If We Evolved From Monkeys Then Why Are Monkeys Still Around?

[Ouroboros]

You mean to tell me that if I go too far back, my ancestral search would be over. It would be a monkey? Wouldnt that kinda save me the search? Innteresting.

Taxonomy is a human invention to create artificial categories of groups of animals with shared traits. Monkeys are in one group because of certain traits, and apes are in another. Essentially, apes, monkeys, and humans share a common ancestor. This also applies to apes, monkeys, humans, horses, donkeys, dogs, zebras, lions, and so on that are all mammals. All mammals share a mammalian ancestor. All land creatures share a common ancestor as well, but further back in time of course. All animals that breathe or need oxygen share ancestry. And so on. In a way, we could say we're all bananas because really far back, we do share even a life form (multi-cell eukaryotes) as well.

 

[AndromedaRXJ]

If cheese is made from milk, then why is there still milk in the store?

If Americans came from Europeans, then why are there still Europeans? If I came from my parents, then why are my parents still alive? If English is a Germanic language, then why do we still have German? =P

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Taxonomy is a human invention to create artificial categories of groups of animals with shared traits. Monkeys are in one group because of certain traits, and apes are in another. Essentially, apes, monkeys, and humans share a common ancestor. This also applies to apes, monkeys, humans, horses, donkeys, dogs, zebras, lions, and so on that are all mammals. All mammals share a mammalian ancestor. All land creatures share a common ancestor as well, but further back in time of course. All animals that breathe or need oxygen share ancestry. And so on. In a way, we could say we're all bananas because really far back, we do share even a life form (multi-cell eukaryotes) as well.

I went to the DC Smithsonian (Meseum) once and saw a exhibit about humans originating from water. I dont know what the theory was called; but, if I were to pin point where everything started, it would probably be the oceans.

 

[psychoslice]

Most dog breeds came from the wolf, so why are there still wolfs around ?.

 

[AndromedaRXJ]

Given a cladistic view your are perfectly correct, but then with a cladistic view we are all just highly specialized fish.

Sometimes I like to think of tetrapods as "land fish". Cladistically, we can be considered multicellular bacteria as well.

The thing is though, many paraphyletic groups have a significant usefulness to them. Fish are very diverse and fill a completely different niche than tetrapods. So I understand the distinction. But I can't really say the same for the distinction between monkeys and apes. Lack of tail seems too arbitrary and too insignificant in comparison. And this distinction, historically speaking, resulted from not wanting to have this association with monkeys due to shame or an egocentric view of humans, rather than any usefulness in making the distinction. Not to mention a lot of laymen often refer to non-human apes as monkeys. And not to mention, I think the English language is the only language that makes the distinction between monkeys and apes.

Overall, I don't see nearly as much usefulness treating "monkey" as a paraphyletic group as I do with fish or bacteria. Because it was never about usefulness. It was about not wanting to think of humans as monkeys. With that said, I think it's better if we just consider apes as a subset of monkeys.

Ok, why don't you explain what caused the change to begin with. If we are apes, why did some apes evolve into humans and others didn't? What triggered the change to the apes that would evolve into humans?

Change happens in animals due to random mutations in their genome, which determine traits. Certain traits are advantagous and certain ones are disadvantagous. Advantagous traits, on average, help the organism survive long enough to reproduce. And disadvantagous traits, on average, don't survive long enough to reproduce.

Asking why some apes didn't evolve into humans is like asking why some didn't evolve into gorillas, or chips or orangutans. When things evolve, the population branches off into different evolutionary directions. Humans filled a particular niche, and because of that, it'll be harder for other animals to fall into the same niche because they will have us to compete with.

 

[Revoltingest]

Important questions......
If we have jet planes, why are there still propeller planes?
If we have Bugatti Veyrons, why are there still Toyota Camrys?
If we have M1 Abrams tanks, why are there still M16 rifles?
If we have bacon, why is there still baloney?

 

[Ouroboros]

I went to the DC Smithsonian (Meseum) once and saw a exhibit about humans originating from water. I dont know what the theory was called; but, if I were to pin point where everything started, it would probably be the oceans.

Yup. It probably started with simple enzymes, RNA, and such, then single cell organism like prokaryotes, then eukaryotes, then multicells, then ...

And something really cool, before oxygen breathing life were life that didn't: http://www.futurity.org/life-on-earth-before-the-rise-of-oxygen/

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Lack of tail seems too arbitrary and too insignificant in comparison.

Especially when there are tailless monkeys (like the Barbary macaque).

 

[Willamena]

Shouldn't this be in the jokes forum?

