Why do we, the human kind, thrive

[Zerzera]

We don't thrive like the mosquito.

[Noah]

I really hope that you get raped, Tel Fat.

[flibb]

because the environment we live in allows us to, plain and simple

[MetalHeadz]

We thrive so especially because we're WAY more intelligent that any other animal. For a start we have a 'conscious' mentality which allows us think in much more complex ways which, as nickname and surprisingly kthx commented on, allows us to develop and design technology and infrastructure necessary for comfortable and easy living. This puts us outside and above the laws of Darwinian biology, e.g. natural selection, which dictate other species so absolutely.

The conscious brain allows us to design technology, drugs, amenities and luxuries. But the other great facet of the human mind is the ability to conceptualise time. As we can think in terms of the future and past - a mindset no other species is capable of entertaining - we can prepare and learn from all those problems we could be faced yesterday and could face tommorow. The dinosaurs didn't think to build an underground bunker when a giant comet hit earth did they?

Obviously there's other aspects of the human species which are evolutionarily beneficial and which give a prerequisite to world domination - dexterity, reciprocol kinship to name a few. Perhaps the greatest reason why we are such an 'effective' species is because we have eliminated/controlled our predators and have developed cures for diseases. I suggest you read 'The Selfish Gene' by Richard Dawkins if you're truly interested.

Pretty self-explanatory, nice question though.

[Jerome Scuggs]

people like telcat should not be alive. do you know why i hate socialism? communsim? it's because in those societies, idiots will be kept alive. if telcat lived in ayn rand land, she'd be jobless and thus dead within the month. if that makes me a heartless capitalist monster... well, haha, at least there's no telcat in my perfect imaginary society.

seriously, telcat, you're a disgrace to asians everywhere. and whoever let you on the internet, i hope they die. no, death would be to pleasant. i want them to first, lose their job. then lose their house. then fall down some stairs, paralyzing them. and then have to sit there, day after day, watching telcat post on the TWForums. you guys think it's bad? imagine telcat sitting there at her computer, writing this shit. yeah, this fucker will sit there and listen to telcat wonder aloud about "deep" things like how humans could have possibly ever come to dominate this planet. you remember that scene in Pearl Harbor, where FDR is all heroic and slowly climbs out of his chair and stands up, thus proving that anything is possible? weak sauce compared to the swan dive out of the second-story window that our paraplegic friend will pull off.

what the fuck? i mean, you're sitting there, at your computer. your computer. wondering, in front of your computer, how humans got to be the top dawg on the food chain. sitting there, in your climate-controlled shelter, probably a few feet away from a fridge loaded with pork rinds and glue, wondering how we, as humans, could have gotten this far when we're only slightly more intelligent than monkeys. jesus christ telcat, i know your field of vision is limited by those cute, squinty eyes, but this is plain ignorance.

you know what pisses me off is, you're sitting here, pampered enough by modern society that you don't even have to consider your survival, yet completely unaware. there's probably some cute, brilliant guy somewhere in some shitty country, who doesn't know life and happiness, who does have to fight to survive. and you're breathing his air. your mere existence is a slap in the face to mankind.

but in all seriousness, we should fuck sometime. you free saturday?

[Money]

because chinese people have sex

KIK

[T3l Ca7]

Not "versatile"?

Ever seen octopuses changing color to elude predators or changing shape to squeeze through a narrow gap? Ever heard of some kind of snakes froze to sticks in winter, only to resurrect during spring?

Read my original post, I did not say we are not 'versatile', I was just saying that we are not 'particularly' so.

The use of tools by animals other than humans is very limited. Animals do not use multi-level logic with this kind of tool use. Their use of tools is derived from simple trial and error, if it works in helping them eat, they use it. For example, a bird that has learned to drop a nut on a road and let the car crush it for them is a far cry from an animal designing, developing and manufacturing the car that crushed it. In fact, I do not see how anyone could even try to argue that humans and animals both use tools at the same level.

About the part in regards to human inventions. Sure we have invented a lot of things. But think about it, most of the inventions were made after we had reached a population of 50 million world wide and developed a sophisticated system of communications. Most important of all, after we had means to record our inventions.

Do you really think if kthx, Nickname, Scurvy and AnidaLife were living in an era some 5000 years ago, they were able to invent matches or paper or axes?

