The Evolution of Animals

[PaulaJedi]

What is evolution's ultimate goal? Think about it. I'll start right out with examples of what I'd like to discuss.

Talking Parrots - Why is evolution developing the language portion of a bird's brain? Sure, right now they are mimicking, but in a few thousand years will the birds understand what they are saying? They already know basic math and are compared to 3 year olds. How about in a few million years? Will their brains be more human? Do you think this is the result of human interaction inadvertently manipulating evolution?

House Pets - Are we inadvertently creating new types of cats and dogs? In thousands of years, will we have a mild, tame cat and dog that doesn't have as many kittens/puppies as well as a wild version of these animals?

Can you think of more examples? Let's hear your ideas.

NOTE: This thread assumes evolution exists. I kindly request that we keep debates about whether or not evolution is real in another thread. Thanks.

 

[Itheblaze]

My Grandmaw, her cat Kitty Baby, and I, were watching the Lawrence Welk show. Grandmaw was going on how pretty the waltzing was, and I grabbed Kitty Baby and started to waltz with her. A very shocked Kitty Baby exclaimed, "Meooww-Noooo, Nooooo!" Well, I dropped the cat and Grandmaw, laughing, said, " No means no!"

 

[PaulaJedi]

My Grandmaw, her cat Kitty Baby, and I, were watching the Lawrence Welk show. Grandmaw was going on how pretty the waltzing was, and I grabbed Kitty Baby and started to waltz with her. A very shocked Kitty Baby exclaimed, "Meooww-Noooo, Nooooo!" Well, I dropped the cat and Grandmaw, laughing, said, " No means no!"

Yes, cats are intelligent as well. I wonder how they are going to turn out in a few million years. They don't have speech developed like parrots, though.

 

[Falkon303]

What is evolution's ultimate goal? Think about it. I'll start right out with examples of what I'd like to discuss.

Talking Parrots - Why is evolution developing the language portion of a bird's brain? Sure, right now they are mimicking, but in a few thousand years will the birds understand what they are saying? They already know basic math and are compared to 3 year olds. How about in a few million years? Will their brains be more human? Do you think this is the result of human interaction inadvertently manipulating evolution?

House Pets - Are we inadvertently creating new types of cats and dogs? In thousands of years, will we have a mild, tame cat and dog that doesn't have as many kittens/puppies as well as a wild version of these animals?

Can you think of more examples? Let's hear your ideas.

NOTE: This thread assumes evolution exists. I kindly request that we keep debates about whether or not evolution is real in another thread. Thanks.

This is a really interesting question. From a completely unbiased perspective, we have to think that evolution is made up of completely random mutations, and many of them fail and are ultimately useless, but it is the successful mutations we remember because the species survives. I came to the same kind of conclusion that you are hinting at, which is that evolution might have a driving force behind it, but my teacher told me that it's complete random chance. I still haven't accepted that myself either. I kind of feel like there's something intelligent behind the mutations that is aware of the environment, but how do you prove something like that?

 

[Itheblaze]

Scientists have been able to teach sign language to apes and gorillas. Some using it to get what they want, snack, hug, ect. It's more than mimicking. They are using their own thought process. It's amazing what they trained this little spider monkey to do. He was the companion of a paraplegic. He could brush the man's hair, wash his face, fetch a soda from the fridge, open it and put a straw in it, and hold it up for the man to take a sip. I think these kinds of animals are using parts of their brains that in the wild would be dormant. I think that's a way for some to evolve.

 

[Itheblaze]

What's interesting is wild parrots don't talk unless they've been exposed to pet parrots that have escaped or released in the wild. Then you have the cases of children who have been raised in the wild, say by wolves, and act and howl, just like a wolf, with no human speech whatsoever. Some evolvement then is dependent on environment. Even if you have the ability to speak, such as the parrots or wild child, it will never be brought out without outside influence.

 

[PaulaJedi]

What's interesting is wild parrots don't talk unless they've been exposed to pet parrots that have escaped or released in the wild. Then you have the cases of children who have been raised in the wild, say by wolves, and act and howl, just like a wolf, with no human speech whatsoever. Some evolvement then is dependent on environment. Even if you have the ability to speak, such as the parrots or wild child, it will never be brought out without outside influence.

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Why is nature giving them the ability to speak. I think evolution meant it as a mimic feature to help scare off prey, but they're just too good and too intelligent.

 

[PaulaJedi]

What is evolution's ultimate goal? Think about it. I'll start right out with examples of what I'd like to discuss.

Talking Parrots - Why is evolution developing the language portion of a bird's brain? Sure, right now they are mimicking, but in a few thousand years will the birds understand what they are saying? They already know basic math and are compared to 3 year olds. How about in a few million years? Will their brains be more human? Do you think this is the result of human interaction inadvertently manipulating evolution?

House Pets - Are we inadvertently creating new types of cats and dogs? In thousands of years, will we have a mild, tame cat and dog that doesn't have as many kittens/puppies as well as a wild version of these animals?

Can you think of more examples? Let's hear your ideas.

NOTE: This thread assumes evolution exists. I kindly request that we keep debates about whether or not evolution is real in another thread. Thanks.

This is a really interesting question. From a completely unbiased perspective, we have to think that evolution is made up of completely random mutations, and many of them fail and are ultimately useless, but it is the successful mutations we remember because the species survives. I came to the same kind of conclusion that you are hinting at, which is that evolution might have a driving force behind it, but my teacher told me that it's complete random chance. I still haven't accepted that myself either. I kind of feel like there's something intelligent behind the mutations that is aware of the environment, but how do you prove something like that?

I don't know. I personally can't believe it's all random. Does a giraffe have a long neck because his food source is up higher, or does he eat food up high because he randomly acquired a long neck?

Cats have whiskers. Did they develop whiskers to move around in tight places, or did they decide to hunt in tight spaces because they have whiskers?

It's my opinion that evolution is environment base. I believe it creates features that help the animal survive. Perhaps some mutations are random, but they all can't be, IMHO.

Another example --- There are fish with their own light source deep in the ocean. How can that be random?

 

[Krish]

A paranormalis idea:


All life forms have what you may call souls...

These days, some dogs do carry people who have done bad things in the past...but once they are in a decent household, they may or may not become dogs....But they connect to what humans do in the daily life and understand life basics...simply because the dog life form does hold small amount of intelligence. But over many generations, they do grow...slowly.

So, you will see a smarter dog in say 100 years to the future....

Plants have souls too as my rose bush told me that do not use regular fertilizers as it destroys the roots....but it could be my own subconscious telling that...never know this type of stuff...

Just some thoughts to think...

 

[jcolanzi]

The Dolphins are highly evolved. Their brain to body mass is actually greater than that of humans.