When did humans discover sex leads to pregnancy?'

[Heraclitus]

I'm suprised that a casual google search reveals nothing immediatley usefull regarding this question.



I imagine the societal changes once the link was made where considerable to say the least, isn't there anyone with a crackpot theory explaining off some very early prehistoric change in the archeological record with this? Or pointing to it as a source of several ancient myths?



Also what do you think society was like before the discovery? Also was it a "discovery" or a gradual realization taking place in small barley noticable incriments over several generations?



Another question, I belive much of human sexual & family behaviour is purley instinctual things like jealousy and human males being on average kinder to children that resemble them may have resulted in behaviour similar to that in a primitive society which understands the link, but even if that is so without the sex-pregnancy connection how did they "rationalize" such behaviour?

[curtsibling]

The need to breed must have been encoded in the human psyche even as it evolved from lesser states...

The know-how was there, just the rationalisation was missing...

...

[Ben Kenobi]

The same reason why fatty foods taste good, is the same reason why we are conditioned to enjoy sex.

[Heraclitus]

The need to breed must have been encoded in the human psyche even as it evolved from lesser states...

The know-how was there, just the rationalisation was missing...

...

Well yes I never said humans didn't have a desire to mate or that they sucked at reproducing before the connection was made.


I'm talking about its effects on secondary behaviour. Family life, monogamy vs. poligamy, the nature of the link between children and parents (without the understanding of this link, there would for example be no such thing as parternity fraud), gender roles, the morality of sexual behaviour, ect.

[BlackCat]

Perhaps because it has been common knowledge that you have to do sex to become pregnant.

[BeBMan]

Lies! Remember the Jesus.

[BlackCat]

Having sex with a ghost doesn't leave normal traces

[Heraclitus]

Perhaps because it has been common knowledge that you have to do sex to become pregnant.

Are you sure? I can easily imagine a society where they assume you must have your first period to become pregnant (since no one gets preggers without it), but that once you have had it the decision still ulitmatley rests with the "spirits".


Also lets put that line of tought aside for a moment and think in evolutionary terms. Does a cat "know" it is likley to reproduce if it mates? Does a chimpanzee female? Did early man 2 million years ago? Did the first Homo Sapiens?

And if so how long was the period from when humans gained the ability to figure it out to the time when they did figure it out? And to top it all off, once a few did figure it out wouldn't you say many had a practical interest to oppose the spread of this knowledge?

[Heraclitus]

The same reason why fatty foods taste good, is the same reason why we are conditioned to enjoy sex.

No one said otherwise. I'm afraid people are misunderstanding my point.

[chequita guevara]

No one knows.

[curtsibling]

Like everything else in our socities, the ancient taboos and rituals attached to sex
and pregnancy have grown complex along with our sophistication as village dwellers
from roaming savages. We can trace almost all of our moral development to sex...

I guess it all stems from the rules that evolved from the oldest mating traditions...

...

[Maniac]

I remember my Latin teacher saying that the ancient Cretans, back when they were a matriarchy, weren't aware yet sex led to pregnancy. So I believe Heraclitus' question is a rather good one.

[BlackCat]

Are you sure? I can easily imagine a society where they assume you must have your first period to become pregnant (since no one gets preggers without it), but that once you have had it the decision still ulitmatley rests with the "spirits".

I'm pretty sure that experience early taugth people that raping girls that didn't have had their first period wouldn't get pregnant.

Also lets put that line of tought aside for a moment and think in evolutionary terms. Does a cat "know" it is likley to reproduce if it mates? Does a chimpanzee female? Did early man 2 million years ago? Did the first Homo Sapiens?

Probably not.

And if so how long was the period from when humans gained the ability to figure it out to the time when they did figure it out? And to top it all off, once a few did figure it out wouldn't you say many had a practical interest to oppose the spread of this knowledge?

They probably figured it out pretty quick when they gained the ability to figure it out.

Why would the try to hide that knowledge ? Or rather, how the heck would it be possible to hide something so obvious ?

[Heraclitus]

No one knows.

Duh! But it dosen't mean we wont be able to someday make an educated guess (perhaps we even have sufficient information to do so today).

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm talking about its effects on secondary behaviour. Family life, monogamy vs. poligamy, the nature of the link between children and parents (without the understanding of this link, there would for example be no such thing as parternity fraud), gender roles, the morality of sexual behaviour, ect.

It's been understood throughout recorded history, that sex begat children.

The mechanism, sperm and egg is relatively recent. Anton Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), first discovered the process of reproduction that we now understand.

Also what do you think society was like before the discovery? Also was it a "discovery" or a gradual realization taking place in small barley noticable incriments over several generations?

It's observable in nature, through animal husbandry and domestication. I would presume that's how people became aware of it and taught their children prior to writing.