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 Topic: Some questions about evolution

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  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #270 - January 03, 2010, 01:36 AM

    I think the debate is getting pointless here.

    You cannot prove to me that a higher power may not have made certain changes in the environment happen which led to the evolution of humans, and I cannot prove to you that it didn't occur through mere chance. So we'll just keep going around in circles here.

    Lets end the debate with a positive note, we can all keep our beliefs, my beliefs remain the same that it may or may not have been guided by a higher power, and you can completely reject that possibility without evidence if you'd like to  Smiley.
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #271 - January 03, 2010, 01:38 AM

    Actually no one's going in circles here. From what I've read people keep addressing your points and you keep re-stating those same points even after they have been put to rest. You did the same thing in the Forced-Abortions thread too.

    Iblis has mad debaterin' skillz. Best not step up unless you're prepared to recieve da pain.

  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #272 - January 03, 2010, 01:42 AM

    I think the debate is getting pointless here.

    You cannot prove to me that a higher power may not have made certain changes in the environment happen which led to the evolution of humans, and I cannot prove to you that it didn't occur through mere chance. So we'll just keep going around in circles here.

    Lets end the debate with a positive note, we can all keep our beliefs, my beliefs remain the same that it may or may not have been guided by a higher power, and you can completely reject that possibility without evidence if you'd like to  Smiley.


    No one was trying to disprove your beliefs as far as I'm concerned.  Some stuff that you were saying was a bit inaccurate to say the least and I attempted to correct you.  I take it that you don't know much about genetics, otherwise you would not have come up with what you wrote.

    "Modern man's great illusion has been to convince himself that of all that has gone before he represents the zenith of human accomplishment, but can't summon the mental powers to read anything more demanding than emoticons. Fascinating. "

    One very horny Turk I met on the net.
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #273 - January 03, 2010, 01:59 AM

    1) The mutations which are harmful/neutral can indeed be random
    2) It may be possible that a guiding power is behind the changes in the environment and the benefical mutations happening at the same time.

    As an example, consider this:
    - A certain species of apes develops a non-beneficial mutation which will make it (or one of its descendent's) more suitable for walking on 2 feet
    - A collision occurs which causes the landscape to be changed from thick rainforests where swinging from trees is the best way for apes to move, to open grasslands where walking on 2 feet is more effective
    - Over the next millions of years that species of apes is given an advantage in the energy they save because of their walking on 2 feet mutation
    I'm saying that the events i've described above (the initial non-beneficial mutation, the change in the landscape, etc) may have had the influence of a higher power which caused them all to occur at exactly the right time.

    To clarify are you now proposing this 'guiding hand' is actually changing the environment to fit in with our natural changes? Makes no sense on lots of counts.  Why not just believe in God and be done with it?
    If you think of the number of times that natural selection would have had to rely on changes on the environment to cause those traits which which are beneficial to be selected, I think its odds equal up compared to the Boeing 747 analogy.

    No, the 747 analogy has no guiding hand, unlike natural selection, so the odds are drastically reduced.  Like being asked to roll 3 x 5s with 3 dice vs. being asked to roll a 3 x5's but if it doesnt happen then you can roll again i.e. <1% vs 100%
    Secondly, natural selection only describes how the successful mutations spread and the unsuccessful ones are weeded out. The actual formation of the complex systems like the respiratory, nervous, circulatory system, etc continues to happen by chance which is the same as the Boeing 747 being formed due to the blowing of wind inside a garage.

    No its not, each step was a step in the right direction.  Take the often cited human eye for example.  Starts by a photo sensitive cell that reacts to light.  This tells the creature whether its night or day, whether its covered or not.  This is beneficial so it gets passed on.  Then more photo sensitive cells develop allowing it to be more useful and recognise light patterns, thus shapes are mildly identifiable.  For a complete simple stage by stage analysis, there are loads of scientific videos on youtube explaining this much lauded example.
    I'm not sure I understand fully but as an example of the kind of thing you're referring to, I think it would be a man who was very tall and this led to an uncomfortable life for him but led him to fuck a lot but he had an early death? Is that what you're referring to? If so, how would that contribute towards natural selection for me any more than the many other genetic disabilities that occur in humans?

