Looking at the children of today i'd say they are.
Evolution question...
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Looking at the children of today i'd say they are.
yes they are... their called CHAVS!!!!
EDIT: oh... but i wouldn't say 'slowly' its happened!!!!
Soldato
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It would be cool to time travel to the future and see what has become of our world in 1000 years or so.
well if all they say about global warming is correct then... everyone will be dead in 1000 years
Soldato
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your right, but it would take to long to "enlighten" him, and jesus freaks would interupt me and so would other tools who would argue over small definitions
I think most religions don't have an opinion either way.
Soldato
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I guess you could say language is knowledge that is passed on from generation to generation, so we end up building on it. A lot like Science, etc. We didn't one day come up with quantum physics, out of nowhere. Our knowledge of science goes back for a long time, gets passed on, people learn it, and build on it.
Question 4 is a very interesting one; not so much the idea of a soul, as that simply leads us down the path of religion, but certainly the idea of conscience (and, for that matter, consciousness) are pretty interesting.
Evolution can answer conscience quite "easily" (correct me if I'm wrong, I only have a dabbling interest in biology) by arguing from the social side of things. In a very small nutshell, it states that we act in a good way, as if we endear ourselves to more people we are more likely to pass on our DNA.
The question about consciousness is very interesting though. (I know you didn't ask this, but I misread your original post and it got me onto this!) Why is it that we have this knowledge of the world which seem to elude animals? How do we have this self-awareness, and ability for reflexive thinking? Where does consciousness fit into our brain?
EDIT: Language is also a really interesting question. A fairly strong train of philosophical thought is that language andour ability to think as we do are inherently linked. We could not be intelligent without language, and without intelligence we could not have language.
Evolution can answer conscience quite "easily" (correct me if I'm wrong, I only have a dabbling interest in biology) by arguing from the social side of things. In a very small nutshell, it states that we act in a good way, as if we endear ourselves to more people we are more likely to pass on our DNA.
The question about consciousness is very interesting though. (I know you didn't ask this, but I misread your original post and it got me onto this!) Why is it that we have this knowledge of the world which seem to elude animals? How do we have this self-awareness, and ability for reflexive thinking? Where does consciousness fit into our brain?
EDIT: Language is also a really interesting question. A fairly strong train of philosophical thought is that language andour ability to think as we do are inherently linked. We could not be intelligent without language, and without intelligence we could not have language.
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That would be a fairer dismissal for his books on religion because he is speaking outwith his area of expertise and purporting a view that is dependant on his 'faith'. His books on his area of expertise (evolutionary biology) are highly respected because he knows his subject and as far as we can generally tell are correct based on present knowledge.
I think the man is a twit when it comes to religion but I can't help but respect him for his scientific writings.
So if animals dont apparently know right from wrong how do they learn stuff?
Imo they need to otherwise how can you train a dog to know that if it performs a task it is given a treat, isnt that a form of knowing right from wrong
Imo they need to otherwise how can you train a dog to know that if it performs a task it is given a treat, isnt that a form of knowing right from wrong
Does that make people with Downs a new species?
Soldato
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a dog cant tell something is "right" or "wrong" by our definition.
the dog will only understand what will happpen for each action, i.e. get a treat, or a smack in the face.
the amount of insane replies in this thread annoys me greatly! (not directed at you davie)
Its Kewel Beanz, everyone allowed there approach and opinions.
I find a post like this fascinating, but on the same token some unwanted carp in here too.
On the topic of evolution What was that program on bbc like anyone it was about Darwin
Soldato
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Cheers i forget about the iplayer and suff, usualy use the virgin box to do it but will go have a gander when i get home, which if the snow continues will be a 4pm
Everyone of course is allowed their opinions, but why, oh why, must some people form their opinions based on absolutely no evidence or real thought!
As for the Darwin prog, I thought it was excellent, try and catch it on iplayer.
Speciation has been observed both in the lab, and in the wild. And that's before you get onto ring species, genomic evidence and the fossil record (especially of Cichlids).
Increases in chromosome numbers? That's been observed hundreds of times in plants, although I don't know of any observed cases in animals, the genomic evidence for it is compelling.
The notion that there isn't evidence for speciation is simply wrong.
care to post some links? as I said I may well be wrong. ring species does not count. that is simply mutation within the same species, making new family sub groups.
The point with ring species is that they are only one species because they form a continuous range, if the groups in the middle died out the ends would form two distinct species.
See here for discussion and some examples of speciation. Just googling 'observed speciation' will give you more.