What convinced you that Evolution is the truth?

[Little Dragon]

You don't think humans are part of the food chain? We are.

What preys upon humans?

What do humans prey upon in the world to prevent the prey species from overpopulating and starving itself, to maintain ecological balance?

Humans are not part of the food chain. They are merely at the top of it. They mostly exist by domesticating and enslaving other creatures and eating them. To the detriment of everything else that lives.

 

[Little Dragon]

Speaking on behalf of the 8 billion people you believe are expendable...you underestimate us.

I don't underestimate individuals. I know what they can do. I am always impressed.

As for the braying collective herd...well. It's not looking promising. Cavemen with nuclear weapons and small minds. Oh dear.

 

[Little Dragon]

Ah, that's an interesting admission. You think the only positive impact something can have on the world is to make it "more biologically diverse."

From the point of view of all other life forms that share this world with humanity? Yes, that is absolutely correct.

 

[Little Dragon]

Life is holy. Life is sacred. All life.

Especially earthworms...

 

[ChristineM]

What preys upon humans?

Lions, tigers, crocodiles, sharks, wolf,, Komodo dragon are just a few of the apex predators that will prey on humans given the chance

At the other end of the scale verious parasites, tapeworms, bed bugs, mosquitoes, ticks.

 

[Little Dragon]

Lions, tigers, crocodiles, sharks, wolf,, Komodo dragon are just a few of the apex predators that will prey on humans given the chance

At the other end of the scale verious parasites, tapeworms, bed bugs, mosquitoes, ticks.

Given the chance. Is the key thing here.

Humans, more and more, live in urban areas. With no natural predators, aside from other humans, of course.

And vampires...maybe.

 

[Little Dragon]

At the other end of the scale verious parasites, tapeworms, bed bugs, mosquitoes, ticks.

Parasites prey on humans sure. However they do not usually kill humans, and if they do, that is seldom intentional on the part of the organism.
I guess arguably, human parasites are technically at the very top of the food chain and I concede that the fleas pathogenic bacteria flukes and bed bugs will miss humanity.

They will get over it.

 

[ChristineM]

Given the chance. Is the key thing here.

Humans, more and more, live in urban areas. With no natural predators, aside from other humans, of course.

And vampires...maybe.

There is still a small but significant number of human main course for these animals. Crocks for example kill around 1000 people a year

 

[ChristineM]

Parasites prey on humans sure. However they do not usually kill humans, and if they do, that is seldom intentional on the part of the organism.
I guess arguably, human parasites are technically at the very top of the food chain and I concede that the fleas pathogenic bacteria flukes and bed bugs will miss humanity.

They will get over it.

Parasite kill around 200,000 people a year

Some have evolved to prey solely on humans, they will miss humanity to death ;-)

 

[Little Dragon]

Some have evolved to prey solely on humans, they will miss humanity to death ;-)

True. A small sacrifice I am sure, for those organisms that a part of the natural order, that excludes humans and their farms and cities.

 

[Little Dragon]

There is still a small but significant number of human main course for these animals. Crocks for example kill around 1000 people a year

Maybe. However crocodiles do not rely on human meat to survive in their natural habitats, just an exotic snack. Perhaps in the past, things were different, perhaps some crocodiles did rely on humans or at least on their ancient ancestors to survive, in some places.

 

[ChristineM]

True. A small sacrifice I am sure, for those organisms that a part of the natural order, that excludes humans and their farms and cities.

I edited my post and added the approximate number of people killed by parasites each year.

It's also interesting to know that around half the worlds population have parasites

 

[Little Dragon]

I edited my post and added the approximate number of people killed by parasites each year.

It's also interesting to know that around half the worlds population have parasites

Yes. Interesting and horrifying.
I mean, technically, humans are biomes for countless billions of bacteria and viruses.
Thing is. The way humans carry on. Eventually all that the pathogens and flukes and worms will have to prey on, will be humans.

 

[ChristineM]

Yes. Interesting and horrifying.
I mean, technically, humans are biomes for countless billions of bacteria and viruses.
Thing is. The way humans carry on. Eventually all that the pathogens and flukes and worms will have to prey on, will be humans.

If we last that long.

 

[Left Coast]

What preys upon humans?

What do humans prey upon in the world to prevent the prey species from overpopulating and starving itself, to maintain ecological balance?

Humans are not part of the food chain. They are merely at the top of it. They mostly exist by domesticating and enslaving other creatures and eating them. To the detriment of everything else that lives.

Lots of apex predators exist and have existed at the top of food chains. The apex predator remains a part of the food chain.

 

[Left Coast]

From the point of view of all other life forms that share this world with humanity? Yes, that is absolutely correct.

I see other positives to be added to the world beyond simply biodiversity. And we wouldn't even care about biodiversity were it not for our human trait of compassion and our sense of ethics.

 

[Little Dragon]

Lots of apex predators exist and have existed at the top of food chains. The apex predator remains a part of the food chain.

Humans are not apex predators. They are agriculturalists. They raise domesticated livestock and domesticated plants for consumption.

In doing so they destroy vast swathes of natural habitat and obliterate thousands of species. Plant Fungal and Animal.

They do not for example, live like the Wolf, an apex predator hunting prey, within a natural ecosystem, and keeping the prey population at a healthy level, necessary balance for both the prey itself and the plants they feed on. The natural dynamic between predators prey and producers.

 

[Little Dragon]

And we wouldn't even care about biodiversity were it not for our human trait of compassion and our sense of ethics.

If you kill off the primary producers of this planet. The plants of the ocean and the soil. Then you will care. You will perish. Along with much animal life.

 

[Little Dragon]

I see other positives to be added to the world beyond simply biodiversity.

What else could possibly matter? In the grand scheme of things? Humans are just one more species. They are not the be all and end all. Only a humanist, ie someone who thinks the human condition is the be all and end all, would think that. Which I may say is very anthrocentric and would not be a sentiment shared by 99.999999% of life on Earth, should it be able to express sentiment.

I certainly do not share that sentiment.

 

[Little Dragon]

If we last that long.

If humanity could look beyond the short term. Then maybe. Humanity stands a chance. Time is running out I think. What goes around, comes around.

I am not without any faith, but it is sorely tested.