Why do we have five fingers and not more or less? Science tells us that the five-digit condition developed among the first four-footed creatures on land. This feature was passed on to their surving descendants. Sometimes humans are born with more than five fingers. In fact, it is fairly common. In such cases, it may sometimes be passed on from a father to a son by chance. But as long as this does not interfere with survival, it may be allowed to remain.