Love

Originally posted by Darfius
I think mammals caring for their offspring could better be described as "duty". Animals care about their offspring surviving, yes, but they could care less if their offspring is happy.

Hmm...I'm not so sure about this.

I do not believe that love is peculiar to the human species. Bennett
might know more about this than I do, but I am pretty sure that we
observe love in other species, like apes, elephants, and dolphins. It
doesn't have the same manifestation as ours does, but elementally
it is there.

Personally, I am in agreement with Rwingett. I think that the 'duty'
you describe is the 'primal urge,' so to speak (we see it in many 'higher'
creatures, including a few reptiles, many birds, and most mammals).
In order to perpetuate the species, one must ensure that some offspring
develop into reproductive adults.

'Love' is a social reinforcement of that 'primal urge,' I think. As the
animals get 'higher,' we see a longer childhood development requiring
more nurture. 'Love' is partially a biological construct which ensures
that we see to our offspring. The other part is social, and, at this point,
I suspect the larger part.

Again, this is my 'lay' guess. A biologist would have to give the technical
mumbo jumbo to explain it.

Nemesio

I love my cat.

Originally posted by Darfius
[b]I don't think you have meant to be tactless at all ever since you have been posting, although I admit I have been pretty tactless and for that, I apologize.

Your gentlemanly behavior of late has given me more than enough incentive to forgive you, though I did long before. Besides, though I appreciate the sentiment, I have been too sarcastic for m ...[text shortened]... ld do for her so I won't.[/b]

I agree. I knew the answer, it was more to stress my point. [/b]

Your gentlemanly behavior of late has given me more than enough incentive to forgive you, though I did long before. Besides, though I appreciate the sentiment, I have been too sarcastic for my tastes at times.

Well again thanks and I think the sarcasm (on both sides) was due to when someone feels they have their back against the wall they tend to react. I know that is why I was.

I admit I've forgotten exactly why, though that is due more to my horrible short term memory, rather than a lack of respect for your beliefs. If you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate if you would, though you I would just as soon understand if you told me to do some thread searching.

Sure. I think the answer in bold below from my previous post answers the question

My belief is that I cannot comprehend God so I don't try to. I personally think it is mankind's folly to do so. So to answer your original question, I don't know where my love for my daughter comes from. If it is Christ, then I am screwed because despite whatever life I live, I am not and I am not planning to become a Christian.

Christians don't claim to comprehend God's mind. We claim to comprehend what He has deemed to show us. I don't care if you become a Christian in the church-going, "Bible thumping ;P" sense of the word, but I would love--and more importantly God would love--if you began a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Perhaps even prayed a short prayer asking for answers. I have no doubt it would be answered if asked sincerely and humbly.

Without attempting to be sarcastic, if the Bible is the word of God that isn’t that at least an aspect of God’s mind? Correct me if I am wrong but I have the sense that you, RBHILL, dj2becker, and Blindfaith101 as well as some others are, at very least, extremely well versed at the Bible. While I understand you are not attempting to make any claims as to how God’s mind works, I think the Bible is an attempt to define some type of plan.

At the sake of repeating myself from other threads, I have absolutely no interest in pursuing Christianity or any other religion. I think you have good intentions but, and this is in no such way meant as a smart handed remark, as I have no idea as to what makes up you and your beliefs, nobody has an idea what makes up mine. Truth is, I don’t think anybody really knows how anyone forms what they believe in. I prefer to keep mine private. Of the list of people I mentioned as the most vocal of the Christian set, I probably respect you the most. I have to say I really do not agree with much of your views but I think you speak more from your own mind and your beliefs then the others do.

Originally posted by Darfius
I suspect that the competitive nature of our DNA would not allow organisms as intelligent as us - we would fight them until one of our species was annihilated.🙁

Our DNA is competative? I wasn't aware it was sentient, much less competative. Are you saying natural selection must always manifest itself in aggression? [/b]

Fair enough. I think I expressed myself poorly.

Our DNA isn't competitive. but the organism containing the DNA is usually keen to maintain its niche in the environment and will attempt to defeat competitors through a range of mechanisms. It may grow thorns to stop things eating it. It may have billions of seeds so it can out grow its competitiors. It may select for intelligence so that it can make tools and thus live in a wider range of ecological niches, like homo sapiens have. No - as I said, poor choice of words. Natural selection need not manifest itself in aggression. My apologies.