Marginal Flame Ahead
CurtAdams@aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 6/9/97 10:25:26 PM, raven@nanosite.com wrote:
> >First a pet peeve:
> >1. Apes are not monkeys
> >2. Monkeys are not apes
>
> And, by the same definition, humans aren't apes. But these
> definitions are
> pretty arbitrary. Apes certainly fall entirely within the monkey
> family, and
> we fall within that of the apes. In other words, apes are closer to
> some
> monkeys than other monkeys are. So calling an ape (or a human) a
> monkey
> isn't really inaccurate, although there are valid reasons for drawing
> a
> distinction.
They are all chordates too. The disinction I am making can be easily
seen in brain mass alone which varies over an order of magnitude between
small monkeys and h. sapiens.
More formally:
Humans are classified as follows: Kingdom Animalae, Phylum Chordata,
(Subphylum Vertebrata),Class Mammalia, Order Primate, Family Homonid,
Genus Homo, Species Sapiens, (Subspecies Sapiens).New World monkeys
belong to Family Cebidae, Old World Monkeys to Family Cercopithecidae,
Family Hylobatidae covers Gibbons and lesser apes.
Members of genus Homo belong to Family Hominidae which, in addition
includes the genera Gorilla, Pan and Pongo, all of which are listed as
endangered with the exception of some species of Pan in captivity where
they are classified Vulnerable.
> >Canus Lupus appears to be the first victim of
> >domestication, which, as Eric Watt Forste points out is not always a
> >good thing for the domesticee.
>
> Well, perhaps not for the individual (depending on your definition).
> Domestication, however, is a spectacular success for the species.
> There's a
> lot more dogs than wolves today, and with some species (cats and
> sheep) the
> ancestor species is nearly extinct.
I see... more is always better.To anthropomorphize a bit, you would
rather be a chattel than a free being? If the domestication arrangement
between "higher" and "lower" species (as determined by YOU) I assume you
would welcome the arrangement should you encounter a more "advanced"
being (as determined by them).
I will respond to the rest of your questions off-line.
<snip>
> Expensive, yes. Rare, yes (although if they were successfully
> domesticated
> they'd become very common, like dogs, cats, parakeets, horses, etc)
> Delicate? No more than any other large animal.
>
> >There is a surplus of available human labor.
>
> Really? Could you give me some? I never have enough.
Out of courtesy for the group I will refrain from speaking my mind.
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