure that humans arose as a result of an error in animal experiments.

On the other hand, a very interesting and probable version is about alien intervention in the evolutionary development of homo sapiens. It is no secret that archaeologists still find in various parts of the planet numerous drawings, records and other evidence that ancient people were helped by some kind of supernatural forces. This also applies to the Mayan Indians, who were allegedly enlightened by extraterrestrial creatures with wings on strange celestial chariots. There is also a theory that the entire life of humanity from origin to the peak of evolution proceeds according to a long-prescribed program laid down by an alien intelligence. There are also alternative versions about the relocation of earthlings from planets of such systems and constellations as Sirius, Scorpio, Libra, etc.

Evolutionary theory Followers of this version believe that the appearance of humans on Earth is associated with the modification of primates. This theory is by far the most widespread and discussed. Based on it, humans descended from certain species of monkeys. Evolution began in time immemorial under the influence of natural selection and other external factors. The theory of evolution indeed has a number of interesting proofs and evidence, both archaeological, paleontological, genetic and psychological. On the other hand, each of these statements can be interpreted differently. The ambiguity of the facts is what does not make this version 100% correct.

Theory of creation This branch was named creationism. His followers deny all major theories of human origins. It is believed that people were created by God, who is the highest level in the world. Man was created in his image from non-biological material. The biblical version of the theory states that the first people were Adam and Eve. God created them from clay. In Egypt and many other countries, religion goes deep into ancient myths. The vast majority of skeptics consider this theory impossible, estimating its probability at billionths of a percent. The version of the creation of all living things by God does not require proof, it simply exists and has the right to do so. In support of this, we can cite similar examples from legends and myths of peoples from different parts of the Earth. These parallels cannot be ignored.

Theory of space anomalies This is one of the most controversial and fantastic versions of anthropogenesis. Followers of the theory consider the appearance of man on Earth to be an accident. In their opinion, people became the fruit of an anomaly of parallel spaces. The forefathers of earthlings were representatives of the humanoid civilization, which are a mixture of Matter, Aura and Energy. The anomaly theory suggests that there are millions of planets in the Universe with similar biospheres that were created by a single information substance. Under favorable conditions, this leads to the emergence of life, that is, the humanoid mind. Otherwise, this theory is in many ways similar to the evolutionary one, with the exception of the statement about a certain program for the development of mankind.

Aquatic theory This version of the origin of man on Earth is almost 100 years old. In the 1920s, the aquatic theory was first proposed by a famous marine biologist named Alistair Hardy, who was later supported by another respected scientist, the German Max Westenhoffer. The version is based on the dominant factor that forced the great apes to reach a new stage of development. This is what forced the monkeys to exchange their aquatic lifestyle for land. This is how the hypothesis explains the lack of thick hair on the body. Thus, at the first stage of evolution, man moved from the hydropithecus stage, which appeared more than 12 million years ago, to homo erectus, and then sapiens. Today this version is practically not considered in science.

Alternative theories One of the most fabulous versions of the origin of man on the planet is that the descendants of people were certain chiropteran creatures. In some religions they are called angels. It was these creatures that inhabited the entire Earth from time immemorial. Their appearance was similar to a harpy (a mixture of a bird and a human). The existence of such creatures is supported by numerous cave paintings. There is another theory according to which people in the early stages of development were real giants. According to some legends, such a giant was half-man, half-god, since one of their parents was an angel. Over time, higher powers stopped descending to Earth, and the giants disappeared

Ancient myths There are a huge number of legends and tales about the origin of man. In Ancient Greece, they believed that the ancestors of people were Deucalion and Pyrrha, who, by the will of the gods, survived the flood and created a new race from stone statues.

The ancient Chinese believed that the first man was formless and came out of a clay ball. The creator of people is the goddess Nuiva. She was a human and a dragon rolled into one.

According to Turkish legend, people came out of the Black Mountain. In her cave there was a hole that resembled the appearance of a human body. Jets of rain washed clay into it. When the form was filled and warmed by the sun, the first man came out of it. His name is Ai-Atam.

Myths about the origins of man from the Sioux Indians say that humans were created by the Rabbit Universe. The divine creature found a blood clot and began to play with it. Soon he began to roll on the ground and turned into intestines. Then a heart and other organs appeared on the blood clot. As a result, the rabbit produced a full-fledged boy - the ancestor of the Sioux.

