>>But, I'd imagine that even in your most liberal mindset you wouldn't want to assoicate with them.
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>Why not? I've swam with Mantaes and Dolphins. Much more pleasant than some of the human interaction I've had.
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>>But, when you show me a gorilla that can solve a 2nd order diff-q by the method of parts, write something equal to "War and Peace", etc., then I'll reconsider.
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>Lol. Show me a fish that can walk on land. I guess a dog is much more than a fish? Your "challenge" shows nothing except that humans are relatively intelligent animals. That combined with the fact that intelligence has been honed over centuries and centuries through furthered education and recorded accomplishment, doesn't prove that humans are "the chosen species". Simply, more intelligent.
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>Here's a good question, if humans were so incredibly smart, and immune to the same fate that animals are doomed to, why do we send our sons to die in battle over things like God, Country, or Race, where we've never witnessed a bloody battle between bears? Seems to me that being a bear would be just as satsisfactory, if not more than a human. You sleep for 9 months. You don't have to put on clothes. You're generally a docile creature who gets free love out in the woods. You're not bothered by an occupation, your stock portfolio, or a cellphone. I think I could handle that life much easier than this one. Maybe sohpistication can come through simplicity?


Send themselves and their sons and daughters to die? Gee, do you think it could be due to the fact that some people write books like "Mine Kampf" and then attempt to carry out what they've wrote that they would do?

Animals in the woods? Feel free to adopt that life style if you wish. Now, imagine 300 million Americans taking a dump anywhere/time the need arose. The stench would be overwhelming. In fact, when folks used horses as transportation in major population centers in the 19th century and before, the stench from horse feces was overwhelming. Add to that the output of 'back to nature' advocates and we'd have a real health hazard.
Back in old London of the 17th and 18th century sewers dumped directly into the Thames river without being processed. For most of the year, but especially in the summer, the stench was reported to be so bad that it made breathing difficult.

So, wars arise because some people want to live free and are willing to defend their right to do so. Otherwise, what would prevent Hitler, Stalin or Saddam Husian from taking over a world of sheep? Would you be better off today if we had merely given up when Japan bombed Perl Harbor, or the Britian had given control of their lives over to Hitler? And, societies learn by experience how to make their lives better and these improvements envolve technology. Without these technological improvements the planet could NOT support the current population levels. (But, if population continues to grow even technology may not be able to sustain support for increases.)