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The fertility rate is dropping off a cliff, almost everywhere. I picked Bangladesh because that is one of the countries you would think would be reproducing at huge rates....
That is something I find extremely interesting. I didn't know about that. I wonder why that's happening?
We are not more special than other animal species. Each species has its own special attributes due to how it evolved.
That of course depends on how you define special. Given the context though, I don't think it's unreasonable to say humans are special, because the topic involves adaptability, not strictly biology. I'm not saying it's unreasonable to say humans are not special either...but this is silly semantics...nothing more.
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So what if we have fine hands or langue. How will that enable you to breath under water or live in the ocean naturally as whales and dolphins do?
which doesn't matter, given the topic.
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You would think with such superior minds that the world would be a a much better place and that all the horrors humans have done to each other as well as to other animal species would not have occurred if indeed we were so special as you want to think.
Well there's not a very high bar compared to what goes on in the animal world. I don't eat my young. I figure that's about all I need.
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Who cares what you find boring personally. You clearly know nothing about the biology of other interesting animal species. No they are not just running genetic programs like a bio-robot. That's an absurd assertion and it holds zero merit.
In a mostly irrelevant technical kind of way it holds zero merit...but it's not real far off. None of those creatures are making a conscious, informed decision to do the things they do. They lack the understanding of the world to really contemplate whether they should or not. They're robots that can feel pain...robots destined to engage in perpetual self-harm. We literally do have superior minds in every way I can think of.
Now that, of course depends on what we mean by superior...but if we're talking about basically any practical definition of "superior" anyone might have that involves what's best for any species...I see a lot of reason to argue that humans have the superior minds.
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Humans don't deserve any praise for our little tricks either. What you call a human achievement occurs all the time in the animal world....but how would you know...you've never studied biology.
Not unless we're comparing a vast array of other species to one species: humanity, or we're talking about the cells that compose other life forms.
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Who ever said they did?
All organisms have adaptations that help them survive and thrive. Some adaptations are structural. Structural adaptations are physical features of an organism like the bill on a bird or the fur on a bear. Other adaptations are behavioral. Behavioral adaptations are the things organisms do to survive. For example, bird calls and migration are behavioral adaptations.
What culture has replaced human evolution?
They're called memes. They build cultures...all cultures.
What he said was we have replaced nature with culture to an astounding degree...not that nature has been entirely replaced by culture.
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It depends from your definition of war.
Technically all territorial social animals are divided in groups that have their territories with their borders and they do not allow other animals of the same species to cross their borders and take their resources. In time when food is scarce, a group may invade another group’s territory where they can find more resources. Of course this will result in a battle between the two groups which will be technically considered “war” by human standards.
The term "war" is inappropriate to describe conflict in the non-human animal kingdom.
And you didn't explain why. It's the same thing either way: desire for resources. Any differences are trivial, at least given the context of this discussion.
I'm picking on you because Neuling, while he has phrased certain statements in ways I might not agree with...he has stated nothing particularly untrue, nor foolish, and you have been treating him like he has. While I haven't seen either of you make statements that are exactly wrong (basically)...depending on your perspective...you have made all the statements I have noticed that come closest to being best described as wrong.
In another post you stated that you post facts. Many of your postings have been mere opinions.
You are wrong about being the only "correct" one in this discussion between you two.
Again, your lack of understanding on how the natural world works is why you keep posting nonsense.
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people going to access clean water?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to go vegetarian?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to find housing without deforesting?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to stop driving cars or taking plane rides?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to not need heat or AC?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to stop farming and fishing?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to stop using artificial light?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to stop buying manufactured products?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to stop using pesticides?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to dispose of their trash?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to not use one earth resource to exist?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to not affect global warming?
Do tell how 5 or 10 billion people are going to curb overpopulation?
The wide spectrum of how all those aspects of modern life are dealt with in various countries with an acceptable standard of living shows that some countries are just way more efficient than others. For instance price can be a means of making people change their behaviors. In countries where gas is cheap people tend to drive bigger cars with poor mileage. Make gas expensive and people will start to buy small, efficient cars.
Same with water consumption. In some countries homes don't even have counters, yet, so people waste water. But where I live water is expensive and every month someone will come and read my counter or I communicate my consumption myself.
Disposing of trash? Why not produce less trash in the first place?
Location: Somewhere between the Americas and Western Europe
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Empower women, and birthrates go down and stabilize.
The western world does not have an overpopulation problem. China's is about to take care of itself within 50 years. Lati America is leveling off.
It's only the worst parts of the world beset by religious superstition and backwards cultural practices that still have people breeding like rabbits. In the old days, most of the kids wouldn't survive. But now, western medicine and development is fueling the population boom, because the cultures are lagging behind the tech.
Demographers can only guess how those cultures will change as their economic fortunes improve. As mentioned above, Bangladesh has seen a huge drop. Now they are at replacement birth rate level (which if you factor in higher mortality may mean actual decline).
