Originally posted by Deepblue
I think the biggest point is that people are part of the environment too. Call it arrogant but the notion that people are just like apes is absolutely absurd. Since the dawn of the human species, we have changed, adapted, grown, and created. On the other hand, chimpanzees have not changed much as long as history can recall. The human species IS different from any other species on the planet. The question is why? Is it just the action of natural selection? If it is, why havn't any other species developed as much as humanity during history? Is it that we are born to rule over other species, that we have always been superior? A puzzling question indeed, and one that will probably not ever be answered by humanity.
Because natural selection acts upon random mutations. Humanity has evolved through a myriad of intermediary stages and indeed branches from the path leading to Homo Sapiens. The difference for humanity is simply a higher brain function. It's not a predetermined right to rule the planet (you could argue the common fly or earthworm could claim that position, too - or the humble plankton); it's a freakish combination of mutations that were favoured by natural selection over time.
The other thing, of course, is it's possible there were higher-brain function hominids - that were simply out-competed by the species that evolved into humanity. I think it's been considered that
homo sapiens (and the earlier
homo erectus) competed with
homo neanderthalensis, driving the latter to extinction.
No-ones ever said humans are 'just like apes' (within the distinction made); but we are genetically releated and spring from the same ancestor. If you bear in mind that all life sprang from some single celled organism in the primordial soup, it's not really suprising that humanity is different in the way it is - but also not in as many ways as you might think.
I think you'll find an evolutionary path for Chimpanzees, though; it's certainly not the case they've remained unchanged for millions of years (I think the earliest fossil evidence of Chimpanzee 'existence' is only a million years old). But it's worth bearing in mind that that it'll always be impossible to establish a clear lineage because the fossil record is inherently fragile.
It's worth noting humanity has evolved, though; evidence from 10,000 years ago suggests modern humanity is less physically robust, and has developed smaller molars. The frequency of the latter correlates with the use & frequency of food processing within cultures.
