GENERAL EVOLUTION AND THE EMERGENCE OF THE HUMAN MIND

IN MEMORY OF SAINT FRANCIS

Part I: SCIENCE.

By now, modern science has made it clear that there is one universal process that brought forth all of nature. From that, we call matter to mind; there is this one fundamental creative principle that brings forth everything, synthesis (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: "The Human Phenomenon" 1955).

The first particles of matter froze out from from the original explosion of the big-bang. They became integrated into the first atoms. Theses formed enormous clouds of matter out of which galaxies and stars emerged. The nuclear furnaces of the stars synthesized increasingly complex atoms. This because "simple atoms" like hydrogen did fuse to form Helium. From there, increasingly complex atoms formed by nucleosynthesis in the nuclear furnaces of the stars.

As stars age, they may explode, spreading their content into vast clouds of complex matter. From such clouds, planetary systems may form; our solar system originated this way in which our planet Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. (https://nasaviz.gsfc.nasa.gov/12278).

It took about one billion years for life to emerge. The crucial event was the synthesis of self-replicating molecules, most likely RNA. Once populations of RNA were present, the Darwinian mechanism of natural selection kicked in. As RNA became trapped in membranous spheres, a critical step towards the evolution of cells was made (see: "Exploring Life's Origins" by Janet Iwasa licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Another significant event in the evolution of life was the formation of DNA from RNA. This because DNA is the genetic information necessary to program the multiplication and diversification of life. Spontaneous changes in genetic information allowed the adaptation of organisms to an ever-changing environment. As a result, this led to the diversification of already existing forms of life to new ones. Over generations, new plants and animals, new species evolved from previously existing species. 

Species consist of populations of individuals. By chance, better-adapted individuals to the environment than others are capable of extracting more energy from the environment. That makes it possible to rais more offspring than the less well-adapted ones. As a consequence, the composition of the population will change. This because the better-adapted ones will, over time, replace the less adapted individuals.  

Speciation, the evolution of new species, from already existing ones, therefore, works on the individuals of a population. 

The process is necessarily deep probabilistic (historical). Neither environmental changes nor the random genetic-adaptive changes that may happen in a population of individuals are deterministic. However, the entire evolutionary process follows a non-linear, which is a historical trend toward increasing complexity. This because the creative process consistently works through unifying parts that were already previously unified. How that we call matter became increasingly complex this way I tried to describe above very briefly. How plants and animals became increasingly complex is an issue of current research. Of course, the Darwinian mechanism of natural (and sexual) selection is an essential part of the process. However, one difficulty is to understand why functional genomes occasionally break apart. The repair process that may reassemble the fragments into new and useful genomes is another question. Repairing may also generate mutations, duplications of entire DNA strands. Of course, such processes must happen in sperms and eggs. This because new forms of life cannot directly emerge from adults, only indirectly over the alteration of embryonic (genetic) developmental programs. In the evolution of life, this must have been happening with quite dramatic consequences. For example, over about 50 Million years, some hypo-like forms of animals evolved into whales! (https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/evograms_03).

Such drastic evolutionary changes from one family of organisms to new families happened consistently over long periods and sometimes in clusters, over rather short periods. There is no predictability of the outcome resulting from the interplay between environmental and genetic factors. Of course, what was unified in the past might also degenerate by breaking into pieces. However, and overall, there is a trend in the evolutionary process toward increasing complexification. The trend is possible because there is plenty of energy around that originates from the original explosion. There is cosmic and local radiation in the innumerable galaxies and stars. On Earth, for example, radiation from the sun and heat from volcanic eruptions. 

Energy drives the process of sequential syntheses. Novelty emerges from the integration of parts that were already previously put together. Of course, syntheses happen under historical (probabilistic) circumstances. It occurs where the conditions are right to make integration possible. What emerges from unification is new, because it has qualities that the parts in isolation do not have. To bring up a famous example: Helium and oxygen are gases, yet after synthesis, there is liquid water with obviously new properties. 

Such new unities then may become the parts for further possible integrations. 

The sequential unification of already existing parts into novelties, which then may become parts for new integrations, is the reason why complexity must increase over time. However, the process of general evolution is not teleological. The reason is that what happens in the history of the evolutionary occurs by chance. However, because the process must necessarily increase complexity, the process is not teleological but teleo-complex. 

Of course, catastrophic events are always possible, leaving chaos where once was order. Disaster, however, will liberate parts that were locked in previously existing structures. Such events, however, will liberate parts that were locked in previously existing structures. Due to the nature of the natural creative process, complexity will increase again, starting from the pieces leftover ("Morphogenesis happens at the edge of chaos" Stuart A. Kauffman: The Origin of Order, 1993). 

