Sunday, July 04, 2004

Lance

That's my question: why are there still monkeys? There are examples of tool usage among some primates - I don't remember what kind of monkey it was, but they stripped bark off sticks, broke off the protruding pieces, and stuck them into anthills, then ate the ants off them.

That's use of tools, which only humans are supposed to do. They're breaking the rules. They should be punished.

But have the monkeys improved their technique at all? Invented new improved tools? Or are they still using whatever stick they find on the ground?

Nope. They're still using whatever stick is within reach. No development of suction technology to improve the harvest. No domestication of ant populations for breeding to ensure a consistent food supply. No specializing in ant hunting to create a system based on opportunity cost. While we develop ever better and further-reaching ideas, they continue squatting in the dirt sticking sticks down anthills all day.

Here's another one: I was looking at the MIGHTY BARABOO river today. Steep banks, where I was. Erosion created those, but they're only about 3-5 feet high. Why aren't there more Grand Canyons?

1 comment:

Al said...

I've lost track. Who's an atheist and who's a theist? I'm probably confused because I read the latest batch of posts backwards, from most recent back. And are the theists demanding adherence to the belief that the Earth was created 6000 years ago?
Maybe it's my public school education, but I find it hard to believe that anybody finds that credible.

Monkeys exist because they aren't competing in the same niche with us. [Although I can't help thinking that Frank J. at IMAO (What does that stand for? Oh, I get it.) might say, "Kill 'em all! Let God sort 'em out!] I'm a Lutheran, which means I'm wishy-washy about arguments between the Bible and Science. About every other day, I'm an atheist (see public school comment).