Question

please answer both homework questions!

2. Choose ONE of the following questions to answer: a. Why (from an evolutionary perspective) do humans live so much longer than the child-bearing and rearing years, compared to other (non-primate) mammals? The key here is to think about evolutionary advantages of longevity, and for whom? b. What are the implications (for medical practice, health policy, etc.) of normative genetically programmed aging and disease (e.g. Cellular Clock Theory)? This question is about medical practice (and ethics, philosophy) rather than aging itself. c. “Life Span” in the sense of a whole species means the theoretical max longevity of any one individual. Contrast this with “life expectancy” within the context of evolution, genetics and environment. Which has changed over the last 1000 years or so, and why? Self-explanatory--but focus carefully on differences in meaning

Answer 1

I choose question 2(a) to answer:

From an evolutionary perspective, we humans live longer than other mammals because unlike mammals we burn calories slower. This means we burn less energy while growing and therefore age slower. Other aspect is that through evolution, we have become resistant to many deadly diseases genetically.

Question3:

Mechanistic meta-theory in terms of quantitative & qualititive aspects:

In terms of mechanistic meta-theory, organisms are machine-like collections of discrete, independent parts; those parts establish the elemental bedrock out of which all organismic complexity arises and to which all complexity ultimately reduces. The organism itself, taken as a whole, is nothing more than the summation of its elemental parts and their additive interactions. It is the passive recipient or consequent of efficient causal forces—temporally antecedent propelling or initiating forces—emanating either from within, via, for example, neural or genetic activity, or from without, via environmental stimulation.