Demerara

Thought that would have been implied. No, I am not a theistic evolutionist.

I'm just trying to explain what I understand of it to make it clearer for folks; doesn't mean I agree.

Hmm . . . so genetic mutation is driven by need. Funny how DNA seems to know what to do.... I think the point is that it's not necessarily just a matter of what would be convenient. I mean, yeah, pointy teeth might have been an advantage for us, but it would be such a tiny advantage compared to our intelligence, ability to use tools, etc. that there's really no reason people why with pointy teeth should be more apt to survive than people without.

This isn't really my area of expertise, so I couldn't say.

...I do understand what you meant now that you have clarified it. I'm just pointing out that at the time, it sounded like you were saying something else. Well I realise that now that you've pointed it out, but there was no indication as to whom you were responding to in the post itself. Therefore, I thought it might have been directed at me...except that I didn't make any reference to clothing, hence my confusion.

This: You said that immediately after one of my earlier posts. Not sure who or what it was referring to.

I apologise, but that's what it sounded like. "Funny how natural selection didn't give us any advantages except for this ONE GIGANTIC ADVANTAGE THAT OVERSHADOWS EVERYTHING ELSE." You're surviving just fine without any of those things, aren't you?

MorningGlory, was that directed at me? I'm not sure what you're getting at. I'm just saying, don't treat our intelligence like it's just some minor thing. It is unique to us and very, very powerful indeed.

You say that like high intelligence is only a slight advantage. Our "large brains" allow us to adapt extremely quickly. To learn faster than any other creature on the planet. To communicate with unparalleled depth. To create and use many, many different tools. To not just inhabit an area, but reform and cultivate it to suit our needs. To build the amazing technology that we have today. To not just perceive and react to the world around us, but to understand it. I'll take that over some pointy teeth, thanks.

It's a bit of a stretch to say that some of these things are "naturally superior". Wings are one thing, but having the body structure to support and use them is another thing altogether. We would have to be much, much lighter and more aerodynamic than we are in order to fly, which would require, among other things, having a hollow skeleton. Same with gills; having them is one thing, having a body designed to use them is another.