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Why do some say that humans are apes?

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kraftiekortie
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07 Jul 2017, 4:35 pm

We are not apes. It can be speculated that we are not descended from apes at all--though we are certainly descended from ape-like creatures.

What's the harm in that? What's wrong with apes, anyway?



Kraichgauer
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07 Jul 2017, 9:42 pm

Aristophanes wrote:
MushroomPrincess wrote:
An ape is a primate sharing a common descent with all species in the superfamily Hominoidea.

This taxonomic group includes all species of gorilla, chimpanzee, gibbon, bonobo, orangutan, and yes, human.

I think a better question is, why do some say that humans aren't apes? After all, in a purely scientific sense, no one would disagree that humans are animals, nor disagree that we are mammals, nor that we are primates. But then why does the "A word" seem to upset so many people? I think it should be perfectly obvious that humans are not monkeys, lemurs, or tarsiers, so if we aren't apes, what are we?

Ego. Apes are dumb and uncivilized, no human wants to be called dumb and uncivilized (although a lot are). It doesn't matter if the human is reaching in their backside grabbing a handful and smearing it on a wall, they still want to believe that they're better than their ape cousins even if the facts disagree.


If I had to become a different sort of ape (other than human), I'd be a Bonobo, as they are constantly having sex, and are for the most part peaceful.


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Aristophanes
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07 Jul 2017, 9:48 pm

Kraichgauer wrote:
Aristophanes wrote:
MushroomPrincess wrote:
An ape is a primate sharing a common descent with all species in the superfamily Hominoidea.

This taxonomic group includes all species of gorilla, chimpanzee, gibbon, bonobo, orangutan, and yes, human.

I think a better question is, why do some say that humans aren't apes? After all, in a purely scientific sense, no one would disagree that humans are animals, nor disagree that we are mammals, nor that we are primates. But then why does the "A word" seem to upset so many people? I think it should be perfectly obvious that humans are not monkeys, lemurs, or tarsiers, so if we aren't apes, what are we?

Ego. Apes are dumb and uncivilized, no human wants to be called dumb and uncivilized (although a lot are). It doesn't matter if the human is reaching in their backside grabbing a handful and smearing it on a wall, they still want to believe that they're better than their ape cousins even if the facts disagree.


If I had to become a different sort of ape (other than human), I'd be a Bonobo, as they are constantly having sex, and are for the most part peaceful.

Sex is a great pacifier...



Kraichgauer
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08 Jul 2017, 3:29 pm

Aristophanes wrote:
Kraichgauer wrote:
Aristophanes wrote:
MushroomPrincess wrote:
An ape is a primate sharing a common descent with all species in the superfamily Hominoidea.

This taxonomic group includes all species of gorilla, chimpanzee, gibbon, bonobo, orangutan, and yes, human.

I think a better question is, why do some say that humans aren't apes? After all, in a purely scientific sense, no one would disagree that humans are animals, nor disagree that we are mammals, nor that we are primates. But then why does the "A word" seem to upset so many people? I think it should be perfectly obvious that humans are not monkeys, lemurs, or tarsiers, so if we aren't apes, what are we?

Ego. Apes are dumb and uncivilized, no human wants to be called dumb and uncivilized (although a lot are). It doesn't matter if the human is reaching in their backside grabbing a handful and smearing it on a wall, they still want to believe that they're better than their ape cousins even if the facts disagree.


If I had to become a different sort of ape (other than human), I'd be a Bonobo, as they are constantly having sex, and are for the most part peaceful.

Sex is a great pacifier...


It mist certainly is. That's why we humans have make-up sex! :lol:


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NewTime
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19 Jul 2017, 8:34 pm

https://www.google.com/#q=%22humans+vs+apes%22

5,520 results on Google for "humans vs apes"

https://www.google.com/#q=%22humans+vs+other+apes%22

160 results on Google for "humans vs other apes"

Clearly the word "ape" normally excludes humans. Humans are not considered to be apes under the ordinary use of the word.



naturalplastic
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19 Jul 2017, 9:35 pm

That's because its easier to say "ape" than to say "nonhuman ape".
Doesn't change the fact that humans are apes. Specifically we are a type of African ape.

The category of ape includes orangutans and gorillas.

Gorillas are closer kin to both humans and chimps than they are to orangutans. So if both orangs and gorillas are in the same taxon that taxon must include humans.

Even if you subdivide apes into Asian apes (orangutans and gibbons) from African apes (chimps gorillas and bonobos) you have the problem that some African apes are closer to us than they are to other African apes (both chimps and bonobos are closer kin to us than either is to the gorilla). So if you lump chimps and gorillas together into one taxon, then that taxon has to include man. Thus humans are type of African ape.



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20 Jul 2017, 2:55 pm

Aristophanes wrote:
Ego. Apes are dumb and uncivilized, no human wants to be called dumb and uncivilized (although a lot are).

Apes are smarter than most other animals though.


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