Holy Brains!

Evolution is not extravagant, it gives a creature just enough of an advantage to dominate in a certain environment and survive. Evolution tries to conserve energy and resources when apportioning out muscles, brains, and skill sets to all creatures in this world. The question that begs to be asked then is why do we have such large brains, brains that are clearly too large for us to use fully? 



It's like a child wearing his mother's high heels, they just don't fit him, it's too much shoe! We use only five percent of our brains, the rest of that capacity lies idle as far as we know. That five percent in fact is too much for us to handle. We struggle with existential issues and issues of mortality and death and have to create myths of a life after this one to sooth our ever active minds. So why would evolution be so needlessly generous (and cruel in a way) with brain power? It makes no sense. Every other animal species has just the brain power they need to get on with the job of survival and procreation, but we were endowed with brains that are meant to contemplate creation and ask those awkward questions so few dare ask. Who are we and what is our real purpose on this Earth? 

This is how 'www.youramazingbrain.org' attempts to answer the question: "Why has consciousness evolved? This question continues to puzzle scientists. Why is it that humans have an awareness of their own existence, and why does this give an evolutionary advantage? Perhaps consciousness is needed to make sense of what you see." I am sure most animals make just enough sense of what they see to survive, as much as humans do at least. This still does not answer the question 'why was evolution so generous with us?' One possible answer is that our intelligence is the result some unplanned and unintended mutation, and that our brains are simply an accident of nature. 

Our minds not only make sense of our surroundings, they try to peer deeper in to the blackness of space and the deepest oceans, clearly the limitations of our home planet frustrate our ravenous overactive minds. We imagine worlds in our dreams that do not exist, write stories and create myths all to keep our minds busy, and we haven't yet touched on our penchant for creating technology! So, what evolutionary purpose could all this serve? 

Remember, these questions are meant to raise more questions than answers, but the important thing is that we all start thinking for ourselves and not limit ourselves to taking sides, evolution verses creationism, for example. The answer, the ultimate answer could astound us with its simplicity and it could shatter many long held scientific and religious certainties. But isn't the journey of questioning and searching an exciting one to be on?!

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