We thrive so especially because we're WAY more intelligent that any other animal. For a start we have a 'conscious' mentality which allows us think in much more complex ways which, as nickname and surprisingly kthx commented on, allows us to develop and design technology and infrastructure necessary for comfortable and easy living.

First, you suggest you to read this article:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...-30417,00.html

University of Auckland scientists placed a meat treat out of the crows' reach in a 15cm-deep hole. Nearby were two "toolboxes" with vertical bars through which the birds could insert bills, but not their heads.

A stick long enough to fish the meat from the hole was in one toolbox, but too far behind the bars for the crow to reach. The other toolbox contained a stone in the same position.

In front of both boxes lay a stick too short to extract the meat, but capable of reaching the long stick.

All seven crows worked out how to get the long stick and extract the meat.

As I have said, some animals are quite intelligent (considering their short life span).

We, on the other hand, are just slightly smarter :fear:

The dinosaurs didn't think to build an underground bunker when a giant comet hit earth did they?

Do you really think if we build an gaint underground facility when the comet the size of the moon were to collide with earth, we human, as a specie would be able to survive?

[Liquid Blue]

people like telcat should not be alive. do you know why i hate socialism? communsim? it's because in those societies, idiots will be kept alive. if telcat lived in ayn rand land, she'd be jobless and thus dead within the month. if that makes me a heartless capitalist monster... well, haha, at least there's no telcat in my perfect imaginary society.

seriously, telcat, you're a disgrace to asians everywhere. and whoever let you on the internet, i hope they die. no, death would be to pleasant. i want them to first, lose their job. then lose their house. then fall down some stairs, paralyzing them. and then have to sit there, day after day, watching telcat post on the TWForums. you guys think it's bad? imagine telcat sitting there at her computer, writing this shit. yeah, this fucker will sit there and listen to telcat wonder aloud about "deep" things like how humans could have possibly ever come to dominate this planet. you remember that scene in Pearl Harbor, where FDR is all heroic and slowly climbs out of his chair and stands up, thus proving that anything is possible? weak sauce compared to the swan dive out of the second-story window that our paraplegic friend will pull off.

what the fuck? i mean, you're sitting there, at your computer. your computer. wondering, in front of your computer, how humans got to be the top dawg on the food chain. sitting there, in your climate-controlled shelter, probably a few feet away from a fridge loaded with pork rinds and glue, wondering how we, as humans, could have gotten this far when we're only slightly more intelligent than monkeys. jesus christ telcat, i know your field of vision is limited by those cute, squinty eyes, but this is plain ignorance.

you know what pisses me off is, you're sitting here, pampered enough by modern society that you don't even have to consider your survival, yet completely unaware. there's probably some cute, brilliant guy somewhere in some shitty country, who doesn't know life and happiness, who does have to fight to survive. and you're breathing his air. your mere existence is a slap in the face to mankind.

but in all seriousness, we should fuck sometime. you free saturday?

l-o-l

thought this was a vyk post at first, still lol regardless

[Blood]

to telcat:

Human beings have language. They are able to communicate with each other in an advanced manner.

Animals do not have language. Before you go on and argue that cows say "moo", let me point out to you that these are signalling systems. Animals do not have anything even remotely close to the communicative capabilities of humans, and some scholars believe this is the feature which sets us most apart from the rest of the animals.

[Blood]

Do you really think if we build an gaint underground facility when the comet the size of the moon were to collide with earth, we human, as a specie would be able to survive?

The suggested asteroid that hit Earth back in dinosaur days was not the size of the moon, but approx. 5-15km wide. The moon has a radius of 1700 kilometers. You are just being silly, girl. If something the size of moon would hit the earth we would be truly toast.

[Blood]

But think about it, most of the inventions were made after we had reached a population of 50 million world wide

oh man, I guess it's looking grim for the cancer patients

[Blood]

Ever seen octopuses changing color to elude predators or changing shape to squeeze through a narrow gap? Ever heard of some kind of snakes froze to sticks in winter, only to resurrect during spring?

Read my original post, I did not say we are not 'versatile', I was just saying that we are not 'particularly' so.

Human beings have been evolving and continue to evolve constantly to a more and more versatile version of their own species. As our minds grow our senses deteriorate. I figure sometime down the line humans won't have reflexes anymore, but at that point we probably won't need them as we've worked out some way around them. We are the kings of multitasking and indeed, very intelligent (when compared to Earth's other species). My only guess is that when you do not feel particularly smart yourself, you go around claiming the entire human race is barely above animal level.

