The punishment of Wisdom Teeth.

Angelus · Post by **Angelus** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:35 pm

I know ill have to go to the dentist soon since my upper wisdom teeth are hurting like mad due to the fact that one of is split into 3 sections and its hollowed out and the other has literally been chipped in 2.

alexz721 · Post by **alexz721** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 8:57 pm

That is a great first post.

corronchilejano · Post by **corronchilejano** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 6:59 am

Nightcrawler wrote:Just imagine if you applied that same principle to every part on your body that COULD cause trouble...

Like your... ehm... is that called Apendix in english? (the little bag you have in your intestines that basically doesn't do anything). It's just one of those thigns that simply doesn't do anything.

If there was a simple way to take it off...

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:20 am

Corronchilejano wrote:
Nightcrawler wrote:Just imagine if you applied that same principle to every part on your body that COULD cause trouble...
Like your... ehm... is that called Apendix in english? (the little bag you have in your intestines that basically doesn't do anything). It's just one of those thigns that simply doesn't do anything.

If there was a simple way to take it off...

Yah, the appendix.

And there's some belief it might do something after all. It's just a subtle something.

Firon · Post by **Firon** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:47 am

The appendix is believed to have a minor function, but nothing major. Some people are born without it and have no problems.

alexz721 · Post by **alexz721** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:30 am

Isn't it thought to have digested cellulose in the distant past, but lost that function as we evolved?

Cyrus · Post by **Cyrus** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 9:26 am

alexz721 wrote:Isn't it thought to have digested cellulose in the distant past, but lost that function as we evolved?

That's what they say anyway, now it doesn't really do much, but it contains a lot of lymphoid cells.

Angelus · Post by **Angelus** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:53 pm

alexz721 wrote:That is a great first post.

that bad eh? lol i know, i only had at least 3 minutes to make that quick post. i only get 1 hours worth of comp time at the library and i was down to about 3 minutes left.

Panzer88 · Post by **Panzer88** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:24 am

everything in your body is their for a reason, even if that reason is backup, or a spare, when you have surgery and unnecessary organs removed your immunity or other body functions may suffer a bit, I wouldn't mess with it unless it caused me trouble, I still have my tonsils.

soulmata · Post by **soulmata** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 5:38 pm

Panzer88 wrote:everything in your body is their for a reason

Fallacy: You assume that humans do not evolve. We do, and as creatures change, things they have evolved may not serve the purpose they once do. An example is the reflect response of "goosebumps", which still serves most animals well by creating an insulating barrier of air or making them appear larger than they really are in response to fear or cold. In humans, the amount of body hair is nowhere near enough (even on very hairy people) for this reflex to have any further benefit.

Over time, it's likely evolution will cause our appendix to disappear altogether.

Neo Kaiser · Post by **Neo Kaiser** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 7:16 pm

soulmata wrote:
Panzer88 wrote:everything in your body is their for a reason

Fallacy: You assume that humans do not evolve. We do, and as creatures change, things they have evolved may not serve the purpose they once do. An example is the reflect response of "goosebumps", which still serves most animals well by creating an insulating barrier of air or making them appear larger than they really are in response to fear or cold. In humans, the amount of body hair is nowhere near enough (even on very hairy people) for this reflex to have any further benefit.

Over time, it's likely evolution will cause our appendix to disappear altogether.

Quoted for Truth! I also think that evolution is occurring constantly and even now in a gradual way. Also new life forms may be creted as bacteria or viruses.

Johan_H · Post by **Johan_H** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 8:21 pm

Both of you, read up on how evolution works.

Neo Kaiser wrote:Also new life forms may be creted as bacteria or viruses.

what do you mean?

Joe Camacho · Post by **Joe Camacho** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:05 pm

Johan_Hanberg wrote:Both of you, read up on how evolution works.
Neo Kaiser wrote:Also new life forms may be creted as bacteria or viruses.
what do you mean?

And what they say is wrong.. Because?

Johan_H · Post by **Johan_H** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:21 pm

Having an appendix is not something that will give a person a disadvantage in producing offspring. Human evolution is pretty fucked up now with the medical technology and food production we have.

Neo Kaiser wrote: I also think that evolution is occurring constantly and even now in a gradual way

Why wouldn't it? And do you mean that evolution was any less or more gradual in the past?

Neo Kaiser wrote:Also new life forms may be creted as bacteria or viruses.

Again: what?

This is really not a lame attempt at looking smart.

soulmata · Post by **soulmata** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 9:36 pm

Johan_Hanberg wrote:Both of you, read up on how evolution works.
Neo Kaiser wrote:Also new life forms may be creted as bacteria or viruses.
what do you mean?

I studied it voraciously in college

Eat my nuts

Johan_H · Post by **Johan_H** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:30 pm

Would you then care to explain why "it's likely evolution will cause our appendix to disappear altogether"?
It's not a rhetorical question, I really wanna know.

Joe Camacho · Post by **Joe Camacho** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:42 pm

Johan_Hanberg wrote:Would you then care to explain why "it's likely evolution will cause our appendix to disappear altogether"?
It's not a rhetorical question, I really wanna know.

Dude, you are so wrong. Appendixes will disappear thanks to evolution because the human being has evolved to such a state that it isn't needed anymore.

Why aren't we covered in fur/hair anymore? Because it isn't needed.

