In: Biology
Stephen Jay Gould and others have argued that the evolution of a self-conscious, intelligent species (i.e., humans) was historically contingent, or it would not have occurred had any of a great many historical events been different. The philosopher Daniel Dennett and others have disagreed, arguing that convergent evolution is so common that if humans had not evolved, some other lineage would probably have given rise to a species with similar mental abilities. Based on what you have learned concerning Evolutionary Theory, which of these ideas do you think are correct – and why? If Gould’s position is right, what philosophical implications does his reasoning suggest – and why?
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