Introduction
The question of the limitation of a human being has remained an important one for philosophical discussion for many years. There are many angles from which this question can be approached. Medical and biological evidence has shown what the human body is capable of and where its abilities end; however, even this knowledge is incomplete. Moreover, the deeper question is whether the somewhat-established limitations are final for a human being. Many philosophies speak on the concept of the mind and the soul, which are considered by some to be extensions of the human body that push the boundaries of our limitations past what is physically observable. In this essay, the question of whether the body is a limit for the human being is discussed from the point of view of feminism and evolutionism. Evolutionism bases its beliefs on Darwin’s theory of evolution and the works that were based upon it. This philosophical approach holds that all living beings improve and develop over the time of their existence. Meanwhile, philosophical feminism focuses on gender biases in various fields and philosophies while attempting to support theories that exemplify female equality (Fisher & Burch, 2019). The two spheres have had differing perspectives on a number of issues, including the question of whether the body is a limit for the human being.
Development
Thesis
Evolutionism is an antiquated term used in to describe the belief in the concept of evolution proposed by Charles Darwin. Evolution dictates that organic creatures improve themselves over thousands of years through progressive inherited change and loss of less-favorable genetics. This idea is often coupled with natural selection, which is the process by which individuals with less desirable traits in terms of adaptation would become extinct. This allows stronger genetics to spread through the population, strengthening the gene pool overall. Evolutionism bases its beliefs around reproducible empirical evidence obtained through the scientific method. Charles Darwin (1911), in his work On the Origins of Species, claims that human beings are inherently similar to all mammals and other creatures in terms of developing their bodies for adapted functioning as living organisms. In particular, the evolutionist stated that “the hand of a man, formed for grasping, that of a mole for digging, the leg of the horse, the paddle of the porpoise, and the wing of the bat, should all be constructed on the same pattern” (Darwin, 1911, p. 174). Thus, the similarity with animals puts limits on the human body, excluding other forms of existence.
Moreover, the perspective of the evolutionary theory on human behavior demonstrates the philosophical account of the body as a limit. Indeed, the evolutionist idea of human behavior motivation is based on survival and reproduction as primary goals of the existence of any species (Fisher & Burch, 2019). Since the bodies are constructed in a way that prioritizes labor for survival and obtaining food, they are at the core of human existence. It is through bodies that an individual is capable of experiencing the environment, protecting themselves from threats, and reproducing the offspring for the continuation of the human race. The use of bodies, for that matter, is essential and the only possible way of living, in the opinion of the evolutionist philosophy. Therefore, this philosophy states that the body is the limit of the human being, as there is no evidence to suggest the existence of a soul or spirit.
Antithesis
Feminism or feminist philosophy looks at the issue from a female position and attempts to deconstruct gender stereotypes or uplift ideas that promote gender equality. In this way, feminism often clashes with evolutionism, seeing it as reductionist as it does not approach the issues of social and cultural development and influences (Fisher & Burch, 2019). Indeed, since feminism criticizes evolutionary theory as a limiting perspective on human development, its argument holds that body is not the limit for human beings. In other words, human lives should not be reduced to mere bodily functions but should include the opportunity for intellectual and spiritual development for experiencing the world and personality on non-physical levels.
Furthermore, in the context of the feminist theory, the assumption that the body is the limit for human beings is unacceptable since it deteriorates the basis for claiming gender equality. Indeed, referring to Simone De Beauvoir’s philosophical narratives on women as the second sex, scholars state that feminism seeks to differentiate between sex and gender since the latter implies social roles, cultural, and identity-related development (Umunnakwe et al., 2021). For that matter, the biological sex as the representation of a body, in feminists’ opinion, should not be the limit to human existence. On the contrary, promoting gender allows for seeking identity development beyond mere reproduction function. To exemplify this argument, one might refer to an observed experience of women’s long-term protesting against the banning of abortion. Supporting abortion, women claim their right to develop as individuals by choice and not to be reduced to a single function of childbirth.
Synthesis
Both feminism and evolutionism have their similarities in terms of their rational interpretation of the role a body plays in human life. Indeed, development and improvement are similar for both sides of the debate. The human body has adapted over its evolutionary course to become what it is today, and currently, it is the best that it can be. At the same time, this assumption does not mean that feminism should be dismissed completely, which similarly claims that improvement and development are essential for human existence. However, the two philosophical perspectives are different in the prioritization of bodily functions as essential for human life. The evolutionist theory holds that reproduction and food obtainment signify the similarities between mammals and human beings supporting the argument in favor of the body as a limit.
On the other hand, feminist theory insists on the potential for the spiritual and intellectual advancement of a human being as a social creature, which does not allow for reducing human life to bodily functions only. As such, the position of this essay is that the body is not the limit of the human being but rather an expression of its potential. As the spiritual aspects of the person advance, so do their physical attributes, including genetics.
Conclusion
In summary, this essay has presented two opposing philosophical perspectives on the body as a limit to human beings. On the one hand, evolutionism claims that due to the similarities between mammals and humans, as well as the reproduction and survival as primary functions of human beings, their bodies are the limit. On the other hand, feminism holds that due to cultural and social development, as well as spirituality and identity-seeking, the human body is not the limit of existence. Overall, it is said that while evolution is undeniable, the development of humans implies improvements not only in their biological functions but in their socialization and spirituality as well. However, although the issue of spirituality has been addressed in the essay, the accounts of both feminism and evolutionism on the existence of soul as the extension of the human body have not been clarified, which leaves the debate open.
References
Darwin, C. (1911). On the origin of species. Watts & Co.
Fisher, M. L., & Burch, R. L. (2019). Evolutionary biology and feminism. In T. K. Shackelford & V. A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of evolutionary psychological science (pp. 1-4). Springer.
Umunnakwe, E. C., Ikenga, E. C., & Abakare, C. (2021). Radical feminism in Simone De Beauvoir’s The second sex treatise: A philosophical appraisal. Nigerian Journal of African Studies, 3(2), 1-11.