Why We Dominate Earth: Uncovering the Strange Existence, Universe & Everything

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the nature of human existence, dominance over other species, and the broader implications of evolution and intelligence. Participants explore philosophical questions about why humans are here, the concept of normal versus strange, and the relationship between humans and other living beings, touching on themes of evolution, intelligence, and environmental impact.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express confusion about the nature of existence and the concept of normal versus strange.
  • A hypothesis is proposed regarding the extinction of Neanderthals due to competition with Homo sapiens for resources.
  • Biological evolution is suggested as a key factor in human dominance over other species, though questions remain about the specifics of this advantage.
  • Participants discuss the idea that while humans have certain superior traits, other species excel in different areas, such as hummingbirds in hovering and fish in underwater oxygen use.
  • Concerns are raised about the impact of human dominance on other species and ecosystems, with some noting that technological advancements may enhance human survival but also threaten other forms of life.
  • There is speculation about the survival capabilities of bacteria and viruses compared to humans, with some suggesting that high intelligence has not proven to be a successful long-term survival strategy.
  • Participants share interests in animal intelligence and behaviors, highlighting the complexity of non-human cognition.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with some agreeing on the role of evolution in human dominance while others emphasize the superiority of different species in various contexts. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the implications of human intelligence and its effectiveness as a survival strategy.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of the topics discussed, including the limitations of comparing human existence to other forms of life and the long time scales involved in evolutionary processes.

  • #31
DennisN said:
spider-memory-500x318-jpg.jpg

I don't get it.

OCR said:
Lol..... :ok:
 

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  • #32
DennisN said:
spiders are not insects
That's debatable. I've heard it said that "insects" is derived from "in" meaning small and "sect" meaning "nasty creature", so "insects" include spiders, little yippy dogs, and the late Truman Capote.
 
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  • #33
revv said:
What is going on? Anyone else think all of this is very strange (Existence, The Universe, Everything) I mean what the hell is going on why are we here and why are we so dominant over other species on this earth? It's as if we are playing a video game and have cheat codes.

Also a lot of video games seems to be emulating our lives I find this kind of weird but cool I guess. I like to think of it like the reflection of water reflecting something and video games are reflecting us.

We completely dominate the creatures of this Earth there is no comparison, anyone have any idea why this is?

This place can be VERY cruel also, can you imagine getting eaten alive by a lion?

And the manipulation of the electromagnetic radiation is so fascinating and incredible like how does something like that even exist?
.
Anyways I am just rambling now, would love to hear your thoughts.

I have often wondered about this, why us, humans?
One of my wonders is consciousness:
I find that only intelligent beings can think about: "Who am I?", "Why was I born human (for example)?", "What the heck am I doing here?", because, in my opinion, this is a special ability to think about an own self. This is just interesting. Great questions, OP.
 
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  • #34
Noisy Rhysling said:
♫People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down ♫

OCR said:
♫ When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain...
When you're strange
No one remembers your name... ♫
Takes me back to about 1968, and The Doors.
 
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  • #35
quote-the-truth-always-turns-out-to-be-simpler-than-you-thought-richard-p-feynman-53-10-06.jpg
 

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  • #36
I would suggest we treat games as games and separate them from our reality.
 
  • #37
DJlyJmEWsAAvtWs.jpg

quote-reality-is-an-illusion-that-occurs-due-to-the-lack-of-alcohol-w-c-fields-57-75-60.jpg
 

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  • #38
Noisy Rhysling said:
♫People are strange when you're a stranger
Faces look ugly when you're alone
Women seem wicked when you're unwanted
Streets are uneven when you're down ♫
OCR said:
♫ When you're strange
Faces come out of the rain...
When you're strange
No one remembers your name... ♫
Mark44 said:
Takes me back to about 1968, and The Doors.
Well, that IS strange !
... knew that was coming, right ? . :biggrin:
 
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  • #39
What if, whenever you look in the mirror, the person looking at you actually is you, and you are just a reflection of him? And that you will vanish the moment he turns away from the mirror?
 
  • #40
Krunchyman said:
What if, whenever you look in the mirror, the person looking at you actually is you, and you are just a reflection of him? And that you will vanish the moment he turns away from the mirror?

Then I'm happy to have existed for that brief moment in time. Well, I'm not, as I obviously exist since I'm not looking into a mirror now, but I'm sure the other me was happy.
 
  • #41
revv said:
What is going on? Anyone else think all of this is very strange (Existence, The Universe, Everything) I mean what the hell is going on why are we here and why are we so dominant over other species on this earth?.

It all makes perfect sense to me. But I am old and have traveled far and now I rest. As my answer to your question, I'll leave you with a riddle:

##\displaystyle \frac{dy}{dt}=-y^3+by+c##
 
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  • #42
aheight said:
It all makes perfect sense to me. But I am old and have traveled far and now I rest. As my answer to your question, I'll leave you with a riddle:

##\displaystyle \frac{dy}{dt}=-y^3+by+c##
Ha! I worked that one in grade school!Got it wrong then, too.
 
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