Significance of Teaching Human Nature in Schools: Evolutionary Meaning of the Human Growth Patterns

Abstract

Elementary and secondary school students have no means to fully understand that our growth period is long so that we can acquire knowledge. In order to explain the evolutionary meaning of the lengthy period of education to pupils, I compare the elements of education to the human growth curves. The growth curve of the brain is rapid in the earliest stage, which corresponds to hoping or dreaming; the growth curve of the reproductive organs is rapid in the latest stage, which corresponds to claiming or pretending; the growth curve of the general physique is rapid in the earlier and later stages but almost horizontal in the middle stage, which corresponds to facts or reality. In the juvenile and early adolescent stage, teenagers, whose body is not yet completely developed, naturally respect full-grown adult teachers, and teachers easily control the youngsters. The gap between the growth curves of the brain and the general physique must be securely filled with intellectual education. In addition, the gap between the growth curves of the general physique and the reproductive organs must be properly filled with moral education. Then, the individual’s personal development will be fully realized. Biological anthropologists should teach school children and the general public why, when and how our unique life-history was acquired in the course of human evolution.