I wonder how we are contributing towards the evolution of other animals. It seems that by keeping some animals in captivity as pets, they are not forced to adapt in order to survive. This may be a disadvantage, not that it matters incredibly in that they are, like us, essentially removed from nature. Though, maybe they are simply evolving in a different way. We keep other animals in captivity for food, and not only are we hindering their evolution, but we are also causing them harm by not treating them well. I do think that is a problem.
We could also be contributing to evolution in a positive way. We are helping/increasing the apes knowledge of tool-using and helping to increase their intelligence, which is a substantial benefit. It would be interesting to be able to leave this planet and see how the apes adapt and evolve.
02 May 2012
Boundary Pushing
Though we have removed ourselves from nature in many senses, I think it is important to recognize that we are within its confines and that it allows us and we need it to improve ourselves. Everything that we construct is natural in that we made it, and in that it was made from things that are natural. If something is made entirely of granite, then the structure itself is also granite. There are many ways that we can see that most of us are, in fact, not much better than nature. Most of us would not survive very well in the Amazon, for example. There are many threats there that we no longer have to, therefore, in general, no longer can deal with. Most of us have lost the knowledge of how to survive on our own because we are so dependent on our grocery stores for food, and dependent on our houses, built by others, for protection from animals.
To make a note here, I do think that eventually, while still working within nature, as we have no choice but to do so, we will be able to be much more free. I think that we will be able to better manipulate nature in time. As our technology increases, we are better equipped to manipulate nature allowing us to do more things. At one point, we could not travel faster than we can run, currently, however, we have created jets which can break the speed of sound - I think the fastest thing we've created is a space craft (NASA's New Horizons Craft) that travelled at 36,360mph. Eventually, I imagine, we'll be able to travel near the tachyons (slowest as the speed of light), or possibly even faster than that, which would still be in the confines of nature.
To make a note here, I do think that eventually, while still working within nature, as we have no choice but to do so, we will be able to be much more free. I think that we will be able to better manipulate nature in time. As our technology increases, we are better equipped to manipulate nature allowing us to do more things. At one point, we could not travel faster than we can run, currently, however, we have created jets which can break the speed of sound - I think the fastest thing we've created is a space craft (NASA's New Horizons Craft) that travelled at 36,360mph. Eventually, I imagine, we'll be able to travel near the tachyons (slowest as the speed of light), or possibly even faster than that, which would still be in the confines of nature.
Our Walls
We, humans, have essentially removed ourselves from the competition of nature. As such, I am not certain that we are continuing to evolve naturally. That's not to say that I think it is a bad thing, we are in control of technology which I think is better for evolution; nature can only give us so much non-immortal, largely inadequate things. So, it seems like it is best that we remove ourselves from nature; we no longer have to struggle in the same way that animals living day-to-day do.We have built our walls that protect us from nature, though we hardly have any natural predators anyway. These walls keep us safe and allow us to focus on other things. We get our food inside these walls, and we can focus on improving ourselves through technology. We are learning how to sustain ourselves while creating protection from threats, at least the threats that we don't make for ourselves.
30 April 2012
Ants
In response to Justine - full post here
Just for the record, I would like to point out an exaggeration. Ants can, at most, lift approximately fifty times their weight. The reason why human cannot do this can be explain as such: Mass increases as a cube of length, while muscle mass increases as the a square of length. This means that if a person were to grow 10 times taller, they would be 1,000 times heavier but only 100 times stronger. As such, more of the individual's muscles must work on holding up the heavier mass. Creature A, weighing 1 ounce, would have an easier time lifting 2 ounces (twice its weight), than a 100 pound creature would have lifting 200 lbs. Despite the proportion of 2:1 in both of these cases, the latter still has to lift less weight, as one hundred pounds is 1600 times heavier than one ounce.
Just for the record, I would like to point out an exaggeration. Ants can, at most, lift approximately fifty times their weight. The reason why human cannot do this can be explain as such: Mass increases as a cube of length, while muscle mass increases as the a square of length. This means that if a person were to grow 10 times taller, they would be 1,000 times heavier but only 100 times stronger. As such, more of the individual's muscles must work on holding up the heavier mass. Creature A, weighing 1 ounce, would have an easier time lifting 2 ounces (twice its weight), than a 100 pound creature would have lifting 200 lbs. Despite the proportion of 2:1 in both of these cases, the latter still has to lift less weight, as one hundred pounds is 1600 times heavier than one ounce.
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