Part II:

THE ORIGIN OF THE HUMAN MIND.

All matter and all forms of life emerged from within this probabilistic, historical process, including humans. Like other branches of life on the evolutionary tree, humans also evolved by the process of speciation from within already existing species. 

Of course, one particularly mind-boggling evolutionary pathway is the emergence of the human mind. For sure, it came into existence from the mind of our deep ancestors. There, it emerged from the animal mind, roughly seven million years ago. Comparing the anatomy of the animal brain of our living relatives with ours leaves no reasonable doubt that our brain, and therefore our mind, evolved from the brain of animals (<https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-has-human-brain-evolved>). 

The oldest fossils of Homo sapiens were found in Africa and are about 300'000 years old. But there were ancestors, especially Homo erectus, that had migrated out of Africa to Eurasia around 1.4 million years ago. Several Homo species probably evolved from them, e.g., the Denisovans, Homo Floresiensis, and Homo Neanderthal. 

It is not the purpose of this paper to enter into the details of human evolution (for this, see "Seven Million Years of Human Evolution"-on YouTube). Essential for this discussion is that there were already archaic human species in Eurasia before Homo sapiens arrived. Several species of Homo, therefore, lived at the same time, some hybridized with Homo sapiens. The disappearance of these above mentioned ancient Homogroups was perhaps due to being outcompeted by Homo sapiens. The main point is that there is no discontinuity between the general evolutionary process and human evolution. The same teleocomplex universal evolutionary process that necessarily increases complexity over time is also the process from which our mind emerged. 

In Conclusion: Within an evolutionary-scientific context, it is no longer reasonable to believe that human beings are special creations, special creations, in a sense that God had to interfere with the natural process of evolution to bring forth Homo sapiens. Yet "the Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God-it is not "produced" by the parents- and is also immortal: ......" (Catechism of the Catholic Church #366).

To find a way to integrate what science discovered about general evolution, including Homo sapiens, with Christian teachings about the origin of creation, including Man, I shall ponder the Christian teaching that creation is created through the Word of God.

Part III:

SKETCHING AN UPDATED THEOLOGY OF NATURE

Christianity, like most other religions, comes in a variety of variations. I suggest focussing on Catholicism. The reason is that Catholic thought traditionally is committed to not only respect science but also urges to probe Christin faith by reason. For example, Saint Anselm of Canterbury (1033–1109) proposed, "Fides quaerens intellectum" that faith must seek understanding; this not to replace the faith by reason but to avoid unreasonable faith, "faith" degenerating into a cult. The Church did not always follow Anslemus' advice. When the discoveries made by science did not fit the philosophical/theological thinking of church leaders, we know how scientists got int deep troubles.

As was already mentioned, there are mainly two reasons why the Church has difficulties accepting human evolution. The first is: "Christians must believe that God created all things" (Pope PIUS XII, "Humani Generis" 1950) and second: "Each human soul is individual and immortal, immediately created by God (Catholic catechism, e.g., #365 and #366).

In the encyclical "Laudato si'" (2015) Pope Francis, tones down the first statement, namely that God created all things. He writes: "Human beings, even if we postulate a process of evolution, also possess a uniqueness which cannot be fully explained by the evolution of other open systems. Each of us has his or her own personal identity and is capable of entering into dialogue with others and with God himself. Our capacity to reason, to develop arguments, to be inventive, to interpret reality, and to create art, along with other not yet discovered capacities, are signs of a uniqueness that transcends the spheres of physics and biology. The sheer novelty involved in the emergence of a personal being within a material universe presupposes a direct action of God and a particular call to life and to relationship on the part of a "Thou" who addresses himself to another "thou." The biblical accounts of creation invite us to see each human being as a subject who can never be reduced to the status of an object Human beings, even if we postulate a process of evolution, also possess a uniqueness which cannot be fully explained by the evolution of other open systems. Each of us has his or her own personal identity and is capable of entering into dialogue with others and with God himself. Our capacity to reason, to develop arguments, to be inventive, to interpret reality, and to create art, along with other not yet discovered capacities, are signs of a uniqueness that transcends the spheres of physics and biology. The sheer novelty involved in the emergence of a personal being within a material universe presupposes a direct action of God and a particular call to life and to relationship on the part of a "Thou" who addresses himself to another "thou." The biblical accounts of creation invite us to see each human being as a subject who can never be reduced to the status of an object Laudato si' (81). 

