Why in amongst those millions of other branches of life have we become the only one?
Not contrary. Just not [Darwinian] evolution.But would that not be contrary to evolution though.
They're quite altruistic too.Given the seemingly highly organised and planned counter-assaults that the ants in my backyard keep coming up with, I'm not so sure that they are not rising already!
THE ANTS HAVE HIMhuiogewhgrjklf
because animals/lifeforms do not choose how they change/evolve, you're talking about it as if it is designed and controlled by some sort of conciousness.
THE ANTS HAVE HIM
Not contrary. Just not [Darwinian] evolution.
They're quite altruistic too.
Quick! Block their ventilation shafts so they cant breathe!![]()
Tried that, in fact tried pretty much everything.
I even nuked them from orbit (from an ants perspective anyway) and still they keep coming.......![]()
Get the bleach and boiling water out, its the only way...![]()
Patronising aside: The whole point of [Darwinian] evolution is that it's random. (Rather, mutations are random that if they manifest as desirable traits these are passed on). So we don't "evolve" in a conscious way.... E.g., if we were without light, we wouldn't "evolve" an ability to see in the dark. One lucky individual might, and they'd have babies etc... So I can see why you meant it's contrary to evolution. Only, it's not. It certainly isn't evolution, but one could argue that our evolved intelligence has facilitated us to adapt the environment to our needs. The classic example is clothing kept us warm, limiting our need for body hair.Explain?
Or bacteria. Viruses would be my ultimate example, but they're technically not life.Not toward my kitchen and conservatory they are not. If you want to rule the world, follow the ants example.
Intelligence is a freak of nature, while it worked out well for us it's not exactly a 'must have' for an immediate genetic advantage.
It's also all the proof I need to believe there is no other intelligent life in the universe.
Superior communication.
In before Fox's ridiculous "it's because we have opposable thumbs" theory.
That's a can of worms. There's the argument that our intellect makes us better parents, thus producing ever-improving offspring through 'love' and the family unit and so on. Off course, related to my earlier comment, we could have sex with every female we see to ensure our genetic survival....Intelligence is a freak of nature, while it worked out well for us it's not exactly a 'must have' for an immediate genetic advantage.
Not at all, but is everything totally random or, like the universe itself, does evolution follow a specific set of rules and when the circumstances present in a specific way shouldn't we see more than one instance of it.
Why do all the Planets, Suns, Moons etc all rotate the same way?
But what are the odds of us being the only one.
Patronising aside: The whole point of [Darwinian] evolution is that it's random. (Rather, mutations are random that if they manifest as desirable traits these are passed on). So we don't "evolve" in a conscious way.... E.g., if we were without light, we wouldn't "evolve" an ability to see in the dark. One lucky individual might, and they'd have babies etc... So I can see why you meant it's contrary to evolution. Only, it's not. It certainly isn't evolution, but one could argue that our evolved intelligence has facilitated us to adapt the environment to our needs. The classic example is clothing kept us warm, limiting our need for body hair.
There's an okay book on the subject: "The Artificial Ape: How Technology Changed the Course of Human Evolution".