Evolution and War

Will there ever be an end to war? The majority of the attendees on my current anthropology (人类学) course answered a definite “No”. Their response was largely predictable, given that we see so many images of the military, its machinery and weapons, war-torn cities and sad civilians. The media reminds us of the number of ongoing conflicts around the world. There seems to be a general impression that there is no hope of a peaceful life on the planet, so long as there is human life.

Some anthropologists claim that conflict is natural, in so far as it is an intrinsic part of human nature to be aggressive. Primates (灵长类动物), our closest living relatives, also have a tendency towards violence. Therefore, it is easy to draw the conclusion that humans fight because it is an inevitable part of our nature. However, are we wrong to make this assumption?

While primates can display exceptional levels of violence towards outsiders, they are also capable of settling conflicts and can even avoid conflict when they perceive that there is a strategic advantage in doing so. Put more simply, some primates, like apes and monkeys, will only fight if they believe they can win or escape punishment. Surely, then, humans have the capacity to avoid hostility too. There is already some evidence that the world’s major powers have realized the lose-lose scenario that would follow nuclear conflict, as many governments are currently discussing arms reduction programmes.

So are there more ways to avoid conflict? The more instinctively peaceful primates are ones with access to plentiful food, and this should tell us something basic about human conflict. If human populations were more willing to distribute their food, fuel and other natural resources more equitably, there would be less reason to fight. Even if our motive simply sharing is technically self-centred, this is irrelevant because in the long term it makes sense for us to do so.

参考范文：

Although the media portrays warfare as universal, and anthropologists argue that aggression is innate (such as primates’ propensity for violence), primates also strategically avoid conflict. For example, nuclear powers realize that a nuclear war is lose-lose and push for disarmament. Equitable distribution of resources reduces incentives for conflict and, even if they are self-serving, contributes to peace in the long run.

这是一篇说明文。虽然媒体渲染战争普遍性，且人类学家认为攻击性源于天性 (如灵长类动物的暴力倾向)，但灵长类也会战略性地避免冲突。人类同理，如核大国意识到核战双输而推动裁军。资源公平分配可减少冲突动机，即使动机是自利的，长期也有益和平。

(详解)

1. 要点摘录

①The media reminds us of the number of ongoing conflicts around the world. There seems to be a general impression that there is no hope of a peaceful life on the planet, so long as there is human life.

②Some anthropologists claim that conflict is natural, insofar as it is an intrinsic part of human nature to be aggressive. Primates (灵长类动物), our closest living relatives, also have a tendency towards violence. Therefore, it is easy to draw the conclusion that humans fight because it is an inevitable part of our nature.

③Surely, then, humans have the capacity to avoid hostility too. There is already some evidence that the world’s major powers have realized the lose-lose scenario that would follow nuclear conflict, as many governments are currently discussing arms reduction programmes.

④If human populations were more willing to distribute their food, fuel and other natural resources more equitably, there would be less reason to fight.

⑤Even if our motive simply sharing is technically self-centred, this is irrelevant because in the long term it makes sense for us to do so.

2. 缜密构思。将第1、2点进行总结，将第3、4、5要点进行分说

3. 遣词造句

Although the media portrays warfare as universal, and anthropologists argue that aggression is innate (such as primates’ propensity for violence), primates also strategically avoid conflict.

For example, nuclear powers realize that a nuclear war is lose-lose and push for disarmament.

Equitable distribution of resources reduces incentives for conflict and, even if they are self-serving, contributes to peace in the long run.

(点睛)

(高分句型1) “Although the media portrays warfare as universal, and anthropologists argue that aggression is innate (such as primates’ propensity for violence), primates also strategically avoid conflict.” (运用了although引导的让步状语从句对前三段本分内容进行总结。)

(高分句型2) “For example, nuclear powers realize that a nuclear war is lose-lose and push for disarmament.” (运用了that引导的宾语从句对第三段部分内容进行表述。)