Why are our hands different from our feet? Because our feet aren't needed to be used anymore like chimps use them.

Why is our brain so big compared to other animals? Because it's needed.

"The appendix is thought to have descended from an organ in our distant herbivorous ancestors called the cecum (or cæcum). The cecum is maintained in modern herbivores, where it houses the bacteria that digest cellulose, a chemically tough carbohydrate that these animals could not otherwise utilize. The human appendix contains no significant number of these bacteria, and cellulose is indigestible to humans. It seems likely that the appendix lost this function before human ancestors became recognizably human." Wikipedia.

It's true that "having an appendix is not something that will give a person a disadvantage in producing offspring" but the thing is, that evolution is to discard what isn't NEEDED, and keep what you do use, and adapt that you need.

Hell, some people are born without an appendix and they don't have health problems caused by that.

I remember there was some studies that predicted that humans were going to lose the "little finger" because it isn't being used that much.

creaothceann · Post by **creaothceann** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 12:54 am

When mutations remove features, the resulting organisms have more resources at their disposal for other features. This gives them a slight advantage. But the process is quite slow.

Joe Camacho wrote:I remember there was some studies that predicted that humans were going to lose the pinky because it isn't being used that much.

Don't forget social factors. Do we need facial hair? Not really, but it indicates a certain age and is therefore important. Same with the pinky: If you're considered a freak, chances are your kids will have a rough start.

soulmata · Post by **soulmata** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:07 am

if you don't believe in mutation just look at this

corronchilejano · Post by **corronchilejano** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:56 am

Fact, the appendix right now only causes trouble (you know, apendicitis, and then a possible peritonitis).

And about pinky...

It'll be tough.

Gil_Hamilton · Post by **Gil_Hamilton** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:00 am

Joe Camacho wrote: Why aren't we covered in fur/hair anymore? Because it isn't needed.

Well, it wasn't needed when we lost it. Then the ice age kicked in and we needed it again.
But we worked around that by stealing other animals' body hair.

alexz721 · Post by **alexz721** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 5:59 am

Some of you don't quite understand natural selection. We don't evolve in response to the environment. Instead, random mutations are selected by the environment around us. Random is the key here. It's entirely reasonable to suppose that the appendix could very well continue to exist for the entire duration of the human species' time upon this earth, unless it randomly mutates out of enough people's genomes and the environment happens to select for it. However, since we can survive with or without an appendix, there isn't a reason for people without an appendix to be favored anymore than those with one, and vice versa. Plus, since we have a habit of keeping people alive due to better medical care, natural selection doesn't really play as big a part in our evolution as it used to. I'd call it more social selection (which I guess is natural in context; it is an environment in a sense, but I digress) nowadays than anything. I fully believe evolution is still happening in humans, but it's governed in a different way than it used to be.

Anyways, I don't foresee the appendix disappearing anytime soon.

Panzer88 · Post by **Panzer88** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:39 am

I still can't believe that any of you actually propagate macro evolution as some sort of truth, show me evidence of any organ ceasing or emerging in the human anatomy in all the thousands of years of human history. Yes, yes, evolution takes MUCH LONGER, but while all species are constantly experiencing micro evolution (changes within their own genus) NONE have shown any evidence or macro evolution, nor is there any archaeological evidence that macro evolution ever did occur.

Evolution is as preposterous as religion, to actually take it seriously is kind of sad.

Science demands facts.

Joe Camacho · Post by **Joe Camacho** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:04 am

Panzer88 wrote:I still can't believe that any of you actually propagate macro evolution as some sort of truth, show me evidence of any organ ceasing or emerging in the human anatomy in all the thousands of years of human history. Yes, yes, evolution takes MUCH LONGER, but while all species are constantly experiencing micro evolution (changes within their own genus) NONE have shown any evidence or macro evolution, nor is there any archaeological evidence that macro evolution ever did occur.

Evolution is as preposterous as religion, to actually take it seriously is kind of sad.

Science demands facts.

CroMagnon, Homo Erectus, Homo Habilis and Homo Sapiens? According to the way of life of the creature, it evolved to it. What more evidence of evolution do you need?

If you really think that we are saying that everyone will wake up one day and find that their appendix mysteriously disappeared, or any other organ for that matter, then you are really dense.

What we are saying that appendixes, our coccygeal bones, and other parts of the body that don't have any meaningful task, are bound to disappear as time passes. Yeah, not tomorrow, not in ten years, but EVENTUALLY they will.

creaothceann · Post by **creaothceann** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:29 am

Panzer88 wrote:show me evidence of any organ ceasing or emerging in the human anatomy in all the thousands of years of human history.

The human species isn't that old yet. But, the front lobes of the brain are unique to us.

Panzer88 wrote:Yes, yes, evolution takes MUCH LONGER, but while all species are constantly experiencing micro evolution (changes within their own genus) NONE have shown any evidence or macro evolution, nor is there any archaeological evidence that macro evolution ever did occur.

How do you think species have been created?

Panzer88 wrote:Evolution is as preposterous as religion, to actually take it seriously is kind of sad.

Oh please. Just because you don't understand it...

Panzer88 wrote:Science demands facts.

Sometimes you just have to take the theory that explains the facts in the most plausible way, and change it when new & contradicting facts emerge. This happens in biology, psychology, particle physics, astronomy, ...