    Something like the female of the species can only copulate by devouring her male partner. In fact if I remember correctly female widow spiders do something equally sick.  Would this fit into your 'guiding hand' hypothesis?
    I'm still failing to see why, if both the beneficial mutations which lead to the development of a new organ/biological system and the neutral/harmful mutations have an equal chance of occurring, then why we do not see as many beneficial random mutations occurring which lead to formation of new organs in any present species

    You need to allow time e.g. we humans could evolve to be stupider if you believe stupid people have more kids.  You need to allow for time, that is what the basis of natural selection hinges on - small probabilities that over time when repeated enough become strong probabilities

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  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #274 - January 03, 2010, 02:03 AM

    Actually no one's going in circles here. From what I've read people keep addressing your points and you keep re-stating those same points even after they have been put to rest. You did the same thing in the Forced-Abortions thread too.


    Wtf dude? This is not what has been happening in this thread. We've been bringing up a series of points and a long discussion. I've hardly been repeating the same thing. The theme to both my comments and that of the others has been the same. If you don't have anything constructive to add other than personal insults & trolling then keep it zipped please!  lipsrsealed
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #275 - January 03, 2010, 02:21 AM

    To clarify are you now proposing this 'guiding hand' is actually changing the environment to fit in with our natural changes? Makes no sense on lots of counts.  Why not just believe in God and be done with it


    Yes that is one possibility that I think might've happened. Can elaborate on where it doesn't make sense?

    No, the 747 analogy has no guiding hand, unlike natural selection, so the odds are drastically reduced.  Like being asked to roll 3 x 5s with 3 dice vs. being asked to roll a 3 x5's but if it doesnt happen then you can roll again i.e. <1% vs 100%

    Ok, thanks for clearing that up, I agree that natural selection raises the odds a lot in that case Smiley

    Something like the female of the species can only copulate by devouring her male partner. In fact if I remember correctly female widow spiders do something equally sick.  Would this fit into your 'guiding hand' hypothesis?

    I don't see why not. I didn't say anywhere that if there is a higher power it needs to be a good one, or a very intelligent one. It can be evil or unintelligent.

    You need to allow time e.g. we humans could evolve to be stupider if you believe stupid people have more kids.  You need to allow for time, that is what the basis of natural selection hinges on - small probabilities that over time when repeated enough become strong probabilities


    Stupidity is not genetic, come on now. If you mean stupid in terms of 'special children' then yes, but not in terms of someone not being good at maths, he can get good if he practices enough.
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #276 - January 03, 2010, 02:51 AM

    Yes that is one possibility that I think might've happened. Can elaborate on where it doesn't make sense?

    I dont think the sun, the earth, the moon, the sea are all synching up to create an environment for Ecoli to digest nitrates. Lets leave it be for now, its a separate discussion that better belongs to a sci-fi thread.

    Quote
    Ok, thanks for clearing that up, I agree that natural selection raises the odds a lot in that case Smiley

    Cool

    Quote
    I don't see why not. I didn't say anywhere that if there is a higher power it needs to be a good one, or a very intelligent one. It can be evil or unintelligent.

    Not much of a 'guiding hand' then?  Its difficult to counter your argument if you dont propose a specific alternative.  If you dont have an alternative, then why add an extra step?  particularly if that extra step is just a question mark? its akin to our ancestors adding god into the equation needlessly when we have a perfectly reasonable scientific explanation for fire being the combustion of oxygen

    Quote
    Stupidity is not genetic, come on now. If you mean stupid in terms of 'special children' then yes, but not in terms of someone not being good at maths, he can get good if he practices enough.

    Some people would advocate IQ is genetic, even if intelligence is environmental, I believe it follows the same logic as natural selection.  Those environmental traits that lead to more successful reproduction, will be the ones that prevail in the future. However as you dont believe it to be genetic, its again a separate discussion that I will lay to rest here.

