Register | Sign In


Understanding through Discussion


EvC Forum active members: 65 (9162 total)
1 online now:
Newest Member: popoi
Post Volume: Total: 915,817 Year: 3,074/9,624 Month: 919/1,588 Week: 102/223 Day: 0/13 Hour: 0/0


Thread  Details

Email This Thread
Newer Topic | Older Topic
  
Author Topic:   You are...
lpetrich
Inactive Member


Message 16 of 21 (73922)
12-17-2003 10:04 PM


"Animal" is often used as a putdown to describe uncouth behavior, which is why we may not enjoy being called that.
Furthermore, we have a BIG jump in mental capability over nearly every other present-day species -- only great apes and maybe also dolphins come anywhere close. And great apes are the closest species to our species!
If an animal must be nonsentient, we are not animals.
But if that requirement is relaxed, then we are -- which is very consistent with all our physical features and at least some of our mental features.

Replies to this message:
 Message 17 by crashfrog, posted 12-17-2003 11:11 PM lpetrich has not replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 17 of 21 (73937)
12-17-2003 11:11 PM
Reply to: Message 16 by lpetrich
12-17-2003 10:04 PM


only great apes and maybe also dolphins come anywhere close.
Don't forget grey parrots. They can count and recognize objects - and do so verbally, which is cool.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 16 by lpetrich, posted 12-17-2003 10:04 PM lpetrich has not replied

  
TruthDetector
Inactive Member


Message 18 of 21 (78976)
01-16-2004 11:33 PM
Reply to: Message 15 by roxrkool
12-11-2003 10:28 PM


human = animal ?
I think what everyone is arguing about here is where to draw the line.
Where do you draw the line? Human inteligence is immencly greater, no matter what you try to tell me. So, I think the word animal should be defined in much greater detail before we can continue to argue about something as stupid, and trivial as this.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 15 by roxrkool, posted 12-11-2003 10:28 PM roxrkool has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 19 by crashfrog, posted 01-16-2004 11:56 PM TruthDetector has not replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 19 of 21 (78980)
01-16-2004 11:56 PM
Reply to: Message 18 by TruthDetector
01-16-2004 11:33 PM


Human inteligence is immencly greater, no matter what you try to tell me.
Sure, it's greater, but there doesn't seem to be any reason to think it's fundamentally different.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 18 by TruthDetector, posted 01-16-2004 11:33 PM TruthDetector has not replied

  
Ian C
Inactive Member


Message 20 of 21 (78984)
01-17-2004 12:19 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by M82A1
12-11-2003 10:15 AM


What a great post! Purely data that is sure to spark a debate on taxonomy. Also, it is just fun to know what we are.
It also shows very nicely how evolutionary theory is testable. The taxonomic tree was created based on morphology well before DNA was discovered. Evolution would predict that creatures grouped on one branch would share more genes with each other than they would with creatures on a different branch. And this is what we see. Also, we would expect to see progressively fewer common genes as we ascend the tree from Species to superkingdom. And we see this, too. Predicition made, prediction validated. Granted, not a 100% proof of evolution, but very substantial evidence. Enough for me, anyway.
Eukaryote Animalia Chordata (Vertebrate) Mammalia (Placental) Hominid (or are we classified as Pongids now?) Homo Sapiens Sapiens Ian C.

Ian C.
"Future events such as these will effect you in the future!"

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by M82A1, posted 12-11-2003 10:15 AM M82A1 has not replied

  
Ian C
Inactive Member


Message 21 of 21 (78985)
01-17-2004 12:19 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by M82A1
12-11-2003 10:15 AM


{Duplicate posting - content deleted}
Ian - Just click the submit button once. Twice will cause the message to be posted twice. Even more clicks will cause even more postings.
Cheers,
Adminnemooseus
[This message has been edited by Adminnemooseus, 01-17-2004]

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by M82A1, posted 12-11-2003 10:15 AM M82A1 has not replied

  
Newer Topic | Older Topic
Jump to:


Copyright 2001-2023 by EvC Forum, All Rights Reserved

™ Version 4.2
Innovative software from Qwixotic © 2024