I liked the religion section, and it seems pretty likely that the writer favored the "A" of the two options outlined. Do you recommend the entire book?
Well, to be fair, other primates besides humans organize in groups to kill other groups of their own species. Religion certainly seems to facilitate dehumanization & justification of killing other humans though. There's some thought in evolutionary biology that that's its purpose(!).
Not to be a prickly pear, but the audio is still a bit of an issue. Sound is low and only on the left side speaker. But, I'm sure that's just you needing to familiarize yourself with the equipment. :-)
I agree! Religion helps to make the evil it says that it is against. let us face it if people were tolerant and friendly with each other, religions would die.
The Pope in videos here on YouTube through the vaticanchannel, Has spoken often against socialism and humans working things out in between themselves without his god in between them. The Pope is wise. In order to keep his denomination going he has to preach against humanism and people co-operating without his church.
@ 1:32 I wish people would stop saying we're the most evolved creatures. Everything alive is equally evolved, our ancestors have all been at it for the same amount of time.
@IndulgingExistence Yes we may have larger brains and the power of speech but other creatures are far more advanced than us such as the falcon's eyesight, the lions' strength, the bears' sense of smell, long distance communication of dolphins/whales, electromagnetic sensors in sharks etc etc. And as far as i am aware no other organism either extinct or extant has plumbed to the depths of believing in creationism.
You're worried about symantics. Why don't you ask them what they mean by "evolved"? We've developed many more features than apes and monkeys, so that means we've changed (i.e. evolved) more than they have. Just because we've been evolving for the same amount of time doesn't mean we've evolved the same amount. Have sponges really evolved that much over a billion years? No. If someone defines "evolve" as changing/developing newly adapted features, then they're right.
@dookdawg214 The sponges comment is valid. However, while we do have a specialized prefrontal cortex. Nothing about our body is there that the other apes don't also have in some way. Saying that we're the most evolved because our prefrontal cortex is massive is the exact same as saying that the eagle is the most evolved because of it's eyesight. Perhaps I should change my comment from "Everything alive is equally evolved" to "Everything alive has it's own specialized adaptations"
@IndulgingExistence: Much closer, that last. Another error commonly made, well, two errors, really, is that evolution ever stops or that it has any "direction" beyond adaptation for survival. An individual that can no longer reproduce can't participate in the evolution of a species, but can't evolve as an individual. Only species can evolve and only through offspring. Humans can most certainly evolve into animals no more intelligent than a collie or even a slug, if it helps with survival.
I would say human evolution is as close to 'stopped' as possible. Our gene pool is huge so any beneficial mutation gets drowned out. We keep our infirm and weak alive and there's no control on rampant breeding. We've also broken natural selection and 'survival of the fittest' with our agriculture and technology.
So now at 7 billion humans we've stagnated (even polluted) our gene pool.
@DistinctiveBlend: Why must a mutation be "beneficial"? THey come in a rainbow of effects from downright lethal to spectacular innovations. If you reproduce, you have inched the evolution of your species from it's previous state, in many dimensions. We humans will need to take control of our genetic destiny, true enough, but we must set strict limits on what gets changed.
I understand mutations I don't need the basic biology lesson. It doesn't have to be beneficial, it applies to any mutation as with our current bloated gene pool you wont get the effects of that mutation spread in any noticeable way. -- There's a reason why small populations evolve so quickly and why large populations stay as is. One couple breeding in a huge gene pool has a null effect.
@DistinctiveBlend: That's merely statistics. Whether the number is 1000 ot 10 billion doesn't affect the rate, but yes, it can slow the spread of new mutations. After all, the entire population doesn't need to benefit, just enough to survive when a catastrophe occurs. Just as those beneficials spread slowly, so do the deletrious mutations. Doesn't it seem we've arrived at a point where we can start to think of correcting genetic errors with science and continue to evolve socially?
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And there you have it.
mobiltec 3 months ago
your new mic sounded excellent. i could have laid here and listened to you read the entire book. =)
jakluk4 3 months ago
That calm and soothing voice...
I can just imagine you reading some great work of literature. Hemmingway perhaps...
Wait a sec...
Never mind. ;-)
billygutter01 3 months ago 3
@billygutter01
LOL
Weren't those some fantastic videos?
Elaina43 3 months ago
Sounding good!!
AuntieDiluvian 3 months ago
Very good oratory and the audio is much improved.
I liked the religion section, and it seems pretty likely that the writer favored the "A" of the two options outlined. Do you recommend the entire book?
