BS: Is Homo Sapiens?

Subject: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: GUEST,Sooz (at work)
Date: 06 May 04 - 07:55 AM

I was once set this is an essay title. It is getting increasingly difficult to justify our species name. Perhaps it should be changed...

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Jim McCallan
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:07 AM

How about the anagram of it: Poison Shame?
(Oh dear, that sounds terrible...)

Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: GUEST,Sooz (at work)
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:43 AM

We are terrible (on the whole!)

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: el ted
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:45 AM

gas mark 6, 20minutes a pound. Oh, sorry, wrong thread!

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: mooman
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:50 AM

I do do not have the wisdom, knowledge or sagacity to answer this question....

Peace

moo

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: mack/misophist
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:52 AM

For the most part, no.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Amos
Date: 06 May 04 - 10:33 AM

The problem is that he is sapiens in his better half, but seems unable to transcend the lizard-brained homo reactivus whoch makes sapient conduct hard to come by in some.

But I would be cautious about making such sweeping generalizations about the whole species, even though I just did so! :>)

A

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: pdq
Date: 06 May 04 - 01:22 PM

...pedant alert...

The first letter of a specific name is in small case. Repeat, it is not capitalized.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Amos
Date: 06 May 04 - 01:29 PM

PDQ:

In this case, literary license rules, I would think. And it actually fair use of Title case.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Sooz
Date: 06 May 04 - 01:52 PM

I was waiting for someone to notice that pdq. You are quite correct! I could claim it as literary license or a deliberate error to test all you pedants, but, to be truthful, I didn't notice I'd done it until I'd clicked the submit button. As a part-time pedant myself I will consider my wrists well and truly slapped.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 06 May 04 - 02:02 PM

I rather prefer Homo Ludens as a name for our species.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Don Firth
Date: 06 May 04 - 02:24 PM

Homo sapians donotes potential. So far, the species in general has made it only as far as Homo sap.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 06 May 04 - 02:40 PM

but the arrogance of 'homo sapiens sapiens' is just too much. In this case I think it's ironic, like calling a short person stretch, or a slim person tubby. we call ourselves sapiens because we are really 'homo obtusus stultus'

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: GUEST,Oryx
Date: 06 May 04 - 03:11 PM

Perhaps we should be named "Mimatuta morgoth" which is in fact the name for a Paleocene mammal (Van Valen, 1978). The name was inspired by JRR Tolkien and means "dark enemy of the world.". During my more pessimistic moments I think that there isn't a single problem on Earth that can't be cured by reducing the size of the world's population. Through HIV, AIDS, and soon global warming, we seem to be achieving this without even trying. It is just a shame that we have to take the rest of the world with us. Further reading (compulsory if you are a human being on the planet Earth): "The Origins of Virtue" by Matt Ridley for hope(?) and "Oryx and Crake" by Margeret Attwood" for no hope.

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: GUEST,Bill Kennedy
Date: 06 May 04 - 03:35 PM

read Oryx and Crake and though there is much to despair of in it drawn largely from non-fiction science sources, the downfall described seemed finally to hinge on the pathology of one character. makes me a little skittish about an addle-pated, religious fanatic having his finger on the nuclear trigger. not that Cheney is any more reassuring. conservatives tend to be so convinced they are right, liberals tend to give another opinion a fair hearing at least, a generalisation, but a reason to support liberal causes more conservatively!

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Cluin
Date: 06 May 04 - 08:32 PM

No wonder nothing gets done anymore....

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Bill D
Date: 06 May 04 - 10:38 PM

Homo has only BEEN 'sapiens' for maybe 35,000 years...a mere twig on the family tree. Many of the current branches are still eating roots and grubs in the jungle and debating territory & power with spears and magic. Our 'civilized' ways are merely complex varitations on the theme, with some glimmerings of that potential Don Firth mentions.

I will never understand why we are so surprised when we look up and note that old habits and hormones are so near the surface in so many individuals!

OLD JOKE: "Science has finally found the 'missing link' between primitive ape-like creatures and civilized man............us."

Subject: RE: BS: Is Homo Sapiens?
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 07 May 04 - 06:19 AM

Who is this Sapiens guy? Never heard of him, and his sexual orientation's his own affair.
Johnny :0)