Expert: John Shea - 9/7/2010

Question
John:

First of all I'd like to thank you for offering your time to answer quetions.

One of the differences between human and the apes we evolved from is that we can use reason.
Is reason an evolutionary step in our evolution?

An evolution is suppossed to help mantain species, rigth?
If reason is a part of our evolutionary process, isn't it contradictory that this use of reason is destroying our enviroment and migth end up killing us?

By saying reason I don't mean just reason, but also pocesses developed by the use of reason.

Thanks in advance,
Álvaro Silva

Answer
Álvaro
You're welcome.
1. Apes can reason, or at least solve problems requiring reasoning about mechanics, physical principles, social relations, etc.  Ability to reason is probably deeply primitive in primate evolution.
2. Nope, evolution works primarily on genes, helps them replicate.  Individual organisms and the species to which they belong are "along for the ride" (i.e., they get replicated as a byproduct of genetic replication).  The idea that evolution works to the benefit of the species is a common mistake, one called "group selection fallacy".
3. See #1 above, chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, orangs, even monkeys solve problems that call for reasoning.  It is difficult to know HOW they reason, because we can't communicate with them easily, but to judge from their behavior, they are rational beings.
(This is not to say there are not important differences between human and nonhuman primate rationality.  We encompass supernatural and abstract reasons in our thoughts in ways one doubts other species do.)
Cheers,
John Shea