[Kolar]

About the part in regards to human inventions. Sure we have invented a lot of things. But think about it, most of the inventions were made after we had reached a population of 50 million world wide and developed a sophisticated system of communications. Most important of all, after we had means to record our inventions.

Do you really think if we build an gaint underground facility when the comet the size of the moon were to collide with earth, we human, as a specie would be able to survive?

We hit a technological boom in the 1800s but when you're talking about technology in a prehistory context you have to recognize that the very basics matter. An axe as simple as we see it 30,000 years ago was a very sophisticated tool. A bow, a sword, paper, cooking utensils, writing tools ect... are all extremely important, digital technology is not somehow different in terms of technological innovation. We also hit another technological boom called the neolithic revolution about 10,000 years ago.

We reached a global population of 50 million in 1000 BCE, prior to that you have Greek, Egyptian and other ancient cultures at a high level of understanding of science and technology for their time. Population doesn't seem to matter much, it has in the past 100 years or so mattered because it has stressed our resources and pushed us to tackle issues concerning the environment, food supply and foreign relations.

Animals act on instinct, there is no thought process to their actions. Humans have a superior ability over all other animals on Earth to problem solve, comprehend ideas, learn and think abstractly. We are not merely slightly ahead either.

Something much smaller than Earth's moon would completely destroy the Earth.

[Ephemeral]

Ever seen octopuses changing color to elude predators or changing shape to squeeze through a narrow gap? Ever heard of some kind of snakes froze to sticks in winter, only to resurrect during spring?

Yes, but pointing out that animals have evolved these survival adaptations without referencing and comparing them to human’s incredible adaptations is not going to make your attempted argumentative position any stronger.

Read my original post, I did not say we are not 'versatile', I was just saying that we are not 'particularly' so.

Hmm, i am pretty sure that I did read your post. Relying on adverbs as a defense in a discussion only undermines a person’s credibility. It is like saying ‘I kind of think this or that’ and then later arguing that you said ‘kind of’.

About the part in regards to human inventions. Sure we have invented a lot of things. But think about it, most of the inventions were made after we had reached a population of 50 million world wide and developed a sophisticated system of communications. Most important of all, after we had means to record our inventions.

The Bronze Age started near 3500BC, it watermarked humans ability to change metals into a more useful form. Things like measuring time, measuring distance, the wheel, control of fire are all things that were understood before there were 50 million soles on this rock called earth. And even before that, humans understood HOW to think, and THAT represents one of the most important aspects in our integral evolutionary transformation.

[inaphyt]

people like telcat should not be alive. do you know why i hate socialism? communsim? it's because in those societies, idiots will be kept alive. if telcat lived in ayn rand land, she'd be jobless and thus dead within the month. if that makes me a heartless capitalist monster... well, haha, at least there's no telcat in my perfect imaginary society.

seriously, telcat, you're a disgrace to asians everywhere. and whoever let you on the internet, i hope they die. no, death would be to pleasant. i want them to first, lose their job. then lose their house. then fall down some stairs, paralyzing them. and then have to sit there, day after day, watching telcat post on the TWForums. you guys think it's bad? imagine telcat sitting there at her computer, writing this shit. yeah, this fucker will sit there and listen to telcat wonder aloud about "deep" things like how humans could have possibly ever come to dominate this planet. you remember that scene in Pearl Harbor, where FDR is all heroic and slowly climbs out of his chair and stands up, thus proving that anything is possible? weak sauce compared to the swan dive out of the second-story window that our paraplegic friend will pull off.

what the fuck? i mean, you're sitting there, at your computer. your computer. wondering, in front of your computer, how humans got to be the top dawg on the food chain. sitting there, in your climate-controlled shelter, probably a few feet away from a fridge loaded with pork rinds and glue, wondering how we, as humans, could have gotten this far when we're only slightly more intelligent than monkeys. jesus christ telcat, i know your field of vision is limited by those cute, squinty eyes, but this is plain ignorance.

you know what pisses me off is, you're sitting here, pampered enough by modern society that you don't even have to consider your survival, yet completely unaware. there's probably some cute, brilliant guy somewhere in some shitty country, who doesn't know life and happiness, who does have to fight to survive. and you're breathing his air. your mere existence is a slap in the face to mankind.

but in all seriousness, we should fuck sometime. you free saturday?

Communism is a great thing, you are blinded by fake truths