Evolution

 

Dual nature of matter (particle nature and wave nature) is acknowledged by Dr. Louis De. Broglie (1924): Particles are bundles of waves which move with a group velocity and possess an effective mass.[1] Detail discussion in this field is not our principal objective. Quantum electrons, as well as electrons under the regulation of atoms and large molecules, behave like wave and particle at different instances.[2] Even light waves, although having some electromagnetic characteristics, can have angular momentum during formation of vortex.[3] Science confers the properties of matter and energy alongside their duality. Propositions have limitations up to different dimensions duly exhibited by a galaxy. It is estimated that Milky Way Galaxy[4], the parental segment of our Solar System, accommodates near about 100 to 400 billion stars. One can easily estimate the vast expansion with which this galaxy confers its status in space. There are other galaxies having more volume that compared to the collective volume of several other galaxies. The Solar System is located at near about 27,000 light years from the Galactic Centre.[5] Whatever be the volume and whatever the content is, all kinds of celestial collections represent four different dimensions (such as length, breadth, height and time).

Being special member of Solar System, the Earth is the place which got the name Living Planet due to presence and evolution of life in it. All living forms got some sort of similarities in terms of combination of atoms to form large and complex molecules; combination of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen manufactured different types of proteins; such proteins took the role of shaping bodily constructions; several other molecules took part secondarily to bring variations. Nucleic acids took the role of encoding and transmitting template of protein molecules to ensure continuation of generations. Through a prolonged span of organic evolution the living planet reached up to the evolution of human beings.

Our discussion will move on towards convergence of principles of Knowledge and Science, which is also a pre-requisite for understanding different aspects of spirituality. Question often arises about the purpose of organic evolution which went on progressive towards the evolution of human beings; increase of cranial capacity, attainment of grip of arms, development of bipedalism, erect posture are some of the physical and anatomical development; intellect, mind, ego, senses and bodily organ system are some of the functional development which ensured refinement of development in human beings.

Scope of our discussion regarding spiritual ascent depends entirely on the ways and means of functioning of senses, ego, intellect, mind, spirit and the soul. Science rarely confers manifestation of the living body under a balanced regulation and support of the soul; but spiritual orientation of saintly persons contributed a lot to ensure progress of fellow individual and aspirants in this line to ensure spiritual ascent of the fellow aspirant.  The evolutionary track leading towards origin of hominids deviated from that of apes near about 4 to 8 million years ago.[6] Homo habialis, the earliest form of hominids evolved around 2.8 million years ago.[7] Rapid encephalization[8], a process leading towards enlargement of brain capacity and volume, occurred in due course of time; it was just doubled in Homo erectus.[9]  Scholars often indulge in debates regarding exact site of the origin of modern man. The forerunner of modern man Home sapiens evolved in between 400,000 to 250,000 years ago.[10]  Men moved on towards development of lithic technology just 50,000 years ago.[11] Evidences suggest that social and cultural attitude of human beings continued changing gradually on the basis of different climatic zones duly inhabited by evolved groups of the same genera. Homo neanderthalensis, inhabited Europe and Asia from 400,000 to 28,000 years ago. There exist various anatomical and structural differences in between modern man and Neanderthal variations; along with some sort of advancement in the population of the stock of cold climate.[12] Organic evolution secured enlargement of human brain three times than compared to those of chimpanzee or gorilla.[13] Ulnar opposition, the contact between tip of thumb and the little finger, is one of the unique qualities to the genus Homo.[14] Development of spirituality, a mental aspect of life leading towards regulation of senses, refinement of spirit, intellect and reorientation of ego, is another feature which is special to humans.[15] In modern context the term is broadened to accommodate aspects of religion, culture, traditions, rituals and Yoga.[16] In some cases such development may involve beliefs in a supernatural realm beyond the scope of ordinarily sensible world.[17]

Scopes of our discussion remain restricted to instances of Vedic Scriptures and related literary sources alongside some of the relevant sources from Science and Technology.



[1] de Broglie, Louis Victor. "On the Theory of Quanta" (PDF). Foundation of Louis de Broglie (English translation by A.F. Kracklauer, 2004. ed.). Retrieved 25 February 2023.