According to ancient Mexicans, God created the image of man from pottery clay. But due to the fact that he overcooked the workpiece in the oven, the man turned out burnt, that is, black. Subsequent attempts got better over and over again, and people came out whiter.

The Mongolian legend is one to one similar to the Turkish one. Man emerged from a clay mold. The only difference is that the hole was dug by God himself.

Stages of evolution Despite the versions of the origin of man, all scientists agree that the stages of his development were identical.

The first upright prototypes of humans were australopithecines, who communicated with each other using their hands and were no taller than 130 cm.

The next stage of evolution produced Pithecanthropus. These creatures already knew how to use fire and adapt nature to their own needs (stones, skin, bones).

The last stage of evolution before the appearance of Homo sapiens was the neoanthropes. Outwardly, they were practically no different from modern people. They made tools, united into tribes, elected leaders, organized voting and rituals.

The ancestral home of humanity Despite the fact that scientists and historians around the world are still arguing about theories of the origin of people, the exact place where the mind originated has still been established. This is the African continent.

Many archaeologists believe that it is possible to narrow the location to the northeastern part of the mainland, although there is an opinion that the southern half dominates in this matter.

On the other hand, there are people who are sure that humanity appeared in Asia (in India and adjacent countries).

Conclusions that the first people inhabited Africa were made after numerous finds as a result of large-scale excavations. It is noted that at that time there were several types of human prototypes (races).

The strangest archaeological finds Among the most interesting artifacts that can influence the idea of ​​what the origin and development of man actually was were the skulls of ancient people with horns.

Archaeological research was carried out in the Gobi Desert by a Belgian expedition in the mid-20th century. On the territory of the former Sumerian civilization, images of flying people and objects heading to Earth from outside the solar system were repeatedly found.

Several other ancient tribes have similar drawings. In 1927, as a result of excavations in the Caribbean Sea, a strange transparent skull similar to a crystal one was found. Numerous studies have not revealed the technology and material of manufacture. Descendants of the Mayan tribe claim that their ancestors worshiped this skull as if it were a supreme deity.

Today people know a lot about themselves and about the world around them, but scientists have not been able to find answers to all questions. Thus, the origin of man still remains a mystery to many, since even the most well-known scientific (and especially not entirely scientific) theories cannot yet be 100% supported by evidence and scientific experiments. There is only hope that this mystery will be solved over time.

Hypotheses of human origins

“The origin of man and the formation of society” is the topic of one of the lessons in the program for tenth grade. Schoolchildren listen to lectures and later take tests on this topic. However, despite the fact that schools teach how humanity appeared, this topic has not yet been fully studied. There are different concepts of human origins, all of them are compelling in their own way, and all of them have weaknesses.

The most widely accepted theory of human origins is from a monkey. It is this theory that is considered true, and it is what is studied in schools and universities. However, there are other concepts that seem to their supporters no less convincing than Charles Darwin's doctrine of evolution and the origin of species. In general, they can be divided into three groups: evolutionary theory, religious explanations and third-party intervention theory.

The mystery of human origin has interested people at all times. While scientists could not yet answer this question, this answer was easily given by religions. And today many prefer to believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God. Religious theories are good because they do not require proof, but an inquisitive mind is unlikely to agree to accept highly controversial and unsubstantiated information on faith. In addition, there are many religions in the world, and they all offer their own versions of the origin of humanity.

There are also many theories of third-party intervention. They have one thing in common: they all explain the appearance of people on Earth by the actions of some alien creatures - voluntary or involuntary. Few scientists take such ideas seriously, but supporters of the concept of third-party intervention can provide a lot of evidence that life on Earth in general, and humanity in particular, arose only thanks to aliens.

Was there a monkey?

Today it is generally accepted that humans descended from apes or from the so-called common ancestor of humans and apes. Interestingly, this idea was first voiced not by Charles Darwin, but by the Frenchman Georges-Louis de Buffon in the 18th century. The new theory did not cause delight among the public: the book “Natural History of Animals” was publicly burned. However, later Charles Darwin was able to substantiate the possibility of human origins from apes (or some extinct common ancestor), proving that in human physiology and behavior there is much from animals, which indicates the kinship of humans and other representatives of the animal world.