Christian revelation leaves no doubt: God creates creation through His Word: God speaks, and creation becomes (Gn 1-13). The speaking of God's Word spoken out, spoken away from God, departs from God. What is the consequence? God IS eternal "existence." God's Word is God. Therefore, apart from God, outside of God, there is no existence, there "is"only nothing, no-thing. However, the Word of God is spoken out into that which is nothing. This act of God, His speaking His Word out into nothing, is the origin of existence in time. However, the Word of God that is God creates creation, not God again. As a consequence, created being is a timely existence, existence outside of God in the existential mode of total "otherness" of God. 

How can this be? There is an analogy here that may shed some light on the mystery of God's creative action. The Word of God that God speaks out, away from Him, is God's gift. It is the gift that empowers creation to come into existence, to become itself. The analogy is in personal giving. Of course, human giving and God giving is different. The nature of the gift, however, is the same. 

Real giving reflects somehow the nature of the giver; the gift reflects the giver; there is the nature of the giver given away together with the gift. Also, a genuine gift is apolitical, implying that the one who receives it can do with it whatever he/she wants to do. As a consequence, the gift now belongs to the person who receives it. In short, genuine giving is an act of love! 

The Church teaches that God is Love ("Deus Caritas Est:" Encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, 2005). From God's "logic of love," it follows that creation is God's gift. God created all of creation through His Word, namely through His Son Jesus Christ: "All things came to be through Him, and without Him, nothing came to be" (Jn 1, 3: see also Rm 11, 36: 1Cor 8, 6: Col 1, 16: Heb 1,2). Because God gave away His Word to creation, creation is capable of bringing forth itself! This gift of God is genuine, namely one that is really given away. Therefore, it belongs to creation; it becomes the creative center out of which all of creation becomes. The mystery is that even though the Word of God is God, it brings forth that, which essentially is not God but creation/nature (theological language/nature, science language). 

For our logic, this is incomprehensible because "something cannot become that which it is not." The eyes of faith, however, can see that God can be God in that, which is not God. Christian revelation confirms this paradox; it is the illogicality of incarnation, that God can be God in a human being, that which also is essentially not God. 

God's logic of incarnation may also apply to creation because the creation, that which is essentially not God, is, however, through the Word of God that is God. 

Because God gave His creative Word away to creation, it belongs to Creation (Creation, theological language, Nature, philosophical/scientific language). Therefore, nature can do with it whatever nature is capable of doing, bringing forth the universe the natural way, through the laws of nature, not supernature! 

For Christianity, this brings at least two fundamental problems to the forefront. How can God's providential plan become fulfilled if the history of creation results from an exclusively natural (probabilistic!) process? And, what position do we humans have in the wonder of creation?

The point of departure for this present writing is that God is Love. It follows from the logic of love that creation must have the means to become itself-be independent, possess the freedom of choice to follow its path of growth, and realize its destiny. Parents, most likely, have an insight into what it means to have children. This goal cannot be realized through managing. They need the chance to become themselves. There is no other way for them and their parents to discover the depths of their loving relationship- finally. 

And when things go wrong? There is the faith, the faith in salvation, in the providence accomplished through Christ's death and resurrection. 

There is a crucially important lesson here: God does not manage the actions of the participants in the history of Christ's passion. All involved are acting freely, according to their (political?) interests. Yet through their free actions, God's "plan" of salvation becomes executed wit utmost accuracy; even the cock cries at precisely the right moment!

What then is the lesson here? God is not like a human manager that has to plan a precise process for a predetermined outcome. For God, accidents, unforeseen circumstances, changing probabilities of occurrences are not an obstacle for the realization of His providence.

Humans are "special." 

The Holy Father wrote, (see above):

The sheer novelty involved in the emergence of a personal being within a material universe presupposes a direct action of God and a particular call to life and to relationship on the part of a "Thou" who addresses himself to another "thou." 

Our capacity to reason, to develop arguments, to be inventive, to interpret reality, and to create art, along with other not yet discovered capacities, are signs of a uniqueness that transcends the spheres of physics and biology.

Christianity knows that the Word of God creates, creation-all of creation (e.g., Nicene Creed). The distinction between a "material universe" (e.g., the spheres of chemistry and biology) and Humans is an outdated construct; it is not supported by modern behavioral research nor by any pet owner. Also, the phenomenon of emergence is everywhere. Sequential syntheses, the fundamental creative principle, bring forth the emergence of novelty, throughout the evolutionary process. 

If this is granted, what is then so unique about human beings?

It is that self-consciousness makes it possible to search deep into themselves consciously! There, the fundamental existential experience might be the realization of being thrown into existence, the discovery of existential dependence, the acknowledgment not to be one's origin.