 

[Quagmire]

"If We Evolved From Monkeys Then Why Are Monkeys Still Around?"

Maybe they feel responsible for us and want to keep an eye on us.

 

[Skwim]

Gee why am I not surprised. I ask questions and all you do is say "lolz" you don't know anything." You not only not answer any of my questions or back up your claims, but you point me out to books that say pretty much the same thing and also not answer any of my questions.

Oh, I know plenty, but have better things to devote my time to.

I don't know why people got this idea that science is the final word on everything and it's always right, even though it has been wrong numerous times, and better theories replaced the obsolete ones, by people who didn't hate or deny science, they just thought those theories didn't make sense and offered their own explanation and backed it up with more convincing evidence.

Actually, it isn't that science has the final word, just that almost always the best word. Whom do suggest we listen to regarding science issues if it isn't science?

 

[Neo Deist]

Most dog breeds came from the wolf, so why are there still wolfs around ?.

There's not...but there are plenty of wolves.

 

[RamaRaksha]

Sadly, we get to the point where Lack of Knowledge = God? I don't know, I don't have a clue = God and Religion, whereas I know, i am curious = Science

All this stems from a fear of if Science is right there is no heaven - no easy life after death. Religious stories are comforting - God made us, and he is waiting to take care of us, we will get to live in comfort for eternity - people want to believe and religions are more than happy to tell them exactly that

 

[AndromedaRXJ]

Religious stories are comforting - God made us, and he is waiting to take care of us, we will get to live in comfort for eternity - people want to believe and religions are more than happy to tell them exactly that

Yeah, the stories are comforting. That is, only when they're meant to be comforting. When religion is about control, then it's the complete opposite of comforting. Threats of eternal torture in an everlasting inferno? God's wrath in the form of global floods? 7 deadly sins? Yeah, screw that mess.

 

[LuisDantas]

Ok, why don't you explain what caused the change to begin with. If we are apes, why did some apes evolve into humans and others didn't? What triggered the change to the apes that would evolve into humans?

It is just standard natural selection. Humans iverged from other species just like anyone else.

Look even scientists can't explain what caused the change.

Uh, what?

It's a theory and will be replaced with another theory that makes more sense. Like almost every other theory. I guess science is never wrong, huh? Except is has been sometimes, and other brighter people correct the mistake

You should take a look at what the meaning of "theory" is in science.

 

[LuisDantas]

Shouldn't this be in the jokes forum?

By no means. People actually ask that, and it is a legitimate if uninformed question.

 

[LuisDantas]

"If We Evolved From Monkeys Then Why Are Monkeys Still Around?"

Maybe they feel responsible for us and want to keep an eye on us.

You keep burdening innocents with unfair expectations, Quag.

That is probably why I love you so much.

 

[LuisDantas]

Sadly, we get to the point where Lack of Knowledge = God? I don't know, I don't have a clue = God and Religion, whereas I know, i am curious = Science

All this stems from a fear of if Science is right there is no heaven - no easy life after death. Religious stories are comforting - God made us, and he is waiting to take care of us, we will get to live in comfort for eternity - people want to believe and religions are more than happy to tell them exactly that

I sort of agree. It really leaves a bitter taste when one digs to find out what passes for religious wisdom these days.

 

[johnhanks]

Yeah I heard that before.

And, by implication, reject it. Why don't you explain to us exactly how the proposed explanation is flawed?

I guess people don't know what a THEORY is or the difference between evidence and proof.

I think the people you are addressing may understand both of those things better than you. A theory is as good as it gets in science, and a good theory is one that combines maximum explanatory power with minimum assumptions: the theory of evolution scores well here. As to proof, it doesn't exist in science; the best a theory gets is to have been tested and not falsified.

So are apes millions upon millions of years old?

The other extant apes are as modern as we are; apes as a group distinct from other primates seem to have diverged some 25 million years bp.

Reptiles have been around far longer and not one of them have evolved into beings like us.

This is a common misunderstanding: that "beings like us" are some kind of target toward which all animal groups are (or should be) heading. The attributes that make us human were beneficial to our ancestors in the particular ecological circumstances in which they found themselves, and appropriate anatomical / physiological modifications (such as upright stance and opposable digits) were physically possible. There is no reason to suppose that crocodile populations would benefit from developing human-like attributes, or that their anatomy and physiology are in any way pre-adapted to develop them.

Are you telling me there weren't any bugs in that area? Why didn't they evolve too?

I assure you they did; and they still are.

 

[psychoslice]

There's not...but there are plenty of wolves.

There is, and there is plenty of wolfs, the same as there are plenty of monkeys, we grew from that tree.