Are Humans a Third Species of Chimpanzee?

[Sunstone]

I think there are some significant enough morphological differences between us to justify Genus level separation.

But it's a tricky question... we really don't have much of a grasp on Species, thanks the joys of genetics. How different is different enough?

wa:do

That's a good point about the morphological differences, but I'm finding the psychological similarities astounding. Also the genetic evidence seems to place us much closer than was once thought. So nowadays I'm leaning towards including us all in the same genus.

 

[painted wolf]

Leads one to worry that soon we will be utterly alone, a once thriving limb on the tree of life, dead, but for one branch.

How sad, our history will be when we no longer have any close relations to share the earth with.

wa:do

 

[Sunstone]

Leads one to worry that soon we will be utterly alone, a once thriving limb on the tree of life, dead, but for one branch.

How sad, our history will be when we no longer have any close relations to share the earth with.

wa:do

I agree. And without the insight that understanding our relatives provides into understanding ourselves, we will be poorer.

 

[Valjean]

Many scientists call birds dinosaurs. So it seems almost less of a jump to say that Humans and Chimps are just as similar and related if not more so.

The Pan/Homo controversy is about our genus. It's a much smaller category than the superorder or clade or whatever that comprises the dinosaurs.

 

[3.14]

well that would certainly **** off the people who came up with the name human for our genus

but i think its a bad idee since people thinking of themselfs to be human is pretty much the only thing everyone on the planet agree's about

 

[Valjean]

well that would certainly **** off the people who came up with the name human for our genus

but i think its a bad idee since people thinking of themselfs to be human is pretty much the only thing everyone on the planet agree's about

and now they can think of chimps as human as well. How wonderful!

 

[Luminous]

We are all just monkeys; now...

 

[kiwimac]

I like to think of us as Pan Narrans the storytelling Chimpanzee.

 

[Jose Fly]

The key bit of data here being that not only are chimps our closesest relatives, we are their closest relatives as well. IOW, chimps are genetically closer to us than they are to gorillas or any other primate.

 

[painted wolf]

Actually chimps are closer to Bonobo's... picking a nit, but hey.

The Gorilla is only a fraction further from human than the chimps (common and bonobo).
They still share around 98% of our DNA.

wa:do

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I don't know, common chimpanzees may consider this an insult if they take a close look at our ex POTUS.

Jimmy Carter?

 

[sandy whitelinger]

Many scientists call birds dinosaurs. So it seems almost less of a jump to say that Humans and Chimps are just as similar and related if not more so.

We had a local radio show guy tossed off the air for making such a suggestion about the mayor of our nearby big city.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

They are. And pretty decent cousins too.

wa:do

Better than my cousin Vesta.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

My wife is much hotter than ANY chimp!

Now for a picture of your wife please.

 

[sandy whitelinger]

I am a Homo Sapien Supremacist. I'm not homosexual. Just Homo Sapien.

Eh? That was an odd non sequitur.

Any seque in a storm.

 

[kiwimac]

Bonobo's are one of the other two chimpanzee families.

 

[painted wolf]

Yup... and we are just a touch further from them than we are the Common Chimpanzee. Just a touch further from both of them are the Gorillas.

That is why we are all in the family Hominidae.

wa:do

 

[linwood]

No

What is that supposed to mean?

Birds are the ancestors of dinosaurs.
This has pretty much been established scientifically.

Kansas is well know for it`s lack of public education in reference to natural biology, evolution and well..pretty much any science.

The comment AE made was a bit of a jab at you.

Not very nice AE.
What happened to that loving Christian I fondly remember?


To the OP...

I think Diamond has a point but haven`t yet read "The Third Chimpanzee" it`s high on my list.
Anything he writes is high on my list.
"Guns germs & Steel" was an incredible read and "Collapse" while not as exciting was an educational experience I`m glad to have had.

 

[Jose Fly]

Painted Wolf,

Right...I was thinking "chimpanzees" in the genus sense.

 

[Yerda]

Jared Diamond has argued that humans are the third species of chimpanzee (after the common chimpanzee and the bonobo). Basically, his argument is that we are so similar to chimpanzees we should by rights all be included in the same genus. What do you make of that? Does Diamond have a point?

I remember he used the analogy of an alien zoologist classifying the species on Earth. The way he put it I did find myself compelled. I wonder though, is it important?