The theory of evolution was able to explain the closeness of humans and other animals, in particular monkeys. Over time, people got used to the fact that monkeys are their close relatives, although not everyone liked Charles Darwin's theory. This brilliant scientist was highly skeptical of religion, but this view was shared by few at the end of the 19th century.

In addition, the harmonious theory of evolution has certain weaknesses. For example, it is not clear why not a single experiment in crossing monkeys of different species with the aim of breeding humans was successful. And if man did not descend from a monkey, but from some common ancestor, then why has it still not been possible to determine which species of ancient people was the real ancestor of man? Despite the abundance of finds, the exact name of the creature from which man descended and its exact characteristics are still unknown. This allows some to deny the fact that man evolved from apes by proposing other, alternative theories.

Creationism: Man was created by God

From the point of view of religions, everything is very simple: God created man. Most religions are silent about the practical details of this difficult operation - an omnipotent deity undoubtedly found a way to create humanity.

Orthodox creationism (the doctrine of the creation of man by higher powers) denies any scientifically proven facts. Proponents of this theory do not need evidence, since religion is not based on scientific evidence, but on faith. Evolutionary theologians walk a fine line between science and religion. On the one hand, they accept the theory of evolution, and on the other, they believe that without divine intervention this process could not have taken place.

Creationists regularly challenge the theory of evolution , however, they cannot offer any scientific justification for the divine origin of man. And although religious people themselves do not need such evidence, in the scientific world creationism is not taken seriously precisely because of the lack of any evidence.

It's all the aliens' fault

There is insufficient evidence that man descended from apes. There is no evidence at all that man was created by God. In search of alternative solutions, people looked into space - what if the answer to the origin of humanity lies there?

Most often, aliens are “blamed” for the emergence of humanity. Opinions vary regarding the reasons for which alien inhabitants populated the Earth with people. Some people think that aliens They just got bored and decided to have fun by creating a new species. According to others, the alien invaders wanted to breed either domestic animals or slaves, but it didn’t work out. It is believed that people appeared as a result of failed experiments.

Finally, there are suggestions that once upon a time an alien spaceship crashed, and the passengers were forced to settle down on Earth - that is, modern people became descendants of the inhabitants of other planets. According to some, people are aliens who have been crushed and degraded in their development. According to others, on the contrary, man has surpassed his ancestors in his development. Still others believe that humanity began to develop in a completely different direction than its alien ancestors.

Maria Bykova

Abstract on the topic:

"Basic hypotheses of human origins."

Subject: “The concept of modern natural science.”

Completed by a second year student

IvanovaYu.V.

Moscow, 2010

Table of contents

Introduction……………………………………………………. 3

Theories of anthropogenesis:

1. Theory of evolution…………………………………….. 3

   Theory of creation (creationism) …………………….. 5

   Paleovisit theory ………………………………….. 7

   Theory of spatial anomalies……………….. 9

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………… 11

Bibliography……………………………………………………………… 12

Introduction.

Every person, as soon as he began to realize himself as an individual, was visited by the question “where did we come from?”Although the question sounds very simple, there is no single answer to it. Nevertheless, this problem - the problem of the emergence and development of man - is dealt with by a number of sciences. In particular, in the science of anthropology, there is even such a concept as anthropogenesis, that is, the historical and evolutionary formation of the physical type of a person. Other aspects of human origins are studied by philosophy, theology, history, and paleontology.Theories regarding the origin of life on Earth are varied and far from reliable. The most common theories of the origin of life on Earth are the following:

Evolutionary theory;

Theory of creation (creationism);

External intervention theory;

Evolution theory.

Evolutionary theorysuggests that man evolved from higher primates - apes through gradual modification under the influence of external factors and natural selection.

The evolutionary theory of anthropogenesis has an extensive range of diverse evidence - paleontological, archaeological, biological, genetic, cultural, psychological and others. However, much of this evidence can be interpreted ambiguously, allowing opponents of evolutionary theory to challenge it.

According to this theory, the following main stages of human evolution take place:

the time of successive existence of human anthropoid ancestors (Australopithecus);

the existence of ancient people: Pithecanthropus;

the stage of Neanderthal, that is, ancient man;

Rdevelopment of modern people (neoanthropes).

