Chimps Now to be Considered Humans

National Geographic ^ | 5/19/2003 | kkindt

[kkindt]

A new report argues that chimpanzees are so closely related to humans that they should be included in our branch of the tree of life. Chimpanzees and other apes have historically been separated from humans in classification schemes, with humans deemed the only living members of the hominid family of species

[HairOfTheDog]

So, we should ignore scientific, quantifiable fact and repeatable data; so we don't hurt your feelings?

That is it, isn't it?

[ko_kyi]

In addition, from what I have read genera are hairsplitting with mammals and pretty broad with insects, fish, etc.

The closer to the great apes you get, the more important we seem to think the differences are.

[Puddleglum]

Tax 'em! Tax their hairy a$$es!

I agree - tax'em back to the Stone Age - or up to the Stone Age, whatever's more fitting.

[OREALLY]

What is so bad and dangerous about changing them over to homo genis and not pan genis ?
First I haven't got a clue what the hell your talking about.
No I am not on drugs. Maybe with a little LDS I could understand your post !
This is just my opinion not worth much. The bad dangerous news is that this garbage is going to be in the class room and creationism is going to become obsolete.
The chimps are gaining and the human race is becoming less according to this theory. Human life has no more value than an animal...Maybe they can start putting our elderly to sleep when they become a burden. I am a Christian and that is one of the reasons I feel this way. I hope you are not near the turd you seem to be ! I don't know your grandpa but this old grandma don't think your so cute !

[cake_crumb]

Now, biologists at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan, provide new genetic evidence that lineages of chimps (currently Pan troglodytes) and humans (Homo sapiens) diverged so recently that chimps should be reclassed as Homo troglodytes. The move would make chimps full members of our genus Homo, along with Neandertals, and all other human-like fossil species."

I don't have a problem with reclassifying apes.

"We humans appear as only slightly remodeled chimpanzee-like apes,' says the study."

I DO have a problem with this statement. I would very much like to know the rationale behind it. We humans appear as slightly remodeled monkeys, too. After all, we're all primates. The Greenweenies may well use this stuff to ram more of their agenda down our throats.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Then put some pants on them.

[Aric2000]

LOL, I think I got it now....

ROFLMAO

[Ichneumon]

This is crap. It's politics and science mixing again. If humans and chimps diverged that recently, apes would be exhibiting far more sophisticated tool use than they do. Isung a stick to fish for termites is far different than say...inventing the wheel.

Then how about... Making chipped stone tools like our recent ancestors did?

I wouldn't get too smug -- it wasn't really that long ago that humans weren't doing anything more sophisticated than poking things with sticks and smacking them with rocks.

And chimps don't have any trouble figuring out how to use such things as vacuum cleaners, cage locks unless they're really sophisticated, etc.

On that last picture... Many chimps like smoking, and are quick to learn how to operate lighters or packs of matches.

Furthermore, they can follow complex commands like, "go out into the hall, open the box, take out the red ball, and put it in the freezer".

[IvanT]

Chimps Now to be Considered Humans

I'm human! I'm human!!!! Finally!!

[HairOfTheDog]

So it really doesn't matter to you if it is true or not.... you are worried about how the truth will affect your politics or your faith.

Seems like "the earth is flat and is the center of the universe" people thought their faith would fall apart under continued science too.

[Junior]

Maybe with a little LDS I could understand your post !

One of my best friends is a Latter Day Saint. However, she's a creationist, so she wouldn't be of much use to you in this regard.

[F.J. Mitchell]

Are we to consider Chimps human from conception, or only after they have fully escaped from the iffy situation of all transcients during the final few centimeters of vaginal travel?

Has anyone cleared this theory with Hate Mickleman and her gang at NOW?

[shotgun]

Hey, hey, we're the Monkees

Here we come, walkin'
Down the street.
We get the funniest looks from
Ev'ry one we meet.
Hey, hey, we're the Monkees
And people say we monkey around.
But we're too busy singing
To put anybody down.

extra verse:

Hey, hey, we're the Monkees,
You never know where we'll be found.
so you'd better get ready,
We may be comin' to your town.

[cake_crumb]

"Any case to that effect would be laughed out of any court in the land."

Except for the 9th Circuit.

[Celantro]

There's nothingat all new about this. Advanced primates are certainly from "our" branch of "the tree of life". This doesn't make chimps human. You need a lotta schoolin' my boy.

(I know. "What about God? BUT WHAT ABOUT GODAH!?")

[cake_crumb]

"Chimps Now to be Considered Humans"

Why did you change the title??

[Hodar]

Is your faith so weak that you cannot tolerate science? And you flame a person who simply asked why science of this nature is dangerous. Then you went on to call him a turd?!? Perhaps you should do some reading on your own. Galileo Galilei was subjected to ridicule and years in prison because his FACTS ran contrary to what the church wanted to believe. He was given the choice to recant his FACTS or be burned alive. Given a choice, I will align myself against 'Christians' like yourself.

This is neither garbage, nor is it dangerous. Any more than the astonishing fact that the earth is not the center of the universe. DNA is quantifiable, measurable and repeatable. I'd say that 98.5% similarity is pretty darn close to human.

[IvanT]

Chimps Now to be Considered Humans

Let's just hope they don't start demanding reparations.....

[Mr. Silverback]

I suppose they will vote Democratic party line.

Ooof! You beat me to it!

[A. Pole]

The logic of evolutionism and belief we are descendants of other kinds of creatures leads to this absurdity of delcaring chimps to be human.

What about declaring "humans" (men) to be chimps?