I was taught that it's basically meaningless to say that any species is more advanced than any contemporary species. Different species are adapted to different conditions, and we all have an equally lengthy evolutionary history (assuming a single origin of all modern life). I think one could argue that one species CAN be more advanced than others, but I doubt that many biologists would argue that the massive human brain would be just as valuable to a chetah, leech, or oak tree as it is to us, and I doubt many would say that one can measure how advanced a species is by the size or capabilities of its brain.
All of which goes to say that not all people who accept the reality of evolution consider our species more advanced than others. Indeed, I know people who think we're a scourge upon the land and inferior, at least morally, to species that have not wrought such great and terrible change. There is some truth to your statement, Wayne. I certainly could not kill a human as easily as a spider on my wall or a weed in my garden, and the more similar an organism is to a human, the more I care how it feels. I think most humans probably feel the same way. I think you just need to be less absolute, if you want to be accurate. Jim Crants On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 1:06 PM, Warren W. Aney <[email protected]> wrote: > I agree with Tom: I don't think we can generalize. > > Some religions do profess the superiority of humans over the animals, end > of > story. However, many religions now agree that any such superiority carries > with it a divinely directed duty to act within creation as care-taking > stewards rather than outside of creation as exploiting overlords. > > And some evolutionary scientists might ask how you define "most advanced" > -- > in terms of species' specialization, Malcom's bovine might be considered > more advanced than humans, e.g, hooved instead to toed feet are better for > running, a complex digestive system is better for processing a wide variety > of plant materials, a better sense of smell and hearing, more efficiently > spaced estrus cycles, etc. > > Warren W. Aney > Senior Wildlife Ecologist > Tigard, OR > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of malcolm McCallum > Sent: Friday, 18 September, 2009 08:55 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Intelligence Who is the greatest of them all? > > Do Hindu's believe this? > I thought the bovine was the top of the caste system? > I am reminded of an east asian religion (which one I do not remember) > that believed humans > were lice on God's head..... Not sure where that fits in. > > On Fri, Sep 18, 2009 at 7:23 AM, Tom Cuba <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Please consider the number of humans on the planet, their wide variety of > > both stereotypical and highly personal beleifs and ask if a > generalization > > such as this is even properly posed. > > > > Tom Cuba > > > >> > > Ecolog: > >> > >> Would you please assess the following > > statement for its veracity and > >> completeness? Is it misleading in > > any way, especially with respect to > >> evolutionary biology? > >> > >> "Humans consider themselves to be above 'the > > animals,' believing that they > >> are superior, either chosen by > > 'God' or are products of an evolutionary > >> process in which they > > are the most highly developed example of that > >> process, the most > > highly 'advanced' species." > >> > >> > >> > >> WT > >> > > > > > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum > Associate Professor of Biology > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > Texas A&M University-Texarkana > Fall Teaching Schedule: > Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; > Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm > Office Hourse- TBA > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. > -- James Crants, PhD Scientist, University of Minnesota Agronomy and Plant Genetics