In 1739, the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus, in his Systema Naturae, classified humans - Homo sapiens - as one of the primates. Since then, there has been no doubt among scientists that this is precisely the place of man in the zoological system, which covers all living forms with uniform classification relations based mainly on the features of the anatomical structure. In this system, primates form one of the orders within the class of mammals and are divided into two suborders: prosimians and higher primates. The latter include monkeys, apes and humans. Primates share many common characteristics that distinguish them from other mammals.

However, the theory of evolution became widespread thanks to the research of the English scientist Charles Darwin. His theory of natural selection was a real breakthrough; the arguments given by Darwin and his followers led to the fact that the theory of evolution became widespread in the scientific world and the evolution of man from the animal world became the main theory of anthropogenesis.

Today in the world among ordinary people there are many who consider themselves staunch adherents of evolutionary anthropogenesis, but despite the large number of its admirers, there is a colossal number of scientists and ordinary people who recognize the theory as untenable and provide compelling, undeniable arguments against the evolutionary view of world. An authoritative part of scientists perceives evolutionary theory as nothing other than mythology, based more on philosophical fabrications than on scientific data. Thanks to this, in the modern scientific world, ongoing discussions continue about the causes of the emergence of the world and man, which sometimes even result in mutual hostility. However, the theory of evolution still exists and is the most serious and valid.

Theory of creation(creationism).

This theory states that man was created by God, the gods, or divine power out of nothing or from some non-biological material. The most famous biblical version is that God created the world in seven days, and the first people - Adam and Eve - were created from clay. This version has more ancient Egyptian roots and a number of analogues in the myths of other peoples.

The myths about the transformation of animals into people and the birth of the first people by gods can also be considered a variety of the theory of creation.

Of course, the most ardent followers of this theory are religious communities. Based on the sacred texts of antiquity (the Bible, the Koran, etc.), followers of all world religions recognize this version as the only possible one. This theory appeared in Islam, but became widespread in Christianity. All world religions gravitate toward the version of God the creator, but his appearance may change depending on the religious branch.

Orthodox theology considers the theory of creation to be self-evident. Nevertheless, various evidence has been put forward for this theory, the most important of which is the similarity of myths and legends of different peoples telling about the creation of man.

Modern theology uses the latest scientific data to prove the theory of creation, which, however, for the most part do not contradict the theory of evolution.

Some currents of modern theology bring creationism closer to evolutionary theory, believing that man evolved from apes through gradual modification, but not as a result of natural selection, but by the will of God or in accordance with a divine program.

Creationism is thought of as God's Creation. However, at present, some view it as the result of the activity of a highly developed civilization, creating various forms of life and observing their development.

Since the end of the last century, the theory of evolution has dominated throughout the world, but several decades ago new scientific discoveries made many scientists doubt the possibility of the evolutionary mechanism. In addition, if the evolutionary theory has at least some explanation for the process of the emergence of living matter, then the mechanisms of the emergence of the Universe simply remain outside the scope of this theory, while religion provides comprehensive answers to many controversial issues. For the most part, creationism is based on the Bible, which provides a fairly clear diagram of the emergence of the world around us. Many people believe that creationism is a theory that relies solely on faith in its development. However, creationism is precisely a science based on scientific methodology and the results of scientific experiments. This misconception arises primarily from a very superficial acquaintance with the theory of creation, as well as from a firmly established preconceived attitude towards this scientific movement. As a result, many people are much more favorable towards completely unscientific theories not confirmed by practical observations and experiments, such as, for example, the fantastic “paleovisit theory”, which allows for the possibility of artificial creation of the known Universe by “external civilizations”.

Often, creationists themselves add fuel to the fire, putting faith on a par with scientific facts. This gives many people the impression that they are dealing more with philosophy or religion than with science.

Creationism does not solve the problem of a narrow, highly specialized field of scientific knowledge. Each separate science that studies its part of the world around us is organically part of the scientific apparatus of creationism, and the facts it obtains form a complete picture of creation doctrine.

The main goal of creationism is to promote human knowledge of the surrounding world using scientific methods and use this knowledge to solve the practical needs of mankind.

Creationism, like any other science, has its own philosophy. The philosophy of creationism is the philosophy of the Bible. And this greatly increases the value of creationism for humanity, which has already seen from its own example how important the philosophy of science is for preventing the rash consequences of its development.

