Do you have parents?

[Phred]

Do you have parents?

Did they?

Did they?

Let's play this game a million times.

You're now a million generations back. The one thing that everyone has in common is that their parents didn't die before they had kids. Figuring the average age of about 18 for when children were born. A million generations is 18 million years ago. Do you think those parents were the same as they are today?

No parent ever gave birth to a child they did not recognize. But would you recognize your Great-great x1,000,000 grandfather?

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

Ah, the memories. Good old mega-grandpapa...

 

[Ophiolite]

But would you recognize your Great-great x1,000,000 grandfather?

He's the one with the big ears.

 

[FrumiousBandersnatch]

He's the one with the big ears.

That's Noddy.

Oh, wait...

 

[AV1611VET]

But would you recognize your Great-great x1,000,000 grandfather?

Yes -- at the DNA level.

 

[pitabread]

Yes -- at the DNA level.

What does that mean?

 

[Phred]

Yes -- at the DNA level.

Color me shocked. How is it that you're admitting you even have an ancestor 18 million years ago?

 

[Phred]

What does that mean?

I'm guessing he carries a sequencer around with him when he time travels.

 

[Bradskii]

It freaks me out knowing that I have a direct line of ancestry going back over 4 billion years. How cool would it be to have a family album with a piccie taken every few thousand years.

'And this is great...great grandad on the beach. Well, when I say 'on the beach' it's actually after he just crawled out of the ocean'.

 

[AV1611VET]

It freaks me out knowing that I have a direct line of ancestry going back over 4 billion years. How cool would it be to have a family album with a piccie taken every few thousand years.

'And this is great...great grandad on the beach. Well, when I say 'on the beach' it's actually after he just crawled out of the ocean'.

When you go to the zoo, do you get an impulse to go to the administration there and say, "Let my people go"?

 

[Bradskii]

When you go to the zoo, do you get an impulse to go to the administration there and say, "Let my people go"?

Yes, I do. I can't abide zoos. There is nothing more depressing than seeing a dozen chimps sitting listlessly in an enclosure about the size of half a football pitch.

 

[pitabread]

Do you have parents?

 

[Bradskii]

 

[durangodawood]

....How cool would it be to have a family album with a piccie taken every few thousand years......

Thats the coolest thing Ive heard in at least a year.

 

[Gottservant]

Do you have parents?

Did they?

Did they?

Let's play this game a million times.

You're now a million generations back. The one thing that everyone has in common is that their parents didn't die before they had kids. Figuring the average age of about 18 for when children were born. A million generations is 18 million years ago. Do you think those parents were the same as they are today?

No parent ever gave birth to a child they did not recognize. But would you recognize your Great-great x1,000,000 grandfather?

If every generation was compared to the generation before it, they would still be comparing the next generation to the same generation, by the end.

Now you can say "no, one day they will be comparing us to greater apes than are there today" but I don't buy it.

I don't think I will ever have to believe I came from apes, to the end of my life and indeed the lives of all who are alive with me today and their end.

 

[Ceallaigh]

Mine used to do car insurance commercials.

 

[Ophiolite]

I don't think I will ever have to believe I came from apes, to the end of my life and indeed the lives of all who are alive with me today and their end.

However, the conclusion as to whether or not you are descended from apes and are, indeed, an ape yourself, is quite independent of any belief you may have about the matter. As always you are fully entitled to your opinions, it's just that they have no impact upon this aspect of reality.

However, kudos on making the first remark in any of your posts that I have read where you make a comment on biological evolution that actually relates to biological evolution. I almost missed that. Taking a line from Casablanca, perhaps this could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

 

[DamianWarS]

Do you have parents?

Did they?

Did they?

Let's play this game a million times.

You're now a million generations back. The one thing that everyone has in common is that their parents didn't die before they had kids. Figuring the average age of about 18 for when children were born. A million generations is 18 million years ago. Do you think those parents were the same as they are today?

No parent ever gave birth to a child they did not recognize. But would you recognize your Great-great x1,000,000 grandfather?

the one thing that most have in common is that their parents didn't die before their conception but with sperm donors, the male donor may be dead even before that. Many fathers have died before the birth of their children and I suspect a few mothers have too. but every parent gives birth to a child they do not recognize. do you not know how giving birth works? it's a bit of a surprise even with modern tech. if we're talking about human characteristics a better question might be do you think you will recognize your descendants 1,000,000 generations from now?

 

[DamianWarS]

Yes, I do. I can't abide zoos. There is nothing more depressing than seeing a dozen chimps sitting listlessly in an enclosure about the size of half a football pitch.

maybe you should give them a bone to play with?

 

[Bradskii]

maybe you should give them a bone to play with?

Hey, granddad!