Why did love evolve in human beings, (an obvious question to answer perhaps?)?

grahamg

grahamg

Old codger
Location
South of Manchester, UK
It may seem a very odd question to ask, and surely all of us know the answer to the question "Why did love evolve in human beings", (or between human beings)?

However I ask it because as human beings it would be odd too wouldn't it, if we did not act in our own self interests most if not all of the time, and yet stating you love another human being suggests you might be willing to put their interests before your own some or even most of the time.

Why then the need for human beings to have the facility for loving another, even when this may put our own interests in jeopardy?

I'm sure its a question that's been asked many times before, (and if so why raise it again?). My reason for raising it is I believe public policy at times seems to ignore the implications of one or more human beings love for another, and if that it true, then our laws or legal systems may undermine the need for love between people, especially in terms of the need for recognising love exists or existed.

Here is some research on the topic:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...s-men-women-relationships-study-a8069711.html
 

grahamg said:
It may seem a very odd question to ask, and surely all of us know the answer to the question "Why did love evolve in human beings", (or between human beings)?

However I ask it because as human beings it would be odd too wouldn't it, if we did not act in our own self interests most if not all of the time, and yet stating you love another human being suggests you might be willing to put their interests before your own some or even most of the time.

Why then the need for human beings to have the facility for loving another, even when this may put our own interests in jeopardy?

I'm sure its a question that's been asked many times before, (and if so why raise it again?). My reason for raising it is I believe public policy at times seems to ignore the implications of one or more human beings love for another, and if that it true, then our laws or legal systems may undermine the need for love between people, especially in terms of the need for recognising love exists or existed.

Here is some research on the topic:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...s-men-women-relationships-study-a8069711.html
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Many animals mate for life. Like so many other human characteristics, love is our manifestation of characteristics found in other animal species. It's not unique to the human animal.
 
spectratg said:
Many animals mate for life. Like so many other human characteristics, love is our manifestation of characteristics found in other animal species. It's not unique to the human animal.
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You make a good point, (obviously), though its said over half of human evolution had passed before it is believed early humans became able to imagine the world around them sufficiently, or at all, leading to the first cave paintings, (and I imagine there is a degree of imagination in our ability to love another! :sneaky::whistle: ).
 
JaniceM said:
^ That's what I would have said, too.
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It is indeed true, though at the same time, (as I think the article I linked to the OP stated), there are still a great many successful animal species where this does not happen, leading to the question as to why it should have developed in humans being valid, or worth considering anyway.
 
Richard Dawkins talks about this in his pop science book "The Selfish Gene".

It's a long time since I read it but I think he says our genes 'want' to be passed on and all evolution depends on this. Love is the mechanism, or at least one of them. He also talks about altruism.
 
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Warrigal said:
Richard Dawkins talks about this in his pop science book "The Selfish Gene".
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His views are of course controversial, and some feel his stridency undermines whatever else he might have to impart, (maybe there are other criticisms, but I cant bring myself to try to check out whatever he's said on the development of love in human beings).
 
Haven't we always loved?

I'm confused by the word evolved. Love evolved ...from what? I have no way of knowing for sure, but I don't think there was ever a time when all humans were indifferent. That wouldn't be useful in ensuring we survived in good health for eons.
 
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Murrmurr said:
Haven't we've always loved?
I'm confused by the word evolved. Love evolved ...from what? I have no way of knowing for sure, but I don't think there was ever a time when all humans were indifferent. That wouldn't be useful in ensuring we survived in good health for eons.
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I think the link in the OP suggests there is some indication of a change in human behaviour occurring before the first cage paintings were seen, indicating an ability to imagine things, and this was of huge significance, (especially as it took over half the time hominids had been around on earth).
 
