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Question by Jason K: Has Science proven the religious concept of “Dominion”?
Everything we know about life and evolutionary biology leads us to one irrefutable conclusion: Man is the pinnacle of evolution.
We are capable of abstract meta-cognition, sustainable agriculture, just and equitable governance and, most importantly, examining, learning and even controlling our own genetic source code. No other species has these traits, no other species comes close to having these traits. Just us. One could reasonably expect that Dolphins would have at least figured out nets by now; but no such luck. Man stands uncontested as the dominant species on this planet.
As a species, we have effectively usurped the forces of Natural Selection and are gaining full control our circumstances and environment.
Is that not ample evidence that Man is, in fact, exceptional compared to all other forms of life and charged with Dominion over the Earth?
Lala:
We ARE done evolving by the forces of Natural Selection; it no longer applies to the human race and hasn’t for some time.
Man is still evolving, by his own hand, through use of technology and medical science.
Again, reinforcing the idea that Man was given Dominion.
Actually, BrokenEye, I passed both Honors Freshmen Biology and Advanced Senior Biology with As (public school, not private, no ID taught).
Andrew:
I make no such assumption about Natural Selection.
The simple fact is that Natural Selection no longer affects the Human Race. We have achieved a level of civilization in which genes that would otherwise diminish as a result of Natural Selection flourish instead. We are able to care for those born with debilitating genetic conditions so well that those individuals are propagating their “flawed” genetic identities.
Human civilization usurped the forces of Natural Selection a long time ago. That is a fact.
Add your own answer in the comments!
“Everything we know about life and evolutionary biology leads us to one irrefutable conclusion: Man is the pinnacle of evolution.” Your assumption that we are done evolving is FAIL.
Lalala, I can't hear you!
November 18, 2012 at 5:16 am
You fail at biology
BrokenEye Evoluted
November 18, 2012 at 5:49 am
That fable was written after the fact, to explain our position in the food chain.
Well, seriously. The creation account is SUPPOSED to explain the world as we see it. We have dominion only as long as we keep our butts inside and out of the wilderness.
No Chance Without a Tire Iron
November 18, 2012 at 6:08 am
“…man is the pinnacle of evolution.”
Only in the minds of rather delusional religious people. Nothing whatsoever in “evolution” states or leads to that conclusion. Evolution shows the relatedness of all life on earth, its common ancestry, and the fact that humans are just a different kind of animal, not any sort of “pinnacle.”
And even if it did, it would not be evidence of the rather silly religious claim of “dominion.” It would just be evidence that our brains give us capabilities that other animals don’t have.
Peace.
WellTraveledProg
November 18, 2012 at 6:32 am
Your argument is flawed. Your view of Natural Selection suggests a limited or finite time line, which is not the case. Also, you have overlooked one important aspect of human nature. We are, irrefutably, the single most self destructive life form on the planet. As it happens, the ones with true Dominion over the Earth are the ones that began the chain of evolution. Single celled organisms. They were the first to live, and they will be the last to die. That is the truest example of Natural Selection.
Andrew
November 18, 2012 at 7:02 am
Everything we know about life and evolutionary biology leads us to one irrefutable conclusion: Man is NOT the pinnacle of evolution.
There is NO pinnacle of evolution just separate species exquisitely adapted to fit in their respective niches, interacting in such complex ways that a belief in dominion is laughable. Man’s stay on earth has been too short to describe our species with any of the hyperbole you ascribe to us. Our entire civilization is just a blip on geological time-scales; we’re youngsters when it comes to evolutionary-scale survivorship; and it seems more than likely that we’ll go the same way as most other large land mammals before long.
In our case we’ll probably contribute more to our own demise than “dumb” animal species precisely because we cling to such unsupported, megalomaniac hubris as your display promotes. When you advance dominion, the natural world experiences nothing but destruction,this is not an equation that leads to equilibrium.
don
November 18, 2012 at 7:02 am
In usual absurd fundie fashion you have proved how incredibly stupid you are. Dolphins haven’t figured out nets, but then humans haven’t figured out guns yet. They haven’t figured out war or pollution destroying their world and environment. Only an arrogant fundie thinks they are the pinnacle of evolution. We have created a world an Unnatural Selection world. We may have usurped the forces of Natural Selection but have yet to learn how to deal with it correctly or intelligently. That indicates that we are not a pinnacle but well down the curve.
Ricardo
November 18, 2012 at 7:30 am
Sure, until the sun explodes and destroys the entire planet, or we enter another ice age, or a meteor hits the Earth, or we run out of the power we need to fuel our technology that we are so dependent on. We may be the supreme being on Earth, but in the grand scope of things, that’s like being the biggest dust bunny under the bed. Nature still dominates us in the end.
No Chance without Bearbones
November 18, 2012 at 7:30 am