Why do we claim to be the 'most highly' evolved creatures? isn't this a skewed standard? Most trees can claim

Question

to be evolved to a higher altitude than most humans. Roaches can claim that they finished evolving long ago. Viruses can claim to be evolving faster than we are. Why do we think we are more highly evolved than anything? What makes us think that this supposedly random process has a direction that we can discern and arrogantly claim that we are further along than anything else on earth? Isn't this a circular definition of evolution? How do we define "Most High"?

I have asked this same question under Science/other and Humanities/philosophy.

Answer 1

Yes it is skewed, humans have a bias to think they are superior to everything around them. They rationalize this with religion, assuming that God made us greater than all else.

Humans are still evolving, and so is the rest of the world. Humans, however, have been impeding on the evolution of other organisms through controlled breeding and farming of livestock and other animals. The idea of breeding a purebred is just sheer stupidity, as you're not only limiting evolution, you're also prolonging the ancestral background of the species (eg:incest) which causes defects.

You can not measure evolution, as it occurs anywhere from seconds (cell evolution) to millions of years (species evolution). Also it's completely illogical to say that one organism is superior to that of another, because not everything can be compared on such black and white terms.

Answer 2

Because we are sentient.

Not only can we create crude tools and shelter, but we can create tools so precise that they defy belief, and buildings that are so complex that they couldn't even be designed without computer assistance and a PhD.

Because we can make not one, but many very detailed languages, and we are intelligent enough to learn the languages made by others.

Because our bodies give us a degree of freedom and efficiency unrivaled on this planet.

Because we are the only specie on Earth capable of regulating the entire planet (I mean, sure, we've done a lousy job to date, but that's just because some rich guys have claimed dominance and they don't give a Damn about the Ecosystem. The bottom line here is that it is within our capabilities).

Nature dictates it. When an alien comes to Earth, they don't go to the tallest tree in the world and start talking politics, they say, "Take me to your leader".

I know we don't behave as well as the average dolphin, but I can assure you, Humanity IS the most advanced race on Earth, unless there's another race living underground or underwater or under Cloak or something.

Adder_Astros
Powerful Member of the House of Light.
[]xxxxx[];;;;;;;;;;;;;>.
http://www.adderastros.com

Answer 3

I agree with you I think it's because man doesn't acknowledge anything but self1 But hey if tree's & roaches were doing the researching they'd probably just claim they were the 'most highly evolved' also!

http://www.total-knowledge.com/~willyblues/