Week 3

1a) I dont feel surprised to hear that 99.4% pf the most critical DNA sites are identical in humans as in chinp. I think its fairly obvious the structural similarities and inherent actions. I would be more surprised if you said that 99.4% of human DNA was the same as in something like a turkey. lol. But with this said, i don't think that this high percentage is a fact that proves the human race evolved from chimps. I still feel the issue of evolution is up for debate. Im my own oppinion i dont have an answer for where we (humans) came from. The research is compelling from a scientific perspective. I tend to lean towards the myths of ancient cultures when looking for answers to this ever common riddle. But just like in science, i feel there is much room for interpertation. It seem humans have always asked the quests or 1)where did we come from, 2)where are we going, 3) and how do we clean up the mess we made along the way. Maybe the fact that we ask those question is the 0.6 percent difference between humand and chimps...





1b)


1-D


2-B


3-D


4-C


5-D


6-D





2) Bear with me here, I'm going to go a bit into an esoteric questioning rant, lol. I just want to pose a question of "Scientific Evolution". The word evolution implies forward progress and a refining process from a state of primitive existence to advanced existence. And although the advances that have been made in Science/technology/medicine are quite remarkable i am still cautious to call them an evolution. "Survival of the Fittest", meaning the most fit for the environment will survive is in question here. Do you really feel that the modern human race is the fittest for our environment? We seem to have spent much effort trying to fit into this world. We build boxes to live in, articles of clothing to wear, unhealthy processed foods to fuel our body, monetary systems of trade that hold a supposed universal value, and much more just to "try" to fit in. I would argue that so called "primitive" cultures were far more fit than modern culture. The scientific community scoffs at the ancient Egyptians and their Psudoscientific technology. But keep in mind that the Egyptians lived much longer than our race and they never damaged the environment or their bodies the way we do on a daily basis. They had technology that is very advanced. Its just in a different direction and with a different purpose. They built structure that to this day we cannot mimic. They had medicine that was extremely effective and advanced (even as far a successful brain surgery). It just seem a bit arrogant and closed minded to assume that we are the fittest and growing more evolved day by day. The evidence that this is a misconception is everywhere. But its the arrogance that our culture possess that continues us on this past...I'm not saying that we are all live inapproprietly and are abusing our resources to the point of no return, but what i am saying is that many ancient cultures believed in cycles; ups and downs in civilization. So who is to say we are on an upswing? is it possible that modern humans are actually a part of the downswing? Is it possible to even put a bit of pride aside to consider this? He who scoffs in ignorance due to lack of understanding past civilizations perspectives is narrowing their field of view and missing out on much knowledge. See the big picture and the little picture comes into focus...Just a possibility i like to pose. Be careful when researching a field where the advocate and the judge are on the same team....ok rant is over....:)

Week 2 evo and devo

-evo devo- i think it is safe to say that the earth and life on it is Very very old. As science moves forward in its research it seems that the the time line of the age of the earth and existence keeps getting pushed back in time. The only thing that can safely be stated is that we existence and life as we know it is extremely old.

-darwinism- i don't completely agree with darwinism nor do i totally disagree with it. I think like many theories in science, as well as theories in folklore and religion, there are truths, predictions, and exaggerations. I'm not exactly sure what sciences' goal is to finding a definitive truth to the origin of man, but i do know that this hunt has plagued man probably for as many years as we can know. I find it interesting and worthwhile that we look into the past for understanding of the future. This idea leads to the notion that the further back you look the further forward you can see. Its sort of a concept of expanding in all direction from one singe point of the present...In the past few years i have done a good amount of research into origin "myths" of many ancient groups. Especially the belief systems of the western mystery schools. I feel that darwinism and evolution is the "myth" of our time. And that is not to say that this modern myth is any more truthful or non-truthful than any other myth the human race knows.