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I've been fascinated with size of the Universe and the origin (and meaning?) of it, so on a related note on this Earth day, I was thinking of humans living on this planet. So far, we are the only ones (known) that can comprehend and study all aspects of science.
But humans are not useful to the planet. Humans make up only 0.01% of life on Earth. Other than us, every other life on the planet contributes to the ecosystem. The planet's weather continues as is. Beavers create dams that help erosion. Lions, wolves etc keep populations in check. Even cockroaches eat decaying matter and so they make sure nutrients are recycled back into the food chain and, in turn, become food for lizards, rats, and other insects.
It's amazing the balance of life and diversity of life on the planet! So while we can study astrophysics, biology, chemistry and come up with great gadgets, buildings, explore space and even comprehend the Universe, we don't do anything for the planet.
Just some thoughts on pre-Earth Day. Happy Earth Day!
I wouldn't agree that humans were never useful, but that the benefits we used to provide for the earth before we figured out how to exploit as much of our environment as we do have been overridden by the damage we've caused. Our physical bodies did contribute to carbon, energy, and other environmental cycles if we allowed them to instead of preventing it. Some of our early habitat manipulations did end up benefitting some other plant and animal species (via agricultural and woodland practices, storing and managing water, etc.) too, at least before we replaced physical methods with chemical ones.
So many non-human deleterious species end up slitting their own throats before too much irreversible damage to their supporting habitat is done. Technological humans are the exception because we can manipulate our environment far too well. We can put off that day of reckoning. What makes it worse is that we're aware of that damage but still choose to ignore it. Those other species weren't.
Last edited by Parnassia; 04-21-2024 at 02:56 PM..
I've been fascinated with size of the Universe and the origin (and meaning?) of it, so on a related note on this Earth day, I was thinking of humans living on this planet. So far, we are the only ones (known) that can comprehend and study all aspects of science.
But humans are not useful to the planet. Humans make up only 0.01% of life on Earth. Other than us, every other life on the planet contributes to the ecosystem. The planet's weather continues as is. Beavers create dams that help erosion. Lions, wolves etc keep populations in check. Even cockroaches eat decaying matter and so they make sure nutrients are recycled back into the food chain and, in turn, become food for lizards, rats, and other insects.
It's amazing the balance of life and diversity of life on the planet! So while we can study astrophysics, biology, chemistry and come up with great gadgets, buildings, explore space and even comprehend the Universe, we don't do anything for the planet.
Just some thoughts on pre-Earth Day. Happy Earth Day!
Don't humans do pretty much all that the other life forms do? Humans discover medicine to heal human, animals and plants. Human find ways to to stop/restore woodland and streams from erosion and dams created by beavers! Humans use decaying matter to recycle and make water potable.
I agree though that we may cause more damage than what we restore to the ecocycle. Humans can become more aware of this and find ways to stop or slow the damage and restore the ecology. We can change our behaviour in regards to how we utilize the natural resources and what we consume more mindfully. I don't know if lions can ever eat grass as daily diet and stop slaughtering antelopes!
You act like there there's some kind of end game for life on Earth. Like life on Earth is supposed to develop a certain way, and there's some kind of definition of success and failure and the way things should be. Since life first started on Earth there have been five mass extinction events, and there will be more to come. There will also be a day all life on Earth is gone. By questioning the usefulness of humans, you're assuming there's some kind of goal for life on Earth. There isn't IMO. I don't even know how to address the "useful" part, as humans are just like all other life forms in that they're trying to survive. Also, as another poster mentioned, there are plenty of ways humans are "useful", which is a very subjective definition.
You act like there there's some kind of end game for life on Earth. Like life on Earth is supposed to develop a certain way, and there's some kind of definition of success and failure and the way things should be. Since life first started on Earth there have been five mass extinction events, and there will be more to come. There will also be a day all life on Earth is gone. By questioning the usefulness of humans, you're assuming there's some kind of goal for life on Earth. There isn't IMO. I don't even know how to address the "useful" part, as humans are just like all other life forms in that they're trying to survive. Also, as another poster mentioned, there are plenty of ways humans are "useful", which is a very subjective definition.
Arguably there have been six mass extinctions, with the sixth occurring as we type.
Humans are as accidentally 'useful' in occupying their/our ecological niche as any other species. If we went extinct tomorrow, what would happen? Various ecosystems would be reshaped; I'd have to research it further to get any more specific than that! But ultimately the universe is purposeless and any 'useful purpose' that an organism or species serves is accidental, and temporary. There will likely come a time on this planet when the only remaining life in existence is microbial/viral, just as it was 3.5-4 billion years ago. And there'll definitely come a come a time where it will make no sense to refer to 'life on this planet', because this planet will have ceased to exist.
No purpose, just temporary, happenstantial relationships between/among species that sometimes happen to be mutually beneficial rather than purely predatorial
Highly developed brains and the ability to stand up and use our hands. Beyond that our intellectual capacity is overshadowed by our primal hunter killer instinct.
"Lions, wolves, etc. keep populations in check." Humans keep populations in check.
"Cockroaches eat decaying matter and so they make sure nutrients are recycled back into the food chain and, in turn, become food for lizards, rats, and other insects. Humans eat decaying matter (as all food is after it has been picked) and do the same.
I think the OP is trying to state that humans are the odd animal out... we tend to disrupt the ecosystem or literally destroy it.
Whereas animals tend to balance each other out... predators, prey, etc.
A lion will kill an antelope, the weakest of the heard - the survival of the fittest antelope get to breed and make better babies.
Greg and George get on their boat and dredge the ocean floor for yummy expensive scallops. Destroying the ocean bed and catching and killing 100 bycatch for every scallop harvested.
Basically humans are too powerful for their own good. With short sighted and selfish aims, humans destroy the earth slowly for present gains.
Let's build huge ships and seine the ocean clean of big predator fish.
Let's create massive amounts of chemicals to make our crops grow faster and with less pesky insects to feed to our factory farmed cows and pigs.
Basically our super computer brains and our thumbs makes us way too powerful of an animal for the earth to maintain it's balance.
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