For instance, most of us would have a very hard time surviving in the wild. And even then, we need tools in order to survive. Our physical strength is weak compared to many other animals. Why are we so weak compared to other wild animals who have no problem surviving on their own?
In: Biology
We’re not physically strong because we don’t need to be.
Culture has allowed humans to more or less dominate the natural world, and the brain — specifically the planning capabilities of the prefrontal cortex — is what made that happen. It’s not just that individual humans are smart and can invent new tools or ways of finding food, but that we can share the tools and methods with each other. We can make societies that build on previous knowledge and transmit information across time and space. We can plan for the future in ways that other animals cannot.
(This is a paraphrase of one of the central arguments in Russell Barkley’s book “Executive Functions”. I do find it fairly compelling.)
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