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  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #277 - January 03, 2010, 07:02 AM

    I agree with you a thousand percent. But it is equally harmful to think that we are predestined to doom or that an apocalypse is inevitable because that will lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy. The fact remains that whether we as a species survive or not remains largely dependent on our own actions, do you disagree?

    That is an entire different debate on whether hope if beneficial in of itself or not. I do not believe hope to be beneficial in of itself. We have terminally ill patients, and patients with disabilities, the patients who were given a bit of hope (false hope that is), were later discovered to less satisfied in their life, than those who were given the rough news from the start.

    Nothing wrong with believing that we, as a specie, are quite capable of destroying ourselves. In fact, it is quite probable unless we do something about it.
     

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #278 - January 03, 2010, 07:07 AM

    The point I wanted to make is that we're highly adaptable. Take away our river waters and we will start to purify our sea water and drink that. Take away all mineral stock on earth and we'll start to mine minerals from stars. Overpopulate earth and we'll start to colonize moon and other planets. Throw an asteroid towards the earth and chances are we'll be able to destroy it mid-space with a powerful nuclear or hydrogen bomb.

    Actually, we believe every 100,000 years an asteroid wipes large portions of life on Earth. We do not think we can intercept the sumbitch if it heads for us. Also, it is exactly our adaptability/intelligence, that is risking us wiping ourselves. The case of us predating on each other.

    And because of our intelligence we are exponentially increasing our own strength, speed, and capabilities in a way that evolution will never be able to keep up with. Whatever advantage it will give to a new species in the future, chances are we would have duplicated it in us a long time ago as a result of our technology.

    We have enough experiments and data to confirm that we are stagnating our specie. It all really started when we moved from a hunter/gatherer society into an agrarian society.

    Nature does favor adaptability and we humans are extremely adaptable.

    Also Imo poor people are just as intelligent as the rich ones. With more and more people getting education eventually most people will be able to make a positive contribution to society.

    It is seen as a race. We either step up and put our intelligence to good use. We either destroy Earth/ourselves First. Either possibilities are on the table.

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #279 - January 03, 2010, 07:10 AM

    Your dying has nothing to do with the species dying. All species that have gotten extinct in the past did not have our levels of technology, intelligence, or adaptation. Hence its stupid to think that we have to follow in their footsteps 'just because'....

    Strawman btw. No one made an allusion that we have to follow their footstep. In a way, you are the only One who wrote such a claim.

    It goes like this:
    We might become extinct. Or we might not become extinct.
    Intelligence got us far. Intelligence also gives us the weapon to destroy ourselves.
    Wishing for One side over another is a form of false hope.

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #280 - January 03, 2010, 07:13 AM

    Cool, so you accept scientific theories are set in stone, unless new evidence is brought to light.  I take it that you accept the evolutionary theory then, unless you see proof to the contrary?

    Liberated accepted evolution since his first post. The only issue he had is, whether the step is 'guided by intelligence' or guided by random 'followed by selection'.

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #281 - January 03, 2010, 07:35 AM

    Yep, but even over billions of years, this stuff occurring by plain chance seems too improbable.

    Who cares if it happens in 10 Billion years or in 10 years. The important thing is we were able to replicate it in a lab and/or in a controlled environment. It is beautiful and grand.

    Correct me if I'm wrong but the current explanation for the formation of the nervous system, circulatory system, the system of sexual reproduction, feeding of babies from the mother's milk in mammals, etc is that these things were developed over hundreds of millions of years, over thousands of random mutations, each one which improved the systems just a bit more, but each mutation was random and happened just by chance.

    And when you see the sequence the eyes and the ears followed to develop into more complex organs, the steps are quite beautiful and simple and always following local rules. No blueprints.

    There has to be another explanation for why those mutations followed such a seemingly intelligent/self-improvising course, they can't just be random imo. You don't get so perfect and complex through mere chance alone.

    We did not locate another explanation. Either you come up with the experiment, to prove your point, either your ideas, which are quite logical actually, and make sense, but are wrong.