[2] Arndt, Markus; Hornberger, Klaus (2014). "Testing the limits of quantum mechanical superpositions". Nature Physics. 10 (4): 271–277. arXiv:1410.0270v1. doi:10.1038/nphys2863. ISSN 1745-2473.

[3] Allen, L.; Beijersbergen, M. W.; Spreeuw, R. J. C.; Woerdman, J. P. (1992). "Orbital angular momentum of light and the transformation of Laguerre-Gaussian laser modes". Physical Review A. 45 (11): 8185–8189. doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.45.8185.

[4] "How Many Stars in the Milky Way?". NASA Blueshift. Archived from the original on January 25, 2016.

[5] Gillessen, Stefan; Plewa, Philipp; Eisenhauer, Frank; Sari, Re'em; Waisberg, Idel; Habibi, Maryam; Pfuhl, Oliver; George, Elizabeth; Dexter, Jason; von Fellenberg, Sebastiano; Ott, Thomas; Genzel, Reinhard (November 28, 2016). "An Update on Monitoring Stellar Orbits in the Galactic Center". The Astrophysical Journal. 837 (1): 30. arXiv:1611.09144. Bibcode:2017ApJ...837...30G. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aa5c41. S2CID 119087402

[6] Clark, G.; Henneberg, M. (June 2015). "The life history of Ardipithecus ramidus: a heterochronic model of sexual and social maturation". Anthropological Review. 78 (2): 109–132. doi:10.1515/anre-2015-0009. S2CID 54900467.

[7] Ghosh, Pallab (March 4, 2015). "'First human' discovered in Ethiopia". BBC News. London. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.

[8] Such an increase in human brain size is equivalent to each generation having 125,000 more neurons than their parents.

[9] Swisher, Carl C. III; Curtis, Garniss H.; Lewin, Roger (2001) [Originally published 2000]. Java Man: How Two Geologists Changed Our Understanding of Human Evolution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 978-0-226-78734-3. LCCN 2001037337. OCLC 48066180.

[10] O'Neil, Dennis. "Early Modern Homo sapiens". Evolution of Modern Humans: A Survey of the Biological and Cultural Evolution of Archaic and Modern Homo sapiens (Tutorial). San Marcos, CA: Palomar College. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved April 20, 2015.

[11] Mellars, Paul (June 20, 2006). "Why did modern human populations disperse from Africa ca. 60,000 years ago? A new model". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 103 (25): 9381–9386. Bibcode:2006PNAS..103.9381M. doi:10.1073/pnas.0510792103. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 1480416. PMID 16772383.

[12] Finlayson C, Giles Pacheco F, Rodríguez-Vidal J, et al. (2006). "Late survival of Neanderthals at the southernmost extreme of Europe". Nature. 443 (7113): 850–853. Bibcode:2006Natur.443..850F. doi:10.1038/nature05195. hdl:10261/18685. PMID 16971951. S2CID 4411186.

[13] Schoenemann, P. Thomas (October 2006). "Evolution of the Size and Functional Areas of the Human Brain". Annual Review of Anthropology. 35: 379–406. doi:10.1146/annurev.anthro.35.081705.123210. ISSN 0084-6570. S2CID 7611321.

[14] Young, Richard W (January 2003). "Evolution of the human hand: the role of throwing and clubbing". Journal of Anatomy. 202 (1): 165–174. doi:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2003.00144.x. ISSN 0021-8782. PMC 1571064. PMID 12587931.

[15] Safaria, Triantoro; Bashori, Khoiruddin (2022-10-27). "Relationship between Spirituality and Emotional Maturity with Cultural Intelligence in Preventing Culture Shock". Psympathic: Jurnal Ilmiah Psikologi. 9 (1): 45–54. doi:10.15575/psy.v9i1.15628. ISSN 2502-2903. Archived from the original on 2023-01-06. Retrieved 2023-01-06.

[16] Gorsuch, R.L.; Miller, W.R. (1999), "Assessing spirituality", in W.R. Miller (ed.), Integrating spirituality into treatment, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, pp. 47–64

[17] Schuurmans-Stekhoven, J.B. (2014). "Measuring Spirituality as Personal Belief in Supernatural Forces: Is the Character Strength Inventory-Spirituality subscale a brief, reliable and valid measure?". Implicit Religion. 17 (2): 211–222. doi:10.1558/imre.v17i2.211

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