15-06-2003 02:11									#1
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In various discussions about evolution I remember hearing(reading) people talking about thumbs being one of the big human advantages over other animals.

Can anyone clarify this point? It sounds odd.

	15-06-2003 02:12									#2
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Grasping.

	15-06-2003 02:13									#3
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Think on the Romans, no gladiator bttles without thumbs....

	15-06-2003 02:14									#4
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Cut off your thumbs and let us know.

	15-06-2003 02:14									#5
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Think about tying your shoes without thumbs.

	15-06-2003 02:15									#6
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Of course, the truly big difference, the one from which all else follows, is the ability to walk upright.

	15-06-2003 02:17									#7
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I´ve heard thumbs are also neccessary for save masturbating....

	15-06-2003 02:17									#8
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Thumbs, upright walking, and sentience are tied IMO. Thumbs allow us to build complex tools, sentience lets us think up the complex tools, and upright walking lets us use them.

	15-06-2003 02:34									#9
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While we're at it, what's the big deal with walking upright?

	15-06-2003 02:54									#10
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Getting from one patch of trees to another with enough weaponry in your now available hands to not get eaten.

	15-06-2003 02:56									#11
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Walking upright gives us two arms instead of four legs, you know?

Also allows for the growth of fingers, including the thumb.

	15-06-2003 02:59									#12
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quote: Originally posted by mrmitchell Thumbs, upright walking, and sentience are tied IMO. Thumbs allow us to build complex tools, sentience lets us think up the complex tools, and upright walking lets us use them.

thumbs up

On a side note, this is why I don't think monkeys or dolphins are NEARLY as intelligent as humans - they have no use for it, so why would they evolve it?

	15-06-2003 03:02									#13
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The big deal is opposable thumbs - without thumbs, making tools and such would be much harder. Even more worrying, we wouldn't have

	15-06-2003 03:21									#14
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I gotta see that!

	15-06-2003 03:53									#15
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I had forgotten about that!

	15-06-2003 03:55									#16
	Suffering from ads?

to allow us to exercise our 2nd amendment rights

	15-06-2003 04:07									#17
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Well, Dave Barry's theory is that thumbs led to the creation of the "OK" hand sign, which gave us a big advantage over the apes, who could only make a noncommittal shrugging gesture when a good idea came along. Thus, while ape geniuses were unappreaciated and became despondent, humans followed through on good ideas and developed into the outstanding life forms we are today.

	15-06-2003 04:24									#18
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how true... scary

	15-06-2003 06:09									#19
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quote: Originally posted by Soul Survivor to allow us to exercise our 2nd amendment rights

you pull the trigger with your thumb?

I guess he shows the intelligence of the usual second amendment supporters

	15-06-2003 06:12									#20
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quote: you pull the trigger with your thumb?

Um... you need the thumb to hold the gun itself, especially around the handle part.

I guess you show the intelligence of the usual gun control supporters?

	15-06-2003 06:17									#21
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That reason (grasping) was already covered by the first reply. It seems within reason to believe that SS was bringing something new to the discussion, hence HTower's comment.