User talk:ParaDoctoral

Welcome!

Hi, OcciMoron, and Welcome to Wikipedia!

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Reply to comment on James Brown talk page

A reply has been posted to your message on the James Brown talk page. →Lwalt ^♦ talk 19:42, 3 August 2007 (UTC)

thoughts on the nature of humanity

Thanks for your thoughts on the nature of humanity.. the idea that "Sex for enjoyment" sets humans (& bonobos) apart from the other animals isn't my own idea.. and i have it listed under "Stupid theories on what sets humans apart" with a bunch of other half-witted theories for that reason.. (I'd like to start an article on these theories some day, or at least add them to the human article or the like).

But you've made some interesting points.. But I have to say that observing various animals in the wild and at zoos, it seems that most animals spend the vast majority of their time doing something other than procreating. So it's hard to say their lives or societies are all that sex-centric. However, sex is still a necessity in the human and animal worlds. Relationships, love stories, and sex are central in any human culture. And I believe sex will only become a marginal activity when sex and reproduction are completely isolated from each other. Which I don't think the majority is ever going to like the idea of all that much, I don't think would ever be completely possible. —Pengo 21:58, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, animals do spend time doing other activities, but generally they are a means to the end of reproduction, all residing at the very lowest part of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Occasionally animals with high parental involvement make forays into the second level of that hierarchy, but that is only ever in a context of maintaining reproductive fitness. Humans have a *need* to fulfill the other categories, which has led to incredible staying power as a species. OcciMoron 15:37, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

I don't accept Maslow's hierarchy as anything more than a moralistic hypothesis, with little basis in science (i.e. it's not testable, especially not with animals). There's no reason your argument that animals do all they do to aid reproduction (or the furthering of their kin) cannot apply to humans. The only difference with animals is that they can't tell you otherwise. —Pengo 00:23, 24 August 2007 (UTC)

Reply to comment on Quasispecies talk page

Browsing around tonight I noticed your request for an accessible explanation on the quasispecies page, and felt the same way. I've added a section that I think explains it to mortals a little better. p.s. I was also a Techer, well grad turkey anyway.IdahoEv (talk) 08:58, 6 February 2008 (UTC)

Cytokine storm

See discussion on article talk page. Tim Vickers (talk) 17:06, 29 April 2009 (UTC)