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Old Fri, Apr-09-04, 06:51
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Paleoanth Paleoanth is offline
Slothy Superhero
Posts: 12,159
 
Plan: Vegetarian Atkins
Stats: 165/145/125 Female 60 inches
BF:29/25.2/24
Progress: 50%
Location: Tennessee/Iowa
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Actually, the survival of the fittest has nothing to do with being the biggest or strongest at all. It has to do with mutation and adaptation in a particular environment. What is a good mutation in one environment could be disastrous in another. Environment is what drives the selection process.

Second, our canines are incisiform canines and not shaped like the canines you see in lots of other animals (i.e. lions, and gorillas). They are built to help with the cutting, not tearing of foods. Which does not contradict what you are saying-just wanted to let you know. However, gorillas do have huge canines and they are strict vegetarians-their canine size has more to do with their social structure then their diets. Most primates with huge canines have a harem social structure (baboons, mandrills, lemurs, gorillas...).

Gorillas have an extended gut in order to pull all the available nutrients out of plant materials. Something we cannot do. We don't digest cellulose (plant fiber) well at all. They are adapted to their folliverous environment.

Humans (and our direct ancestors) on the other hand are omniverous, dietary generalists and have been for at least 2 million years. Meat is a high quality food. You get more bang for your buck so to speak. More calories per gram than in plant foods. So, yes, we are evolutionarily adapted to a ominverious diet. So what? Darker skinned people are adapted to life near the equator, while lighter skinned people are adapted to more northern climates. Does that mean I shouldn't ever move closer to the equator? Modern humans more culturally adapt than biologically adapt to our environments now.

I am a vegetarian for personal reasons. Thanks for your input, but nothing you are going to say is all of the sudden going to make me become a meat eater again. I am very well aware of human evolutionary history, as it is what I do for a living.

As far as Judeo-Christian religious arguements go, it also states clearly in the Bible that we are not to eat pigs. If you are going to use the Bible to argue your position, I am assuming you don't eat sausage or pork. Other religions have different dietary requirements. Some demand vegetarian lifestyles, while others state that you shouldn't eat cows or kill any insects.
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