Creationism is by far the most consistent and consistent theory of the origin of the world around us. And it is precisely its consistency with numerous scientific facts from a wide variety of scientific disciplines that make it the most promising platform for the further development of human cognition.

The theory of external intervention (paleovisit).

According to this theory, the appearance of people on Earth is in one way or another connected with the activities of other civilizations. The term paleovisit itself means a visit to Earth by extraterrestrial civilizations. In its simplest form, TVV considers humans to be direct descendants of aliens who landed on Earth in prehistoric times.

More complex TVV options involve:

a) crossing of aliens with the ancestors of people;

b) the creation of Homo sapiens using genetic engineering methods;

c) control of the evolutionary development of earthly life by the forces of extraterrestrial superintelligence;

d) the evolutionary development of earthly life and intelligence according to a program originally laid down by extraterrestrial superintelligence.

At the turn of the 50s and 60s, the topic of paleovisit received a real chance to be included in the sphere of normal scientific research.

On the one hand, during this period there was a genuine revolution in the perception of the entire issue of extraterrestrial civilizations. Radio astronomy and communications technology had reached such a level of development by that time that it became clear: radio communication between humanity and its supposed “brothers in mind” from nearby star systems is already feasible today. Listening to space began in search of meaningful signals, articles and monographs about extraterrestrial civilizations and methods of contact with them poured in, in a word, the question of alien intelligence, which had hitherto seemed somewhat abstract, finally became the subject of practical concerns of science.

On the other hand, the entry of mankind into the space age had a profound impact on scientific thought, and indeed on the entire society. The conquest of near-Earth space, the rapid progress of astronautics, its boundless prospects - all this, among other things, created a solid basis for the assumption that more developed civilizations of the Galaxy could have long ago begun interstellar expeditions.

The first developer of the paleovisit theory was M.M. Agreste. Having expressed the idea of ​​the possibility of repeated visits to the Earth by messengers from other worlds, the scientist called for a search for relevant evidence in myths, legends, written monuments and material culture. He drew attention to a number of facts relating mainly to the Middle East and neighboring regions: biblical texts about the coming to Earth of celestial beings, a giant stone terrace, erected in Baalbek (Lebanon) by no one knows who and for what purpose, a drawing of an “astronaut” on the rocks Tassilien-Adjera (North Africa), etc. However, the theory did not receive the proper response in the scientific world. There were other attempts to return to it, but they all rested on the stereotypes of conservative science and the impossibility of presenting substantiated evidence.

In recent decades, the paleovisit theory has experienced a rebirth. Every year the number of its supporters and followers is growing, and scientific research gives scientists the right to speak more and more confidently about the existence of an extraterrestrial highly developed civilization that created our world. Some ancient tribes claim to have descended from aliens who passed on their knowledge to them and visited Earth several times. This cannot be denied, since inexplicable discoveries in the field of mythology and archeology baffle conservative science, but all these mysteries of world history make sense in the context of the existence of an extraterrestrial presence. These are rock paintings depicting unknown creatures, and complex structures resting in the thickness of the earth or on its surface... And who knows, maybe the mysterious Stonehenge, sending secret signals into outer space, is an information module, thanks to which extraterrestrial intelligence monitors the lives of its creations.

Theory of spatial anomalies.

Followers of this theory interpret anthropogenesis as an element of the development of a stable spatial anomaly -humanoid triad, which is commonly understood assubstances whose fusion and interaction led to the emergence of humanity. These substances form a chain"Matter - Energy - Aura", characteristic of many planets of the Earth’s Universe and its analogues in parallel spaces. This theory considers matter and energy not as natural elements of the universe, but as spatial anomalies: ideal space contains neither matter nor energy and consists of proto-particles that are in an equilibrium state; a violation of this balance leads to the emergence of elementary particles that are in energetic interaction with each other. Aura is an information element of the universe. It is capable of influencing matter and energy, but it itself depends on them, that is, there is also interaction here. It is more like a computer, storing and processing information and calculating the plan for the development of the material world several steps ahead.

However, followers of the theory of spatial anomalies believe that the development of human civilization, and perhaps other civilizations of the universe, makes the aura more and more similar to the Universal Mind and even to a deity, whose capabilities increase as the mind develops and spreads in the Universe.

TPA assumes that the “Matter-Energy-Aura” system strives for constant expansion, complication of the structural organization, and Aura, as the controlling element of the system, strives for the creation of intelligence.

