I find it amusing when people talk about evolutionary dead ends and failed experiments.
It all depends on our perspective, from when we look in time and the time span we use.
If we look exclusively from our vantage point in time, and at a human time span, then – yes – it may appear that some species were evolutionary dead ends and failed experiments, and whichever species are alive today “made it”. But that is obviously a very myopic view, and not aligned with the vast time spans of evolution.
All species are born and die, this earth was born and will die, this universe was born and will die (heat death or big crunch). So in that sense, all species – including humans – are evolutionary “dead ends”.
Or we can say that all species are wonderful and awe-inspiring expressions of the amazing creativity of the Earth and this universe.
Seeing species as “evolutionary dead ends” are myopic and perhaps slightly cynical. And seeing it all as expressions of the creativity of the universe is more accurate, more aligned with the large time spans, places humanity right in there with all other species, and much more inspiring.
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- evolutionary dead ends
- find amusing when hear those terms
- all depends on our perspective – from when in time we look + the timespan
- all species, this earth, and the universe itself will die (heat death/big crunch)
- so in that sense, all species are “evolutionary dead ends”
- or wonderful expressions of the creativity of the universe
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We could also say that species alive for only brief periods of time were dead ends, and the ones surviving for longer were successes. But all species survive as long as they are a good match to their environments, and die out when they no longer are.
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Or that the species that were alive for only brief periods of time were “dead ends” and the ones surviving for longer were successes.
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It all depends on our perspective, from when we look in time and the time span we use.
If we look exclusively from our vantage point in time, and at a human time span, then – yes – it may appear that some species were evolutionary dead ends and failed experiments, and whichever species are alive today “made it”. But that is obviously a very myopic view, and not aligned with the vast time spans of evolution.
All species are born and die, this earth was born and will die, this universe was born and will die (heat death or big crunch). So in that sense, all species – including humans – are evolutionary “dead ends”.
Or we can say that all species are wonderful and awe-inspiring expressions of the amazing creativity of the Earth and this universe.