Werner-
<<We need to think about what animals do for a living more than whether they're
"higher" or "lower">>
EXACTLY!!!!!!!
I can't count how many times I've need to say just that when discussing
zoologic and environmental concepts with people! We tend to look at the
specific developments of our own lineage, and then judge all things by them.
Sure, the human brain is great! It's the pinacle of evolution. OUR evolution!
Warm blood, fur, opposable thumbs…they're great too. No one, however, lives
at the end of a family stick!!! It's a tree. Things are at the end of other
phylogeny branches, and they're great too.
The last time I had this discussion with someone, I made up an analogy story in
which two giraffes were having the same conversation we were, and concluded
that giraffes were obviously the "highest" animals (both in actuality and
figuratively) because they, of all animals, excel in longneckedness! As
everyone knows, of course, long necks are the key to "Giraffity" (as oppposed
to humanity).
Thank you for providing me this soapbox, Werner. Have a good one.
-Rande