    One important observation to make about that experiment is that apart from that one mutation all 12 populations of the bacteria developed seemingly the same mutations.

    Yes. At what point does this prove intelligent mutation? The mutations had already occured in the specie in the past. Mutations to control the size of the bacteria. All that was left was variation/adaptation. They all adapted in a very predictable pattern.

    If they were all random, I would think that there'd be several changes in the mutations each population developed over 20,000 generations if the mutations were indeed random, no?

    The mutation is random, natural selection is not random. When you apply the same Selection mechanism on the same specie, the mutations, although random, should still all follow the same pattern. This is what the theory of evolution predicts and this is what happened.

    We can predict a size increase, we can predict that the color of the liver will not change color except for One in a billion of billions of chances. And even if a creature changes the color of its liver, and i am sure it happened, such a change does not propagate to the rest of the specie.

    So all mutations are mostly similar, and then suddenly one beneficial mutation occurs in one population.

    The mutation for size occured in the specie long before that experiment started. This e-coli bacteria already knew how to modify its size, up to a certain size. It never learned how to grow past that size.

    I would say this neither proves, nor disproves the influence of a higher power over the mutations. It can be taken as a sign of either depending on the view point you take.

    The ability to eat citrate for one colony and not the others. What will the other colonies eventually develop? the Ability to eat citrate? or will it be some other chemical in the broth? What does the intelligent mutation predict?

    Unless there is evidence to prove that there is no influence of a higher power over the mutations, I think its unscientific to close your mind to that possibility.

    This is not the religion class. You can not stand at the pulpit and keep preaching about a good idea or another. There is no invisible gods in here. If you have an idea, than prove it. If you do not have the proof, then please please with much love and respect, shut the fvck up.

    I'm not one to follow the herd by any means though, just the fact that the experts believe something isn't enough for me to not pay attention to what my mind is telling me, i.e its too improbable for all the complex systems of life to have been created through chance alone.

    There exists a herd that had the same thought you do. A Russian herd that destroyed crops in Russia for 20yrs. Shot and imprisoned a lot of scientists. And spent Millions on experiment trying to prove exactly what you believe in. Considering 44% of americans think earth is 10,000 years old, believe me, there is another herd in America.

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #282 - January 03, 2010, 07:47 AM

    Quote
    I normally laugh at creationist arguments but the Being 747 argument rings true for me. If you put all the equipment needed to build a boeing 747 in a garage and for 13 billion years a storm blows through that garage, it still won't be able to assemble the boeing 747 by all the the equipment assembling into place by chance.

    This is not how evolution works. Remember what I wrote very early in this thread that analogies are for thick cunts (barring the analogy of comparing stubborn stupid people to a thick cunt). Next time someone throws this analogy at you, remind him of the following:

    * You are converting the evolution over 13 billion year, to a single storm.
    * You are ignoring the 'local rule' that each parent is compatible with its offpsring, forming a chain.
    * You are completely ignoring any form of directed selection.
    * The only directed selection you introduce, is the plane pilot who walks in the morning and finds tools thrown all over the place.

    How can this analogy still be used to describe the processes of evolution is beyond me.


    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #283 - January 03, 2010, 09:06 AM

    The Boeing 747 analogy is a poor example. In the future they will revert to a space ship but it will still be the same argument. The funny thing is how in reality a Boeing 747 has evolved. From the first stories of Icarus, to Da Vinci?s drawings, to the first planes by the Wright brothers and so on until we reached Boeing 747, which was only possible because we had other technologies ready. Technologies that btw people were working on separately from the people working on plane/flight technology, ie microchips etc. The Boeing 747 is also built by thousands of people, all doing their individual thing, following strict guide lines and being watched over by management. And ending up with a whole plane. What about the Boeings 747s in the junk scrap yards? I'm sure there are plenty of them out there. Are there not many mutations in the real world? The scrap yards of life? Scrap yards of creation? How can there even be such a term? Scrap yard of evolution however...

