Evolution of humans and trees

[AlP]

While walking through the park near my apartment today and seeing the trees, I thought of the evolutionary tree. Trees and humans have a common, though very distant, ancestor. Those common ancestors did not look anything like humans or anything like trees but we both evolved from the same distant common ancestor. What occurred to me while I was walking through the park is that this makes the trees our cousins. They are of course very distant cousins but they are nevertheless our cousins. And then something interesting happened. I felt a certain kinship with trees that I have never experienced before. It completely changed the experience of walking through the park in a very positive way. To me this is an example of how science can enhance our experience of living, even in "spiritual" ways, by enhancing our understanding.

All living things are cousins. Some are more closely related than others. Trees (and other plants) are special to me because, of the things that still live, they are our most distant cousins. Even mushrooms (and other fungi) are more closely related.

It was a good feeling

[MariaEvri]

One thing I never liked about religion, is that it teaches that humen are here to control nature and that the arent part of it. Scinece teaches us that we are part of it all, and thats one more reason to respect the environment.

[Will]

I know where this is leading:

[AlP]

Hey not fair!

Okay it was funny

[s0cks]

Yes, Christianity teaches us that humans are higher than everyother living thing. Afterall we were created in God's image and everything else was created FOR us. The planet is a resource for us to use in whatever way we please. Unfortuantly this is still imprinted on most peoples brains even if they aren't religious. Not that I blame them, its the big lie that EVRYONE adheres to. Its impossible to escape it.

We start to touch on topics against civilization itself at this point. For example, those tress in the park were more than likely planted by man and are, in some sense, an unatural formation. We try to make our own nature but really we don't understand it too well. Certain species and plants form in certain areas for specific reasons. Its a very delicate balance. Even as we try and preserve nature we cause damage. A good example is forest fires. Traditionally forest fires would wipe out all the dead undergrowth but not be strong enough to destroy the trees. Now we prevent forest fires the undergrowth builds up massively, so when a fire does start it becomes a raging inferno.

[Loffler]

If you think trees are amazing, stop by the zoo and stare at the chimps. You guys have the same great*10^5 grandparents.

[SSY]

That is quite a thought, thank you Loffler