Are We Individuals or Just Part of the Herd?

[Rick]

Interesting article about man's role.

http://pathleader.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/prehistoric-man-101/

[Ken]

Interesting article about man's role.

http://pathleader.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/prehistoric-man-101/

Doesn't intellect and the ability to make a variety of tools compensate for the muscles and teeth we don't have?

Doesn't our intellect as a species permit us to claim the title of "most successful carnivor to have lived?"

Does the fact that most of us are omnivores "detract" from our success?

[doug1980]

Very interesting indeed. But I choose not to compare humans with animals. In my opinion they can not be fairly compared. Animals must have the design they have to survive due to the lack of intellegence we however have the intellect to be at the top. I do believe that most people, if put in a situation to be self sufficent, could not survive it alone.

[Rick]

Just to play devil's advocate with you. How many animals kill for fun? How many animals destroy their own environment? Whales used to be able to communicate around the world before we made the oceans too noisy. Intellect judged from who's point of view? Man's?

[Ken]

Just to play devil's advocate with you. How many animals kill for fun? How many animals destroy their own environment? Whales used to be able to communicate around the world before we made the oceans too noisy. Intellect judged from who's point of view? Man's?

I have watched cats kill for no good reason I could discern.

Intellect from the point of view of the species who used it and survived in the face of dozens of other species physically capable of consuming us otherwise.

[doug1980]

Well we may not always make the smartest decisions but we still have greater intellegence. We, as a race, have came a very long way but maybe in the wrong direction.

[wareagle69]

[QUOTE=Ken;111423]I have watched cats kill for no good reason I could discern.

exactly, so you admit you are not a cat and there fore have no understanding of its need to kill

[Ole WV Coot]

I have watched cats kill for no good reason I could discern.

Intellect from the point of view of the species who used it and survived in the face of dozens of other species physically capable of consuming us otherwise.

I have an attack beagle that takes care of cats and I keep my sharpened teeth in a glass by the bed just in case:tongue_smilie: Read the old old book, The Story of the Stick that only humans used as the first weapon and how all weapons will trace back to it. :smash:

[Stairman]

So true, without fur to keep warm, eyes to see at night, claws and teeth to protect us and speed to sprint away from pradators we are a weak animal without our brain. A survivors most important tool.

[Rick]

It is true that there are not many animals that can rub two sticks together and keep themselves warm on a cold night. Then again, most have fur.

[ClayPick]

On an evolutionary timeline I often wonder if the big brain is going to work or if it’s just some flash in the pan mutation. To me the human race seems to be going to hell in a handbag, then again maybe I’m just getting to old.:)