Human Development in the Twenty First Century: An Evolutionary Perspective

Using an evolutionary perspective that places the present phase of human development in a historical context, the paper examines the state and nature of human development and identifies factors that determine its enhancement for the 21st Century. For many millennia, the evolution of Homo sapiens has been based on extending human reach through the accelerated processes of the symbolic cultural evolution rather than the slow processes of anatomical evolutionary change. The modus operandi of the symbolic cultural evolution, in its present technophysio phase or scientific materialism, is knowledge-based, an accelerating scientific and technological developments, their technical application and utilization, and the intergeneration preservation of such knowledge through advances in educational methods, content, and quality. The accelerated pace of scientific developments created a gap between the sphere of science and that of the social sciences and humanities with uncertain sociopolitical consequences to harmonious evolution and sustainable development. The paper examines the implication of these evolutionary processes to human development for the Twenty-first Century, in the context of world population dynamics, education and learning innovations, the globalization process, equal opportunities and sustainable environment. The present phase of the symbolic cultural evolution presents enormous opportunities for advances in human development and welfare. It also presents as many challenges for both the developed and developing countries.