LynxChan 3 months ago
All the mysteries of life "Chuck Norris". lol, great timing.
kalsolarUK 3 months ago
well done earl, your oratory skills are amazing :)
it may not seem upbeat but it was (well in an atheistic way i suppose)
so how's dave doing? well i hope :)
hellshade2 4 months ago
Well, to be fair, other primates besides humans organize in groups to kill other groups of their own species. Religion certainly seems to facilitate dehumanization & justification of killing other humans though. There's some thought in evolutionary biology that that's its purpose(!).
eumenidis 4 months ago
Not to be a prickly pear, but the audio is still a bit of an issue. Sound is low and only on the left side speaker. But, I'm sure that's just you needing to familiarize yourself with the equipment. :-)
smaakjeks 4 months ago
this makes me think of your old man and the sea series. you should narrate another book.
TheAmishking 4 months ago
Jon S. is my favorite crush (outside of youtube ;‹)
Elaina43 4 months ago
I agree! Religion helps to make the evil it says that it is against. let us face it if people were tolerant and friendly with each other, religions would die.
The Pope in videos here on YouTube through the vaticanchannel, Has spoken often against socialism and humans working things out in between themselves without his god in between them. The Pope is wise. In order to keep his denomination going he has to preach against humanism and people co-operating without his church.
KasparHauser6 4 months ago
@ 1:32 I wish people would stop saying we're the most evolved creatures. Everything alive is equally evolved, our ancestors have all been at it for the same amount of time.
IndulgingExistence 4 months ago 8
@IndulgingExistence
Yes, I find that annoying too.
smaakjeks 4 months ago
@IndulgingExistence Yes we may have larger brains and the power of speech but other creatures are far more advanced than us such as the falcon's eyesight, the lions' strength, the bears' sense of smell, long distance communication of dolphins/whales, electromagnetic sensors in sharks etc etc. And as far as i am aware no other organism either extinct or extant has plumbed to the depths of believing in creationism.
pilgrimpater 3 months ago
@IndulgingExistence
You're worried about symantics. Why don't you ask them what they mean by "evolved"? We've developed many more features than apes and monkeys, so that means we've changed (i.e. evolved) more than they have. Just because we've been evolving for the same amount of time doesn't mean we've evolved the same amount. Have sponges really evolved that much over a billion years? No. If someone defines "evolve" as changing/developing newly adapted features, then they're right.
dookdawg214 3 months ago
@dookdawg214 The sponges comment is valid. However, while we do have a specialized prefrontal cortex. Nothing about our body is there that the other apes don't also have in some way. Saying that we're the most evolved because our prefrontal cortex is massive is the exact same as saying that the eagle is the most evolved because of it's eyesight. Perhaps I should change my comment from "Everything alive is equally evolved" to "Everything alive has it's own specialized adaptations"
IndulgingExistence 3 months ago
@IndulgingExistence: Much closer, that last. Another error commonly made, well, two errors, really, is that evolution ever stops or that it has any "direction" beyond adaptation for survival. An individual that can no longer reproduce can't participate in the evolution of a species, but can't evolve as an individual. Only species can evolve and only through offspring. Humans can most certainly evolve into animals no more intelligent than a collie or even a slug, if it helps with survival.
RyuDarragh 3 months ago
@RyuDarragh
I would say human evolution is as close to 'stopped' as possible. Our gene pool is huge so any beneficial mutation gets drowned out. We keep our infirm and weak alive and there's no control on rampant breeding. We've also broken natural selection and 'survival of the fittest' with our agriculture and technology.
So now at 7 billion humans we've stagnated (even polluted) our gene pool.
DistinctiveBlend 3 months ago
@DistinctiveBlend: Why must a mutation be "beneficial"? THey come in a rainbow of effects from downright lethal to spectacular innovations. If you reproduce, you have inched the evolution of your species from it's previous state, in many dimensions. We humans will need to take control of our genetic destiny, true enough, but we must set strict limits on what gets changed.
RyuDarragh 3 months ago
@RyuDarragh
I understand mutations I don't need the basic biology lesson. It doesn't have to be beneficial, it applies to any mutation as with our current bloated gene pool you wont get the effects of that mutation spread in any noticeable way. -- There's a reason why small populations evolve so quickly and why large populations stay as is. One couple breeding in a huge gene pool has a null effect.
DistinctiveBlend 3 months ago
@DistinctiveBlend: That's merely statistics. Whether the number is 1000 ot 10 billion doesn't affect the rate, but yes, it can slow the spread of new mutations. After all, the entire population doesn't need to benefit, just enough to survive when a catastrophe occurs. Just as those beneficials spread slowly, so do the deletrious mutations. Doesn't it seem we've arrived at a point where we can start to think of correcting genetic errors with science and continue to evolve socially?
RyuDarragh 3 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
I like it!
Welcome back sir.
bobster451 4 months ago