Our offspring are born very premature by most species standards. That takes a lot of parenting, so mating for life, or a long time anyway is a necessity. The long childhood is needed to support our larger brains and thought development, without which we would not be what we are. Just one characteristic that evolved making us what we are, smart enough to ask questions like this!
spectratg said:
Many animals mate for life. Like so many other human characteristics, love is our manifestation of characteristics found in other animal species. It's not unique to the human animal.
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True!
 
grahamg said:
His views are of course controversial, and some feel his stridency undermines whatever else he might have to impart, (maybe there are other criticisms, but I cant bring myself to try to check out whatever he's said on the development of love in human beings).
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Neither can I. I may be confusing The Selfish Gene by Dawkins with another pop science book by Desmond Morris, titled The Naked Ape.
 
Warrigal said:
Neither can I. I may be confusing The Selfish Gene by Dawkins with another pop science book by Desmond Morris, titled The Naked Ape.
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They may have had diametrically opposed views on some issues, (cant be sure as I shy away from Dawkins as you know, whilst I've enjoyed reading Desmond Morris/s books).
"We could spend a long time wondering why we are here couldn't we", (and yet here we are, and we'd hope love between our parents had something to do with it, "and maybe a bit of magic perhaps"! :) ).
 
oldaunt said:
What has that got to do with all the one-parent families due to divorce?
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Not really sure about that. I was actually talking about the drive to mate rather than romantic love.

The human species is the one of very few species where the females cease to be fertile long before the end of the natural life span. We humans mostly live long enough to see our children's children be born and in an evolutionary sense, the existence of grandmothers would have helped with the survival of the tribe.

Divorce is about the dissolution of a contract between two people and I'm not sure it has any effect on human evolution. It is too recent an invention to tell.
 
oldaunt wrote:
"Many animals mate for life, but not so many humans do any more."
Grahamg wrote:
"Good point"!

Warrigal wrote:
"Humans have longer life spans and we are not fertile for the whole time.
Most other species can produce young until they die."
oldaunt said:
What has that got to do with all the one-parent families due to divorce?
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Its a good question, raising other questions too, such as whether anyone should want to have a child by someone they dont think they love, (apologies for convoluting matters here!).
 
grahamg said:
They may have had diametrically opposed views on some issues, (cant be sure as I shy away from Dawkins as you know, whilst I've enjoyed reading Desmond Morris/s books).
"We could spend a long time wondering why we are here couldn't we", (and yet here we are, and we'd hope love between our parents had something to do with it, "and maybe a bit of magic perhaps"! :) ).
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My mum and dad certainly loved each other. He called her "my jewel" in his letters home when he was in the army during WW II. They were married in 1942 and I was born in 1943 while he was absent from home. She waited faithfully for his return and after he died suddenly in 1969, for the next 35 years she still considered herself married to him.

Edit - I could easily have been raised as an only child in a one parent home. Two of Dad's brother's died while serving in WW II. However, Mum would have had the support of her sisters. Aunties are also very valuble in evolutionary terms.
 
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Warrigal said:
Not really sure about that. I was actually talking about the drive to mate rather than romantic love.
The human species is the one of very few species where the females cease to be fertile long before the end of the natural life span. We humans mostly live long enough to see our children's children be born and in an evolutionary sense, the existence of grandmothers would have helped with the survival of the tribe.
Divorce is about the dissolution of a contract between two people and I'm not sure it has any effect on human evolution. It is too recent an invention to tell.
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In a sense though nothing could have more to do with human evolution than who we might choose to start a family with, or whether we do so at all, (though I take your point about the length of time it might take to have evolutionary significance).
 
grahamg said:
In a sense though nothing could have more to do with human evolution than who we might choose to start a family with, or whether we do so at all, (though I take your point about the length of time it might take to have evolutionary significance).
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Adultery in both human and other animal species is not uncommon, so that one's father may be different from the one chosen "to start a family with." Just because two people are in love does not mean that either one or both might not have sex with another person, that results in conception. Again, this is also true of other animals (deception) as well as the human one. It is one evolutionary tactic to propagate one's genes. Note that I am not saying this happens in the majority of marriages.
 

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