    There is no 747 Boeing process that follows this in real life. A human is born in 9 months. A fantastic being built from scratch by individuals cells that have nothing to do with each other. Following their own steps. It just looks orchestrated but it?s not. Also, a Boeing 747 has parts from other planes and parts for itself, new parts. The really big difference is that it does NOT have parts it does not need (I very much doubt that it does). They are constantly new models, and later on new speciation such as a space ship or a helicopter (not sure the helicopter is a good example). The point is that in the species of the planes and the species of new technology there are no vestiges of previous models/species. Now that is Intelligent Design. Having a tail bone, goose bumps is not intelligent design, at least I can?t see how the argument of 747 can be used as an example of Intelligent Design for life on earth. Read Dawkins Greatest show on earth. He explains the embryology part of my argument a million times better Cheesy
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #284 - January 03, 2010, 03:22 PM

    Quote from: liberated
    Atheists believe there is no higher power of any sort, while I believe there may be a higher power but there would be a scientific explanation behind it. I think that makes me more of an agnostic than an atheist.


    Quote
    No, agnostics engage the possibility of supernatural influence (i.e. God), atheists only see a scientific explanation, such as the one you are propose.  Nothing wrong with that though  Afro


    I want to get your position straight as, despite your post, I dont understand why you refuse to call yourself an atheist.  You say you are 100% sure that there is no such thing as the supernatural, although there could be a scientifically explainable higher power.  The way to define supernatural higher power would be something  that can defy the laws of science, and in fact creates them.  That is God in fact.  If you are calling out for signs by this power in your bedroom, then I actually believe that this is what you mean and you are an agnostic theist by defintion.

    OTH a scientific power would be susceptible to those very laws of physics.  That is science and where atheists stand.

    So which do you believe in?

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  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #285 - January 03, 2010, 03:37 PM

    I think that whatever may be considered supernatural today will have a scientific explanation one day. I'm currently agnostic but if I get the 'signs' I've asked for for 3 days like I posted on the other thread I'll call myself a deist Smiley
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #286 - January 03, 2010, 03:51 PM

    I think that whatever may be considered supernatural today will have a scientific explanation one day.


    But are you saying it could be the inventor of the laws of physics, and thus circumvent whatever it likes.  This is the crux for your present position (i.e. before you see your signs)

    Also can you tell me why you dont believe in Chrisitanity, or do you think that it contains similar bullshit as do the other relgions?
    Quote
    'm currently agnostic but if I get the 'signs' I've asked for for 3 days like I posted on the other thread I'll call myself a deist Smiley

    I dont blame you if you do.  Are you asking for these signs at a fixed time of day.  Or can it be anything mildly extraordinary at any time of day?


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  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #287 - January 03, 2010, 04:02 PM

    Quote
    But are you saying it could be the inventor of the laws of physics, and thus circumvent whatever it likes.  This is the crux for your present position (i.e. before you see your signs)


    Yes, that's correct.

    Quote
    Also can you tell me why you dont believe in Chrisitanity, or do you think that it contains similar bullshit as do the other relgions?


    Obvious reasons. I don't believe in jesus being son of god, pre-marital sex being a bad thing, etc. Plus stories like adam/eve, noah's arc, etc which can't be scientifically accurate. Plus I do not think that this 'intelligence' would need anyone to go to church and to worship it, etc. Why did you ask this question?

    Quote
    I dont blame you if you do.  Are you asking for these signs at a fixed time of day.  Or can it be anything mildly extraordinary at any time of day?


    Any time of the day. I think I should increase the time limit to a week though. Sometimes when I've asked for stuff like this nothing happens for a few days and then suddenly I get what I was asking for a week-2 weeks later.

  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #288 - January 03, 2010, 04:29 PM

    Yes, that's correct.

    Then that is a supernatural (look it up in the dictionary) being, contrary to what you said at the beginning by saying you were sure there wasnt one.