In this regard, the mind is an absolutely priceless thing. After all, it allows you to transfer the existence of mother and energy to a new level, where there is directed creation: the manufacture of objects that do not exist in nature, and the use of energy that nature stores in a latent state or wastes.

Aura is not a god, and she cannot miraculously create a sentient being. It can only in the process of complex interactions bring to life such factors that can subsequently lead to the emergence of intelligence.

TPA explains this by the fact that in its desire to complicate life forms, Aura calculates the prospects of each species several steps ahead. It allows highly specialized and therefore unpromising species to become extinct. And species that have a future pushes for changes in a given direction.

Probably, Aura has an energy or material potential that allows it to make changes to genetic structures and cause specified mutations. There are proposals that life is caused not only by biochemical processes, but also by special wave phenomena at the subatomic level. It is possible that these very phenomena are the material echo of the aura - and perhaps the aura itself.

TPA suggests that in humanoid universes on most habitable planets, the biosphere develops along the same path, programmed at the Aura level.

Under favorable conditions, this path leads to the emergence earthly mind.

In general, the interpretation of anthropogenesis in TPA does not have significant differences with evolutionary theory. However, TPA recognizes the existence of a certain program for the development of life and intelligence, which, along with random factors, controls evolution.

Conclusion.

The origin of life is one of the most mysterious questions, a comprehensive answer to which is unlikely to ever be obtained. Many hypotheses and even theories about the origin of life, explaining various aspects of this phenomenon, are not yet able to overcome the essential circumstance - experimentally confirm the fact of the appearance of life. Modern science does not have direct evidence of how and where life arose. There are only logical constructions and indirect evidence obtained through model experiments, and data in the field of paleontology, geology, astronomy and other sciences.

That is why the question of the origin of man remains unsolved, allowing numerous theories to emerge. None of them have yet taken over, becoming united, and perhaps this will never happen.

Bibliography.

Y. Y. Roginsky, M. G. Levin. Anthropology. M.: Higher School, 1978.- 357 p.

M.H. Nesturkh. Origin of Man, 2nd ed., M., 1970

V.V. Bunak. Theories of anthropogenesis. - M., 1978.

A.I. Oparin. Origin of life. - M.: Mir, 1969.

M.G. Levin. Life story - M.: Mir, 1977

http://www.help-rus-student.ru/

http://www.wikipwdia.org

ALL TRUTH TAKES PLACE IN THE HUMAN MIND THROUGH THREE STAGES: FIRST - “WHAT CRAZY!”THEN - “THERE IS SOMETHING IN THIS” AND FINALLY -“WHO DOESN’T KNOW THIS!”

ALEXANDER HUMBOLDT

One of the mysteries is the theory of the origin of life on Earth in general, and the origin of man in particular. Today, several hypotheses are known that try to explain the appearance of man on Earth - a rational being (lat. Homo sapiens). Let's name just three of them, the main ones.

Basic concepts of the origin of people on earth

First (the concept of creationism)- the most ancient and classic: God created the Earth, all life on it from inanimate matter, including humans. The first people - Adam and Eve gave life to the next generation of people.

And this was, according to the Bible, about seven and a half thousand years ago. This may be so, and there should be no questions, but it is important what is generally understood by the concept of God, the Almighty or the Creator, abstracting from religious terminology. In addition, it has been scientifically established and there is evidence that people appeared much earlier, approximately 40-45 thousand years ago.

Second (the concept of panspermia) - life was brought to Earth from other more developed planets. This version is completely new, only a few decades old. It assumes the existence of life in the Universe always, from the time the Universe itself appeared. Life, as the planets formed and conditions for the existence of life appeared, was brought to them from Space, through dispersion.

The third is scientific the concept behind it is evolutionary path development of all life on Earth, including humans. The founder of this theory, Darwin, gave a clear, strictly verified scheme for the origin of species of living organisms in the course of natural selection and their changes as a result of evolution and mutation of cells. Even earlier than Darwin, similar views were expressed by the French scientist Georges-Louis Buffon, who asserted the unity of origin of the flora and fauna.

Every schoolchild knows that according to this theory, human ancestors are declared primates - chimpanzees - representatives of hominids (the very first and ancient of them is Sahelanthropus).

