There are over 200,000 species of vegetation on planet earth. Humans can eat only roughly 1,000 of these species (about 1/2 a percent). Why haven't we evolved to better take advantage of our natural resources or why hasn't another intelligent species evolved to be able to eat at least 10% of the vegeation. It appears that the evolutionary process failed humanity in this respect and that the theory of evolution does not hold true in this case.
2006-09-01 05:57:16 · 18 answers · asked by adim 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Well, I do not believe in evolution, but I think your question is coming from only one point of view. Like devil's advocate said, plants evolve as well, and therefore have adapted to become a species that defends itself from potential predators such as ourselves. The evolution--more like the change--of our human kind has enabled us to make good decisions based on science; ie. eating the right foods and not poisonous foods. Same with plants, other animals, and insects. Just because they don't have the intelligence that we do does not mean that they have not gone through the process of trial and error!
2006-09-01 07:35:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I really think you have your question backwards. And the reason seems to be that you do not understand how evolution works.
You could just as well ask, how does the bible explain the fact that humans can only eat 0.5% of vegetation on the planet?
If you were an all powerfull deity, wouldn't you make it so the top species you create could eat 100% of the vegetation on the planet? Why wouldn't the biblical god make humans as best he could?
Evolution can explain this very well. Because nothing about evolution says it will make the best species it can. Only that it will make something better than what you had before.
There is a book called "The Blind Watchmaker". Give it a serious read and I bet you will begin to understand.
2006-09-01 13:05:24 · answer #2 · answered by Michael 1 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The predatory human behavior may tell us the other way, but not every atom on this planet is for human consumption. Some vegetables 'trade' with animals. They offer their eatable parts in exchange for transportation for their seeds, thus helping the continuation of their existence. It's a fair trade. Other vegetables simply don't trade with us. And that's pretty much all about it; We should eat what we're supposed to eat, not what we're not.
Humans plague this planet consuming everything they can. We eat not only the vegetables we were supposed to eat, but also other animals and who knows what else some people are eating around... We insanely drain all resources from water to oil. And that's why Earth is getting sicker every day.
Evolution has only failed humanity in respect that we just don't know when to stop acting like parasites to our own resources.
2006-09-01 13:33:31 · answer #3 · answered by Diogo Schneider 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To begin with, evolution is not a planned scheme for the world, like your god. So, it doesn't have to explain anything. Things are the way they are, and nothing is previously organised by a superior being. That's actually THE whole point, you see?
Besides, if our organisms have not adapted to tolerate a higher percentage of the planet vegetation it may be either because we don't need to, or as a previous answer told you, because it hasn't happened yet, but will happen in the future, if we can't survive on the few vegetables we can eat.
2006-09-01 13:03:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Plants are constantly evolving to better take advantage of their environment as well, to better ensure their survival and reproduction. Many species on earth are adapted to a very specific, single food source.
We also breathe only oxygen, even though the atmosphere is 70% nitrogen. Why didn't God create us to breathe nitrogen?
Silly silly question. Shabby shabby false logic.
2006-09-01 13:05:36 · answer #5 · answered by Nancy C 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
humans are only 1 species in the world, ok. elephants eat trees or whatever i aint going to eat a tree ill have a sheep or a cow or something or a lettuce carrot. there are birds that eat nectar to produce honey that we use. yes evo is always around. if there were a nuclear war there would only be cockroaches left. therefor humans have been extinct and another race is {evolving}. good Q though i like it
2006-09-01 13:04:31 · answer #6 · answered by luckydo6 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Plant life has been around for so long it's not possible for one species to be able to eat it all. And besides, we live just fine on that .5% eh? Also, how do we know you're not just pulling that figure out of your @$$? Besides, poison ivy and the like and trees probably aren't very tasty.
We've evolved to eat the MOST nutritious and best tasting foods. Because we can't waste our time on foods that won't be very nutritious.
-Duo
2006-09-01 13:03:08 · answer #7 · answered by Duo 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Why would evolution need to explain that?
Compaired to most animals we have a *very* diverse diet. We can eat and live on just about any type of animal and many many types of plants.
I think this is a reason (not the reason, just a reason) that we have thrived so well. And a purely evolutionary reason at that.
2006-09-01 13:02:42 · answer #8 · answered by mikayla_starstuff 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Wow. How can you understand so little?
We evolve only to a point where we have _enough_ to survive - and clearly we do.
Your god once said something aboutthis. Gen 9.3:
"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."
It appears that the theory of god does not hold true in this case.
2006-09-01 13:04:21 · answer #9 · answered by XYZ 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Evolution doesn't posit that you'd be able to eat everything. Where did you get that?
PS: you also forget that PLANTS evolve as well. And evolutionary success to most plants is to STOP being a satisfactory food source for other animals.
you didn't think of that , did you?
2006-09-01 13:00:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