Daily Dose- 365 Lessons for Life

Investigative Press: Issue 1- Human Body in Modern Society

By Jackson, R. M.A., Equilibrium Institute.

Below are a few areas of observation and facts about the body and significant challenges facing life with strategic threats identified.  

Bioethics

Decision-making and responses to environmental needs to maintain balance and reduce loses of species are key to optimal experience because our world is inter-reliant and dependent on the diversity of life (Potter, V. 1971).

Evolutionary Timeline

Humans have existed for nearly 200,000 years if the timeline of evolution is correct. Contaminations to the body caused by natural and man-made sources are reaching epic heights and posing significant threats to equilibriums (Caldicott, H., 1994).  Toxins have arguably sped the process of mutations and declines in biomass needed for stability on earth (Kaufman & Franz,1996).  Toxicity is cumulative and the human experiment with the earth is considered by many scientists as the greatest self-made tragedy in the history of the human experience. Controls around the production and dissemination of toxins are lacking even in the most developed countries, which ironically produces the most waste (U.S. Congress Research Service 1990).

Denying Science for Wealth

Scientists across specialties are presenting compelling arguments that natural limits exist that humans should respect.  If destruction outweighs preservation efforts, we may be digging a ditch we won’t be able to get out of.  Controversy exists because modern science points to massive lifestyle changes needed in how humans behave. Models are projections based on a variety of theories of varying qualities.  The dismissive nature of humans can be explained by the concept of pervasive bias (Douglas, N.2000), and delusional self-interests, which shows people will maintain their original ignorance despite the presentation of facts.  They do so for a variety of reasons, chief among them, the innate desire to maintain comfort (a derivative of Sigmund Freud’s Pleasure Principle) and existing perceptions rather than shift views- even when doing so could actually increase the probability for comfort or the greater security needed to achieve self-interests.  Thus, the concentration of wealth, even at the risk or great calamity is predicted to continue. 

Using Violence to Control   

While a contingent of society values diversity, people of similar likeness and values tend to group together.  Therefore, centuries of conflict divide people and works to suppress wisdom of the ages, often making history itself highly questionable due to bias.   Race theory, gender, age, geographic locations and other social variables such as education, economic status, religion and or ideological beliefs are all aspects of identity that help explain how worldviews are shaped. Differences are also often exploited to keep power inequities in place with violence by groups leveraging or striving for control.    

Creation

The body is held by many religions of the world to be the vessel for the soul.  Theories exist pertaining to the origination of the body.  Some say we evolved from the sea following the big bang (see theory of evolution)- others have specific creation stories such as the Aztecs that talk about lines or races/ species from other planets. 

Biology explains life as developing through fertilization involving sperm and eggs.  Many religions of the oldest religious traditions suggest we have more than one life, perhaps in more than one dimension.  One thing religious societies and scientists agree on is that a great deal about the body is a mystery, but here are a few facts generally accepted.  First we are born with more bones, about 298 and our bones merge over time to 206 (Haverbush, T, 2016).  The bones become brittle at around age 23 so the physical activity and risks should be calculated with that in mind.  The more active one is generally the more durable the bones are.

Survival and Genetics

The body conducts runs on inputs of water, food, and stimulus inputs.  In the right combinations of nutrients, sleep, and physical fitness exercise, the body can optimally operate.  Unique features of individuals are said to be influenced by genetic coding passed from parents in genes.  This helps explain physical and mental differences.  

Some evidence suggest a PH scale is 0-14 with zero being the most acidic and 14 most alkaline.  Doctors suggest humans need a PH of approximately 7.4 (slightly alkaline) for survival (Felicetti, M, 2012).  People have limits in temperature 60 degrees Celsius for heat and body temperature of 21 Celsius is reportedly deadly. However, 96 to 101F is the range needed for normal bodily functions.

Teratogenes

At any point in pregnancy damages to an embryo can occur by teratogens (gas, substance, radiation, or other trauma) that pass the placenta barrier (Rice, P. 2001) or otherwise reach the fetus.   Such damages can impact the mental and physical development of a person. 

Death

Gompertz law suggest the chances of dying doubles every eight years (Cowen,T. 2009).  At 42 the odds are estimated to be 1:750 chances of dying in the next year. Extrapolated over this means by the time anyone reaches 100 they have a 1:10 chances of dying in the next year.  Of course this model does not account for areas on the planet that have compounding variables that alter this generalized law, which reflects more a western standard in the modern age.  Nor does the estimate include cataclysmic events or concepts such as destiny.

Behavior

The subconscious or pre-conscious orchestrates bodily functions and human attention is explained by a hierarchy of needs (Maslow,1962).  Most behavior is driven by impulses and compounding variables that cause reactions.  Reasoning is a minor influence in the majority of human behavior. Many behaviors such as work, play, are conditioned responses but the concept of free will adds to theories that claim behavior is purely nature driven or deterministic.

Personality and Empathy 

Skills and interest vary from person to person along with personality and traits such as empathy.  One correlation worth noting is that the capacity to care and is related to the ability to empathize and other needed skills.  Thus, the less empathy and skill, the less capacity/ ability to care.  This is important because critical to optimal human development and quality of life is the amount and quality of care given and opportunities to learn, especially in the earliest years of life when personality and life skill foundations are rapidly forming.  Natural barriers can counteract the roles of nurturing and positive conditioning should also be considered.  For instance, differences in the brain can impact the ability to empathize or acquire skills, contaminations or damages can also weaken empathy and skills as can the environment a person is situated in which influences behavior. Thus, not all personalities are formed with strong social traits, which explains why so many decisions are made that cause harm to society.

Stress

Correlations between higher education and higher performance in terms of health and status for longer durations have been drawn but remain unexplained.  Trauma and negative stress has also been observed to contaminate wellness. However, positive stress has been associated with building endurance and expanding the range of performance.    

References

Caldicott, H. (1994 p.22). Nuclear madness. New York: Norton.

Congressional Research Service, (1990). U.S. Government.

Cowen, T. (2009) Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2009/08/gompertz-law-of-human-mortality.html

Douglas, N. (2000). Enemies of Critical thinking: lessons from social psychology research. Reading Psychology 21::129-144.

Felicetti, M. (2012). Retrieved November 25, 2016. http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-6243/How-to-Balance-Your-pH-to-Heal-Your-Body.html

Haverbush, T, (2010). Interesting facts about bones.  Retrieved November 25, 2016.  http://www.orthopodsurgeon.com/interesting.html

Kaufman & Franz (1996). Biosphere 2000. Iowa: Kenhall/Hunt Publishing Co.  

Maslow, A. (1962)  Toward a psychology of being. New York: Van Norstrand.  

Potter, V. R.  (1971).  BioEthics bridge to the future.  New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.

Rice, P. (2001). Human Development  p.  215,163, 31 New Jersey: Prentice Hall .

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