So, no matter how much we would like or not to have this species of animal as our brother, there is no escape from it. So far, nowhere... But something in this theory doesn’t add up a little.

The process of separating humans from the animal world is called “anthropogenesis.” The scientific statement that man is a direct descendant of the monkey has today undergone an adjustment. It is possible that the ancestor of man, like the ancestor of the modern ape, had common roots of origin, but during evolution their paths diverged.

The full emergence of man on Earth, according to modern theory, was preceded by the evolutionary appearance Neanderthals and it’s unclear where they appeared Cro-Magnons.

Neanderthals were short, stocky, stooped people with large brow ridges and almost no chin. The volume of their brain was not inferior to that of a human, although its structure was more primitive. They could hunt, provide themselves with food, make shelter for themselves, and even buried their dead relatives, decorating their graves. They had the beginnings of a religion. But, as scientists suggest, for some reason this branch of civilization stopped developing. It has been proven that early Neanderthals were more developed than their descendants.

With the onset of continental glaciation, Neanderthals, unable to adapt to new conditions, simply died - this is the version of their disappearance from the face of the Earth. The branch of development of Neanderthals is recognized as a lateral, dead-end branch of civilization.

Archaeologists are finding the remains of people similar to us, whose age is determined by radiological methods and is approximately 40-50 thousand years. These direct ancestors of ours are called Cro-Magnons.

What is especially interesting is that archaeological research shows that Neanderthals are still living, and the first Cro-Magnons have already appeared next to them. And sometimes the remains of Cro-Magnons are suddenly found in the caves of Neanderthals, the origins of which have never been identified.

Cro-Magnons form the only genus and species of Homo Sapiens - Homo sapiens. Their ape-like features were completely smoothed out; there was a characteristic chin protrusion on the lower jaw, indicating their ability to articulate speech; in the art of making various tools from stone, bone and horn, the Cro-Magnons went far ahead compared to their Neanderthal neighbors.

The interesting thing is that there is not the slightest similarity genetically between Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals. But such an absolute similarity was found between man and Cro-Magnon. There are also some genetic similarities between humans and Neanderthals. And this suggests that the development paths of the ancestors of humans and Neanderthals diverged about 600 thousand years ago, and maybe even earlier. This means that we need to look for a link between anthropoid apes and Cro-Magnons. But this link is precisely missing. It is unknown where the handsome Cro-Magnons came from... it is still unknown...

Your presence on Earth in our time will not surprise anyone. But there are facts that the first aliens were seen by ancient people and mentioned this in their pictograms, manuscripts, and chronicles. The ancient Greeks and Romans and even the Sumerians (supposedly the most ancient civilization) left their impressions of “barrels of fire”, “shining moons” or “hung logs” descending from heaven and “sons of God” emerging from them and taking “daughters of men” as wives. . Reports of this are also found in medieval chronicles, including Russian ones. There are mentions of them in the Bible - a source that cannot be questioned.

All this suggests the influence of something from outside on the civilization of mankind. The only question is what kind of force this is, and what is the general intent of this influence. Perhaps the genetic code of the first Cro-Magnons was borrowed from representatives of other worlds? And our blue planet Earth, with its endlessly multiplying problems, has been under the vigilant eye of more developed civilizations or Reason in general for a long time, from the very moment the first Cro-Magnons appeared, and maybe even earlier from the moment of its inception. Who knows...Or remembering the instruction from the Bible:

“What is hidden belongs to the Lord, but what is revealed belongs to the sons of men.”,

Let's wait for this curtain to open...

Russian scientists from the Paleontological Institute named after. Borisyak were able to prove that the first living organisms appeared on Earth as a result of so-called panspermia (a hypothesis about the appearance of life on the planet as a result of the introduction of so-called “embryos of life” from outer space). This happened approximately 3.8 billion years ago, during the fall of a meteorite, which brought the most ancient microorganisms to Earth, from which all modern forms of life subsequently developed.

Scientists examined ancient meteorites found in Mongolia. Analysis showed that they contained bacteria that existed before the Earth was formed.

An interesting fact is that meteorites with microorganisms hit the planet even before water appeared on it, so this discovery not only proves the theory of panspermia, but also refutes the opinion that water is necessary for the origin of life.

I think this evidence will reveal many secrets of the world and answer a number of questions. I hope the article will be of interest to many.