Back To The Basics

[Sunstone]

So far as I am concerned, the ideal adult human is a strong individual who is true to themselves in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. That's my ideal, what's yours?

 

[Sunstone]

I agree, but remember, we are talking about survival, not quality of life here. I said in my previous post that there would likely be an impact on the psyche.

No argument, then.

 

[PearlSeeker]

While we may be social animals, and I'm not in denial of that, I think one can survive without human interaction.

I'm not saying it would by any means be a pleasant experience or that it wouldn't have an impact on one's psyche, but I think one could survive without it.

Adult hermits survived long periods without or little human interaction. But they had purpose.

 

[PearlSeeker]

Does Wilson count as company?

 

[Polymath257]

I think it routinely escapes most of us that we're social animals. Don't know why that never seems to fully sink in, but it doesn't. Maybe it doesn't because we come from a culture that in so many ways denies some of the most profound implications of the fact we are social animals. But who really knows?

Oh, I agree that companionship is important. And I strongly believe in the power of human touch (something many people in this society are deprived of). And, like the experiment with infants shows, touch is crucial for early development.

I'm just not convinced it is a need for adults in anything close to the sense that food, air, and water are. Companionship definitely improves the quality of life. And, as you noted, we have language in part because we are social.

But I don't think it is a *need*.

 

[Heyo]

Love is also a basic and early need. Maybe you have heard of this experiment:

In the United States, 1944, an experiment was conducted on 40 newborn infants to determine whether individuals could thrive alone on basic physiological needs without affection. Twenty newborn infants were housed in a special facility where they had caregivers who would go in to feed them, bathe them and change their diapers, but they would do nothing else. The caregivers had been instructed not to look at or touch the babies more than what was necessary, never communicating with them. All their physical needs were attended to scrupulously and the environment was kept sterile, none of the babies becoming ill.

The experiment was halted after four months, by which time, at least half of the babies had died at that point. At least two more died even after being rescued and brought into a more natural familial environment. There was no physiological cause for the babies' deaths; they were all physically very healthy. Before each baby died, there was a period where they would stop verbalizing and trying to engage with their caregivers, generally stop moving, nor cry or even change expression; death would follow shortly. The babies who had "given up" before being rescued, died in the same manner, even though they had been removed from the experimental conditions.

The conclusion was that nurturing is actually a very vital need in humans. Whilst this was taking place, in a separate facility, the second group of twenty newborn infants were raised with all their basic physiological needs provided and the addition of affection from the caregivers. This time however, the outcome was as expected, no deaths encountered.
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US Experiment on infants withholding affection

They could have saved the infants if they had listened in history class. Friedrich II did the same experiment in the 13th century. He thought, left by themselves, the children would start to speak in the original language before the confound of languages at Babel.

 

[Polymath257]

They could have saved the infants if they had listened in history class. Friedrich II did the same experiment in the 13th century. He thought, left by themselves, the children would start to speak in the original language before the confound of languages at Babel.

There was a report in Herodotus of the same experiment being done in Anatolia (IIRC) prior to the Persian war with Greece. I forget the details, but the children supposedly said the word for 'father' in some language which the experimenters then took as the original language.

 

[Skywalker]

Other than food, shelter and clothing, what more does an individual need? My first addition would be other people.

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God gave Eve to Adam because He said it is not good for man to be alone.

 

[Heyo]

There was a report in Herodotus of the same experiment being done in Anatolia (IIRC) prior to the Persian war with Greece. I forget the details, but the children supposedly said the word for 'father' in some language which the experimenters then took as the original language.

So Friedrich II could have saved the children if he had listened in history class.

Kids, learn your history, it saves lives!

 

[URAVIP2ME]

Other than food, shelter and clothing, what more does an individual need?
My first addition would be other people..............

Seems to me that THE Creator agrees with you according to Genesis 2:18; Genesis 2:21-22.

 

[blü 2]

Other than food, shelter and clothing, what more does an individual need? My first addition would be other people.

I think you'll need some air.

And something to drink as well.

And who wants to drink alone? Belonging, in the sense of family, tribe and ubertribe, is basic to the human sense of identity, so I agree with you about 'other people'.