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  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #289 - January 03, 2010, 06:42 PM

    I think that whatever may be considered supernatural today will have a scientific explanation one day. I'm currently agnostic but if I get the 'signs' I've asked for for 3 days like I posted on the other thread I'll call myself a deist Smiley

    If ghosts exist, they might grant you signs.

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #290 - January 03, 2010, 06:46 PM

    1) The mutations which are harmful/neutral can indeed be random
    2) It may be possible that a guiding power is behind the changes in the environment and the benefical mutations happening at the same time.

    As an example, consider this:
    - A certain species of apes develops a non-beneficial mutation which will make it (or one of its descendent's) more suitable for walking on 2 feet
    - A collision occurs which causes the landscape to be changed from thick rainforests where swinging from trees is the best way for apes to move, to open grasslands where walking on 2 feet is more effective
    - Over the next millions of years that species of apes is given an advantage in the energy they save because of their walking on 2 feet mutation

    Yes, that is exactly what we should see if there exists a god/supreme assclown guiding the evolution. A lot of religious/secular scientists are looking exactly for this.

    "Ask the slave girl; she will tell you the truth.' So the Apostle called Burayra to ask her. Ali got up and gave her a violent beating first, saying, 'Tell the Apostle the truth.'"
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #291 - January 04, 2010, 10:12 PM

    Hey, liberated, since you are a programmer as well, you might want to have a look at this project which considers the way mutations and natural selection works:

    http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtopic.php?p=2418619#p2418619


    There's a version of it for Lazarus/Free Pascal: http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtopic.php?p=2423481#p2423481

    And one for Delphi: http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtopic.php?p=2444323#p2444323
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #292 - January 04, 2010, 10:29 PM

    And then, when you have some time, watch this cool video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m97_kL4ox0
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #293 - January 04, 2010, 10:34 PM

    Thanks mate, I'll check those out Smiley
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #294 - January 04, 2010, 10:38 PM

    Wow, that youtube presentation looks fascinating, thanks Nine! Watching it now
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #295 - January 04, 2010, 11:03 PM

    It's a bit difficult listening to the speaker, because he is so nervous and excited, but it is worth watching.

    The interesting part starts at 18 minutes.
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #296 - January 05, 2010, 01:30 AM

    I'm watching it now. That guy's presentation skills suck hilariously bad
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #297 - January 11, 2010, 06:22 AM

    I have a question and am not trying to be a wise-guy. It's just that I was taught we came from apes and not that we and apes have a common ancestor. At least I think that's what we were taught. There was a diagram...

    If apes and humans have a common ancestor, was the ancestor part ape and part human?
  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #298 - January 11, 2010, 06:42 AM

    I have a question and am not trying to be a wise-guy. It's just that I was taught we came from apes and not that we and apes have a common ancestor. At least I think that's what we were taught. There was a diagram...

    If apes and humans have a common ancestor, was the ancestor part ape and part human?


    First of all, homo-sapiens (ie us) are an ape. We're part of the same superfamily that chimps, gorillas, orang-utans, neanderthals, homo erectus belong to.

    Chimps are our closest surviving relatives, and the common ancestor that chimps and humans share would be a prior ape species that might have similar characteristics to chimps and humans. But being "part ape and part human" is a bit meaningless since humans are apes.



    At some point there must have been some sort of a proto-ape species that was the origins of all the existing (and recently extinct) ape species. When it comes to looking at descent from prior species you should not view it as "part this and part that", its not an accurate way to look at it since we're talking about gradual changes over millions of years. Its like asking if your 18-year-old self is part your 6-your-old self and part your-12-year old self. Evolution is not a process of mix and match where we can say so and so is "part human" and "part ape". It's a process of very gradual change over a long long time, changes being usually undetectable from one generation to the next.


    Iblis has mad debaterin' skillz. Best not step up unless you're prepared to recieve da pain.

  • Re: Some questions about evolution
     Reply #299 - January 11, 2010, 07:03 AM

    Thank you. It's still confusing. If we are apes, but apes are not humans....and our ancestor was a kind of a primate...

    Okay.....are there any fossils of the common ancestor, or of the transitions?









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