Sure, you can say that many animals have mating rituals that rival ours. There are male birds that flaunt their colorful plumage trying to attract a female, but is that really dating or just a type of seduction? And in the end isn't that what going on dates is all about, seducing that someone we've had our eye on.
Dating is a form of seduction, only for us humans it can sometimes take a much longer time for the desired results to be had. In the animal world there is a specific time of the year when seduction and mating can take place, and with the exception of humans, dolphins and some primates, animals mate to continue their species and not for the pure pleasure of it. For most animals it is the drive to survive as a species.
We humans have taken the whole dating/seduction ritual to unforseen heights. Just think of all the things we do to try and impress that special someone. And why do we want to impress them? Because we think we like them and if we don't do our best to seduce them using all sorts of dating tricks and techniques then someone else will and that's just not acceptable.
So why do we date?
To impress someone we are interested in? I would say yes on that one. I can't think of any other reason to spend that kind of time and money other then to do just that.
To continue the human species? This is a far more subjective question. Do we really need more humans on the world? That's debatable. I think for the majority of humans it's for a little more selfish reasons and that's to have somone come after us who carries the family name onward into the future.
Just for the fun of it? Now here's whole another way to look at it. Meeting new people is fun. Particularly if you are attracted to them. Dating is fun and it introduces us to whole new ways of thinking and approaching people.
The why do we date question is a hard one to answer, but whatever your reasons may be it's a part of what makes us human.
