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Old 07-08-2007, 12:33 AM   #131
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We've probably had some form of dragons and unicorns in our past probably not the fire breathing magical kind, but you should get the idea.
The point seems to be that you have nothing and are obfuscating. Dragons and unicorns are mythical. So is Methuselah.

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I don't know what your point is with the "unmutated gene" stuff. You think a mutated gene gave us really big brains?
Well the genetic evidence says yes. Basically, all the differences between us and ancestral primates are due to mutated genes.
 
Old 07-08-2007, 12:44 AM   #132
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The point seems to be that you have nothing and are obfuscating. Dragons and unicorns are mythical. So is Methuselah.

Well the genetic evidence says yes. Basically, all the differences between us and ancestral primates are due to mutated genes.
Guess you didn't get the idea. The sun god may be a myth but the sun isn't. Most myths are based in reality of some sorts.

Ok so you're a mutant gene dude, got it. Not my cup, more of a Lamarkist man myself. But playing along, why can't the mutated gene just led to longer lifespans instead of bigger brains? There are plenty of people in the scientific community that talk like one day we are going to be overcome aging with genetic research and development. Why can't that same genetic change that science hopes to create artificially, happen naturally?

Do you see the relation to a longer lifespan leading to a greater mental development? The longer an animal lives the smarter it gets.
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Old 07-08-2007, 12:54 AM   #133
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The point seems to be that you have nothing and are obfuscating. Dragons and unicorns are mythical. So is Methuselah.

Well the genetic evidence says yes. Basically, all the differences between us and ancestral primates are due to mutated genes.
Guess you didn't get the idea. The sun god may be a myth but the sun isn't. Most myths are based in reality of some sorts.
Dude, we have evidence that the sun is real. We have no evidence that human life spans were ever significantly longer than they are now. IOW, you are positing "age gods" in effect. My point is that such critters are most likely mythical and never really existed.



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Ok so you're a mutant gene dude, got it. Not my cup, more of a Lamarkist man myself.
Reality isn't restricted to your preferences. Sorry.



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Originally Posted by Elijah
But playing along, why can't the mutated gene just led to longer lifespans instead of bigger brains? There are plenty of people in the scientific community that talk like one day we are going to be overcome aging with genetic research and development. Why can't that same genetic change that science hopes to create artificially, happen naturally?

Do you see the relation to a longer lifespan leading to a greater mental development? The longer an animal lives the smarter it gets.
Repeat after me: Alzheimer's patients.
Nope, animals do not necessarily get smarter the longer they live.
They tend to break down after a certain point.
Looky, primitive hominids had smaller brains than us. Are you assuming their genomes were identical to ours? If not, why would you dispute that the differences in genomes would be reflected in the adult critters?
 
Old 07-08-2007, 01:03 AM   #134
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Reality isn't restricted to your preferences. Sorry.

Repeat after me: Alzheimer's patients.
Nope, animals do not necessarily get smarter the longer they live.
They tend to break down after a certain point.
Looky, primitive hominids had smaller brains than us. Are you assuming their genomes were identical to ours? If not, why would you dispute that the differences in genomes would be reflected in the adult critters?
Do you have Alzheimer's? Don't see how it relates to the conversation. The second part of your post appears to be gibberish... I'll look at it a little longer but :huh:

The longer an animal lives the smarter it gets seems to be the rule... you may just be an exception.
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Old 07-08-2007, 01:18 AM   #135
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Guess you didn't get the idea. The sun god may be a myth but the sun isn't. Most myths are based in reality of some sorts.
That, itself, is a myth. A very convenient one for you, but a myth nonetheless.

Unless if by "reality" in this case you mean horses and large serpents, in which case I agree. But that still doesn't help you: Even if a myth always was an absurd extrapolation of realty (and there is no reason to assume this is the case), it would still be a myth.

Tales of Unicorns may have been due to sightings or stories of the rhinocerus, and trade of ostrich feathers might have led people to imagine the Roc bird; but the existence of rhinos and ostriches does not make the Unicorn and the Roc any less of a myth.
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Old 07-08-2007, 01:26 AM   #136
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Reality isn't restricted to your preferences. Sorry.

Repeat after me: Alzheimer's patients.
Nope, animals do not necessarily get smarter the longer they live.
They tend to break down after a certain point.
Looky, primitive hominids had smaller brains than us. Are you assuming their genomes were identical to ours? If not, why would you dispute that the differences in genomes would be reflected in the adult critters?
Do you have Alzheimer's? Don't see how it relates to the conversation. The second part of your post appears to be gibberish... I'll look at it a little longer but :huh:

The longer an animal lives the smarter it gets seems to be the rule... you may just be an exception.
Dude, before you start throwing personal insults, follow on your words and read mung's post a little longer.

your claim: "The longer an animal lives the smarter it gets seems to be the rule".

mung's answer: "Alzheimer's".

Get it now?
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Old 07-08-2007, 01:29 AM   #137
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That, itself, is a myth. A very convenient one for you, but a myth nonetheless.

Unless if by "reality" in this case you mean horses and large serpents, in which case I agree. But that still doesn't help you: Even if a myth always was an absurd extrapolation of realty (and there is no reason to assume this is the case), it would still be a myth.

Tales of Unicorns may have been due to sightings or stories of the rhinocerus, and trade of ostrich feathers might have led people to imagine the Roc bird; but the existence of rhinos and ostriches does not make the Unicorn and the Roc any less of a myth.
You have to be able to tell the difference between the absurd and the reality. Dragons... fire breathing... probably not. Dinosaurs... probably. Unicorns... magical horse... or some extinct single horned horse or even the rhino theory. Each one contains a piece of reality though.

The question is what is the absurd in genesis and what is the reality? Talking snake or the long lifespans? The talking snake is impossible but the longer lifespans aren't. Science talks about aging being genetic there is no reason to believe that out of millions and millions of combinations of animals nature wasn't going to come up with one that could get around the aging problem.

The longer lifespans also explain the mental advantage we have over the animals... for me at least.
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Old 07-08-2007, 01:29 AM   #138
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mung's answer: "Alzheimer's".

Get it now?
Alzheimer's is a disease. Get it?
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Old 07-08-2007, 01:33 AM   #139
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mung's answer: "Alzheimer's".

Get it now?
Alzheimer's is a disease. Get it?

Guess what causes it?
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Old 07-08-2007, 01:35 AM   #140
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Alzheimer's is a disease. Get it?

Guess what causes it?
Don't think they know... let me guess you think aging? Well if aging causes it then wouldn't we all have it since we all age?
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