Is a whale with hind legs still a whale? Is a fish that breeths air still a fish? Is a fish that walks on land still a fish? Is a giraff with a short neck still a giraff? Is a bird with no wings and mammel bones still a bird? Is a bird with front feet and chews it's cud still a bird? Is a parrot that packs up and kills and eats sheep still a parrot? Is a mammel that lays eggs still a mammel? A snake with legs is it a snake? Lizards without legs, salamanders without legs, Flying rodents, flying snakes, flying frogs, deer with pig tusks, lesbian lizards....
Our Changing World.
by peacefulpete 4 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Nosferatu
Why are there so many songs about rainbows?
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peacefulpete
Sorry about the typos. Breathes, giraffe, mammal.
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peacefulpete
Any discussion about life on earth and it's history inevitably becomes heated. That's too bad. In talking with my Brother in law a while back I found that he acceped that species are not immutable (permanant) but that life has always been changing. Yet when I used the E word he immediately became defensive and unresponsive. I asked the qestions in the opening post to stir thinking. Each of the animal morphs that I listed are present here and now. Boas(snake) and Whales have vestigial hips and leg bones. The hoatzin (bird) has front feet with claws when young and climbs trees with them. There are countless other examples of physiology that indicates change has and is taking place. The meat eating Panda bear also comes to mind. The lesser Panda is a carnivour but even the Giant pandas have been seen to revert to meat eaters like their ancestors did. Cows have upper teeth growing when developing in the womb like their ancesters yet by the time they're born they have been reabsorbed. The same is true of Baleeen whales. Humans are occasionlly born with their tails because it was not reabsorbed as usually takes place. Arguments are pointless but a simple look around (never mind the fossil record) tells us that life changes. It has for billions of years and unless we screw it up it will go on doing so. It's glorious and awe inspiring to fathom the unique band bizarre life forms that has been on this planet and what may yet develope.
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Carmel
So what is the rationale behind phylogentic recapitulation? Most all mammals during embryonic development develop through a progressive set of stages almost exactly like lower life forms, ie worms, fish etc. Even human embryos have gill slits at one point. Doesn't make us any less human as far as I'm concerned that we share a common ancestory with other protoplasm!
carmel