.

[Brugmansia]

Great quotes.

It might imply that if you've ever seen the globe hanging, you'll realise that that fragile ball is our small home and when you get back on the ground it makes sense why we should treat it as a respected garden and make the best of it all with each other in modesty.

Imagine this also, the diameter of earth = approximately 12.000 KM's (slightly more though, but this is easier for the visionary example). If we're standing on the earth, we can't breath above 10 km's in the sky.

Now we have a scale model of the earth, a globe with a diameter of 120 cm. Then you'll see that the area in where we can breath is only 1 milimeter (0.1 cm) wider than the scale globe of 120 cm.

 

[GOD]

" we realized more of ours than other living beings on this Earth"

At the moment . But we have comeing nearer to destroying nature , the climate and ourselves than any other animal has ever done . We werent always the dominant species , there have been others and they arent anymore . The dominance or not of a species can only be judged in hindsight . If we wipe ourselves out other species will probably follow and one will be dominant .

What is being talked about is human blindness and ego .

Ask the mice .

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

Saying bacteria have the potential of organizing into complex societies like we do is stretching it a bit, I know we do come from unicellular beings...

All we know for sure is that we come from other human beings. Remember 'the missing link'? If existence is eternal, I do not see why the human form of life couldn't be eternal either. Existence finds it necessary to manifest itself in the form of bacteria, insects, plants, animals and humanoid beings. In any developed ecosystem it's unavoidable that human beings either develop (by some type of evolution) or arrive there.

It also seems that as the human race starts developing technology (including agriculture and the domestication of horses), Dark Ages are unavoidable, but so is the Enlightenment that follows it. If that is so, I can understand why neither 'God', 'Mother Nature' nor any of the extraterrestial humanoid beings decided to intervene.

 

[Ahuaeynjxs]

You think WE would know if ET's intervened ?

 

[GOD]

" In any developed ecosystem it's unavoidable that human beings either develop (by some type of evolution)" - " or arrive there. "

Please explain exactly what you mean by both of those statements . In short rational sentances .

 

[Dantediv86]

my opinion on this whole humans special or not:
it's all a joke
and it's on us
start laughing
cause it's coming
...

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

You think WE would know if ET's intervened ?

Depends on their type of intervention I guess. What do you think? It's possible we're being 'monitored' and subtly nudged into certain directions, but no grandscale intervention has taken place. IF extra-terrestial humanoids can visit the Earth, they must have a technology that could instantly replace fossil fuel and fossil belief systems. If they'd share that know-how directly, it would be a very noticable type of intervention.

 

[Ahuaeynjxs]

But what if they did, and they're just taking their time to make it look like it was a human invention ?

I'm just reviewing possibilities here... honestly there's no way to tell. Even if a completely deadly virus spread over the face of the earth in a few days ; and they treated everyone during their sleep... noone would know, if they have the technology to exit their solar system, they're way beyond our capacity already.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

" In any developed ecosystem it's unavoidable that human beings either develop (by some type of evolution)" - " or arrive there. "

Please explain exactly what you mean by both of those statements . In short rational sentances .

If existence is fractal, and everything unfolds according to universal principles, the divergion of species should also occur in more or less the same way in other solar systems where life evolves. Especially if it's true that "the universe" wants to experience itself through the human form of life.

With arriving there I meant that humanoid beings may be inhabiting and travelling all of creation. Because if indeed the human nervous system is capable of understanding and then mastering the fundamental principles of existence, it will eventually develop a spaceship (quite unlike our current rockets and shuttles!) to travel to other solar systems.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

if they have the technology to exit their solar system, they're way beyond our capacity already.

This might be their technology, in a nutshell:

The code is explained here.

 

[IJesusChrist]

This is what I believe is the question to answer:
Given all the information of the universe - a computer calculates the outcome of everyone's death. Do we all die the same way the computer says we die?

... I will go to my grave wondering if we are indeed "special" if life is something more than biochemistry. If conciousness is more than an evolutionary advantage...

This is a question.

are we special? are we different from the other 2 species of chimpanzee? forgetting our technological achievements that is

i dont think we are. i think we are just another group of chimps. its my opinion that if we accept this fact we can learn our true nature and have a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

what do you think?

 

[robhR]

Yup, yup we are. We're posting on a message board asking ourselves if we're special.

... I will go to my grave wondering if we are indeed "special" if life is something more than biochemistry. If conciousness is more than an evolutionary advantage...

No you willn't. So long as you can make it another 3 years, 10 months, 2 days.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

No you willn't. So long as you can make it another 3 years, 10 months, 2 days.

Heh, no need to wait that long. Just spend a couple of hours or weeks studying geometry and you will understand in which ways we are more than just biochemistry, and in which way the human form of life is 'special'.

 

[Forkbender]

I don't think the ability to think we are special makes us special.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

I don't think the ability to think we are special makes us special.

What do you mean with special? Are you using it in the sense of "better than"? If so, I would agree.

LOL, I just found out the word special actually stems from the root 'species'.

Etymology

From Old French especial (whence also French spécial), from Latin specialis (from species, speciei). Used in English since the 13th century.

Adjective

1. Distinguished by a unique or unusual quality.

a special episode of a television series

2. Of particular interest or value; certain; dear; beloved; favored.

Everyone is special to someone.

3. (euphemism) Retarded; mentally handicapped

Sometimes it feels like arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics

4. Constituting or relating to a species.

The seven dark spots is a special property unique to Coccinella septempunctata.

I think the human beings are special according to the first definition. Human beings have several unique qualities, though it could be argued that they are sophisticated forms of qualities shared by monkeys and other organisms. For example: the way our thumb is placed and the way we use our hands because of our standing up. Quite similar to the hands of monkeys, but not quite the same. And no matter how hard we try and succeed in teaching monkeys & dolphins sign language and all, they just can't learn it like human children can. This is stuff I learned in grade school. Why are we arguing about it here?

 

[Forkbender]

The force in the jaw of an alligator is also special. Birds can fly. Fish can swim. Trees can make oxygen. All very special.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

are we special? are we different from the other 2 species of chimpanzee? forgetting our technological achievements that is

i dont think we are. i think we are just another group of chimps. its my opinion that if we accept this fact we can learn our true nature and have a deeper understanding of what it means to be human.

I read many books by the zoologist Desmond Morris who pointed out the many similarities between the behavior of monkeys and human beings. He also pointed out differences however, and I learned about other differences myself. It's OK to be aware of and acknowledge the 'monkey dynamics' within the human form of life, and sure one can learn a great deal from it, but it's also OK to take into account the differences. Not just the physical differences, but especially those pertaining to consciousness, self-reflection, peak experiences and technology. I maintain that the human body and nervous system are indeed special. Not necessarily 'better than', but not 'just a monkey' either.

 

[Forkbender]

Yes, I prefer the word 'different'.

 

[robhR]

Yes, we have supercharged monkey brains, opposable thumbs and we see over the tall grass.

I'm gonna put "better than"... Just a little.

But the monkeys aren't trying to turn us all into fossil fuel by killing the ozone and chopping down the life support.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

But the monkeys aren't trying to turn us all into fossil fuel by killing the ozone and chopping down the life support.

Those are mistakes our predecessors made, with the limited knowledge and experience they had. But human beings can and do learn from their mistakes, or the mistakes of their forefathers. A slow process perhaps, but it does occur. DDT and certain PCB's were banned, gasoline doesn't contain lead anymore, it's much easier to be a vegetarian nowadays, wind turbines are placed everywhere, hybrid cars are becoming popular etc.