This existential discovery of reliance is the seed for transcendent thought; dependence opens the awareness of the beyond. The experience of the beyond is not a construct of our brain. Instead, it is the discovery of existence of that which is not I; that which is objective being, not projected by our mind but discovered. Standing with both feet on the ground, the beyond presents itself from above, from the stars, the moon, the sun, the clouds, the rain, the forest, with all its wonders! It was the awakening of the subjective mind that made it possible to experience that which is not I but objective existence. To get closer to these unreachable heights, ancient people constructed temples on top of hills, pyramids, the highest part made of precious stones, or even gold. 

From where does it come?

The attempt to explain the mystery of origin, from where all of this is coming from, leads to the thousands of stories how we and the world came into existence. Common to these stories is the attempt to describe the power(s), and our relationship to these creative forces. Together with this attempt comes the question of our relationship with these powers-that leads to religion. Alternatively, the wonders, the complexity, and the beauty of nature may lead to "religious naturalism," for example, to that which Ursula Goodenough experiences as "The Sacred Depths of Nature" (1998).

This depths of nature is an essential dimension of Christian revelation. It is the revelation that the Word of God creates creation; God speaks, and creation becomes. (Gn 1-26). What science has made very clear is that we humans are a part of nature. "Because our minds as well as our wills- our entire "person"- are products of nature, nature is in part but also in truth known from the inside..." (Langdon Gilkey: "Nature, Reality, and the Sacred" (1993; p. 176).

The Word of God, therefore, is everywhere, including in us. Our particular position in the universe is that we can explore it rationally, mathematically. This faculty emerges from the deep, from the center of our being from that, which since antiquity was called "Soul." 

"Soul, " rather than to refer to it as the "form of the body" i.e., it is because of its spiritual soul that the body made of matter becomes a living, human body;..." Catechism of the Catholic Church # 365). Furthermore, "The Church teaches that every spiritual soul is created immediately by God- it is not 'produced' by the parents- and also that it is immortal: it does not perish when it separates from the body at death,..." (Catechism of the Catholic Church 366).

(For its history see: "Human Nature: Historical, Scientific, and Religious issues" by Nancy Murphy; in: "Whatever happened to the Soul." Edited by W. S. Brown, Nancey Murphy, and H. N Malony 1998). 

The purpose of this present writing is to find a way from religious naturalism, in all its variations, to Christianity. Its revelation that all of creation is through the Word of God is the foundation for this undertaking. As a consequence, "soul" will become instead that which "The spiritual tradition of the Church also emphasizes has the heart, in the biblical sense of the depths of one's being....."(Catechism of the Catholic Church 368). In this approximation to what "soul" means, one might be more inclined to replace it with the Word of God that constitutes our most profound within. There, it not only connects us to all of creation but also to the transcendent reality of the creator. It is the imprint of the Word, the trace left by the creative center that brought forth all created existence.

Part IV:

THE WORD OF GOD IS TRINITARIAN

Christianity knows that this Word is the WORD of God, His Son, Jesus Christ. Because Christ is God, the WORD is Trinitarian. It is One in the Unity of the Father and the Holy Ghost. 

God is eternal Unity in the diversity of Father Son and the Holy Spirit.

Is there a trace of God's eternal Word in creation? 

Christianity celebrates the mystery of the incarnation in the Christmas event. There, God becomes human, yet human beings are certainly not God. How can God be God in that which is not God? 

Our logic firmly rejects the notion that an entity can be that which it is not. The eyes of faith, however, can see that in the Christmas event, God can be God in that, which He is not; this is the mystery of incarnation. 

What does this have to do with creation? The suggestion here is that God's logic of incarnation not only applies to the Christmas event but also to creation. The justification to think that way comes from the Prologue to John's Gospel: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was at the beginning with God. All things came to be through Him, and without Him, nothing came to be." Saint Paul also refers numerous times that everything came into existence through Christ: e.g., Rm 11, 36; Col 1, 13-16; Hebr 1,2. Also, the Nicen Creed affirms again that through Christ, all things were made. 

How so? 

Because God is Love, He gave His Son away as Gift to creation. It, therefore, is the creative center of all created existence. It is thanks to this Gift from God that creation (nature) is capable of becoming itself.

There is a third reality in which God is God in that which is not God: it comes about in the Eucharist. Here the bread is bread and wine is wine. Jet in this sacrament, the bread becomes the body of Christ and the wine His blood. 

In conclusion: 

Incarnation, the paradox that God can be God in that which is not God has at least three manifestations: Christmas, the Eucharist, and Creation.