Sometimes when birthrates fall the economic prospects of a country also improve. Such as in Mexico. Less competition for jobs.
Do explain how the study of Biology leads to "a rather low-level perspective"?
Biology is the study of living organisms, divided into many specialized fields that cover their morphology, physiology, anatomy, behavior, origin, and distribution.
I am not only a Biologist I am also a Chemist, and hold a Master of Science in Molecular Diagnostics.
I don't hold anything but a factual perspective about life on earth vs. the rather low-level Anthropocentric view as demonstrated in your comments and DM's to me.
Studying anthropology is not going to teach you about earths limited resources, carrying capacity and the destruction humans have caused and will continue to cause to this earth, other animal species and even plants...all due to overpopulation.
You live in a fantasy to think humans have taken over this world. No nature rules this world not humans.
Most anthropocentric minded folks never do.
Nope I don't repeat myself here. I simply offer facts.
That is exactly what I mean by low-level. I knew every little detail of the citric acid cycle, cells funciton etc., but I felt like I didn't see the forest for the trees.
And again I disagree with most of what you said...
Empower women, and birthrates go down and stabilize.
The western world does not have an overpopulation problem. China's is about to take care of itself within 50 years. Lati America is leveling off.
It's only the worst parts of the world beset by religious superstition and backwards cultural practices that still have people breeding like rabbits. In the old days, most of the kids wouldn't survive. But now, western medicine and development is fueling the population boom, because the cultures are lagging behind the tech.
Demographers can only guess how those cultures will change as their economic fortunes improve. As mentioned above, Bangladesh has seen a huge drop. Now they are at replacement birth rate level (which if you factor in higher mortality may mean actual decline).
Sometimes when birthrates fall the economic prospects of a country also improve. Such as in Mexico. Less competition for jobs.
Yep, I agree that religion/superstition and traditions are a big problem. In their - understandable - distrust towards the West, many people in developing countries in Africa and Asia cling to their own cultures even if those urgently need an update or overhaul.
Chinese superstition and traditions for instance might lead to the extinction of rhinos and elephants.
The fertility rate is dropping off a cliff, almost everywhere. I picked Bangladesh because that is one of the countries you would think would be reproducing at huge rates....
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Originally Posted by Clintone
That is something I find extremely interesting. I didn't know about that. I wonder why that's happening?
With regard to Bangladesh specifically, having fewer children is something they teach in the schools. Children are taught that the road to poverty is followed by having many children.
With regard to the world at large, I think it is more a reflection of the realization by almost all populations that is is simply not necessary to have large families. Never before in history have women found freedom the way they are finding it now.
The wide spectrum of how all those aspects of modern life are dealt with in various countries with an acceptable standard of living shows that some countries are just way more efficient than others. For instance price can be a means of making people change their behaviors. In countries where gas is cheap people tend to drive bigger cars with poor mileage. Make gas expensive and people will start to buy small, efficient cars.
Same with water consumption. In some countries homes don't even have counters, yet, so people waste water. But where I live water is expensive and every month someone will come and read my counter or I communicate my consumption myself.
Disposing of trash? Why not produce less trash in the first place?
I see you simply toss out hypotheticals vs. real solutions to the questions I asked you.
That is exactly what I mean by low-level. I knew every little detail of the citric acid cycle, cells funciton etc., but I felt like I didn't see the forest for the trees.
I see all you can do is toss out an insult and add on that you know every little detail of the citiric acid cycle and cell functions.
Knowing those details means nothing with respect to understanding the Animal Kingdom, Ecosystems and how they function; nor does it help you realize humans are driving these systems into extinction.
You narrow focus on the details of the citric acid cycle and cellular function certainly shows you've missed the bigger picture.
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Originally Posted by Neuling
And again I disagree with most of what you said...
Yes I know you like to repeat yourself thinking it will mean anything substantial...however I disagree with most everything anthropocentric minded folks say. Their low-level perspective is not my cup of tea.
Well there's not a very high bar compared to what goes on in the animal world. I don't eat my young. I figure that's about all I need.
Well of course you figure that.
Did you realize that humans molest, traffic and kill their own children as well? Yep that makes us superior.
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Originally Posted by Clintone
They lack the understanding of the world to really contemplate whether they should or not.
You don't know what animals think or what understanding they have of the world. It's laughable reading how you think you know.
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Originally Posted by Clintone
They're robots that can feel pain...robots destined to engage in perpetual self-harm.
Humans share the same attributes you just described....you want to know why? We are also animals.
Nope other animals species are not robots...after-all they are consciously aware animals.
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Originally Posted by Clintone
We literally do have superior minds in every way I can think of.
Sure, humans are unique in the animal world, but certainly not superior.
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Originally Posted by Clintone
In another post you stated that you post facts. Many of your postings have been mere opinions.
After reading all of the nonsense you posted I can only conclude that you don't know the difference between facts and opinions.
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