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Abstract: This paper is an attempt to explain why members of the human race live, on average, longer than most members of other living species. I argue that there is a strong correlation between the longer human lifespan and what I call Cultural Symbols: spoken and written human language, thought, religion, knowledge, science, myths, laws, cultural values and norms (CS). These ideas also explain other features which may distinguish humans. As such, CS could constitute an interdisciplinary concept or a theory within social sciences and human sciences, as well as biology related sciences. I have elaborated my argument through a theoretical cultural perspective that I would like to refer to as Bioculturology. Islams vision of human CS has been found to be of great help in the articulation of the major thesis of this paper.

Keywords: Theory of cultural symbols, longer human lifespan.