question about evolution?

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

why did evolution create humans? humans have the power to destroy the earth. Our place here really does some weird, kinda like waldo in those puzzles. we dont fit.

[ski]

My opinion is that "the earth" was not in charge of evolution and thus the interests of "the earth" are not accounted for in our evolution.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

do you think another planet dropped us off here to kill earth?

[chezlaw]

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why did evolution create humans? humans have the power to destroy the earth. Our place here really does some weird, kinda like waldo in those puzzles. we dont fit.

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coz evolutation hated the dodo

chez

[ski]

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do you think another planet dropped us off here to kill earth?

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I don't think planets are intelligent beings and thus don't think that earth nor any other planet did anything. I think Primates simply evolved more and more to be better adapted to the environment without regard for the environment itself.

[MrMon]

The original question implies that Evolution has an idea of where it's going. It doesn't, other than DNA successfully reproducing itself. Which is really kind of spooky, if you think about it. The prime directive of DNA is to reproduce itself, anything else is just a side benefit. That's just so bleak, it's sad. No wonder people turn to religion to give life meaning.

[soon2bepro]

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The original question implies that Evolution has an idea of where it's going.

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More than that, it implies the idea that DNA "wants" things.

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The prime directive of DNA is to reproduce itself, anything else is just a side benefit.


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There is no prime directive, no benefit whatsoever. DNA doesn't desire anything, it doesn't have any purpose, it's not sentient. It just is.

DNA reproduces itself and is good at it because of natural selection. Genes that make for a better gene reproducing machine got selected over millions of years of evolution. DNA doens't want to be good at reproducing itself, it just must be. Otherwise it wouldn't be here now (at least not in massive numbers)



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That's just so bleak, it's sad. No wonder people turn to religion to give life meaning.

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What's sad is that such people need that sort of magical meaning to feel justified in doing what they want.

[m_the0ry]

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That's just so bleak, it's sad. No wonder people turn to religion to give life meaning.

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I'm not sure I follow. Enough meaning lies in life's complexity. The way nature works is so beautiful it's a far more meaningful to take it at face value than attributing it to some 'hidden variable.' No, when I think of the incredible order in life, the evolutionary process, bleak is definitely not my state of perception.

[Gugel]

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9339/1154052991071qe0.jpg

The question is, how did evolution produce something of this magnitude of cuteness? How were they not killed off long ago from others cuddling them to death?

[BluffTHIS!]

KKF,

1)If we killed off ourselves and even most other life on earth, in 100 million years there would still be some kind of life and evolution would still be going on with that life, even if it weren't intelligent.

2) Aside from any religious end to the earth and time via God, the earth and everything on it is assured of destruction ultimately when the sun starts dying and expands past earth's orbit.

3) People are still going to be asking this question after all of us here are dead.

[Rduke55]

Well, potential can't really be selected against. And as other posters said, evolution doesn't give a crap about things like effect on other species etc. like in this example. It's just reproduction success differences for what works now when you get down to it for the most part.

Also, humans are certainly not special in this regard - a lot of species have problems with using up all their resources or otherwise destroying their habitat.

[Phil153]

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http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9339/1154052991071qe0.jpg

The question is, how did evolution produce something of this magnitude of cuteness? How were they not killed off long ago from others cuddling them to death?

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They were too busy eating us when we were chimpanzees.

KKF, nice troll. A- for this one.

[arahant]

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http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9339/1154052991071qe0.jpg

The question is, how did evolution produce something of this magnitude of cuteness? How were they not killed off long ago from others cuddling them to death?

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They were too busy eating us when we were chimpanzees.

KKF, nice troll. A- for this one.

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Ok, you've explained kittens, but what about chickens?
How could something so tasty and defenseless evolve?

[soon2bepro]

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Ok, you've explained kittens, but what about chickens?
How could something so tasty and defenseless evolve?

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I'm under the impression that present day chickens have become that way because of human intervention

[arahant]

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Ok, you've explained kittens, but what about chickens?
How could something so tasty and defenseless evolve?

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I'm under the impression that present day chickens have become that way because of human intervention

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It's only fun when the nutjobs take me seriously.