Why Are There Still Monkeys?

[Regnad Kcin]

I always get a kick out of this, though (mixed metaphor alert!) it leaves a bitter aftertaste. Modern primates simply share common (or common enough) ancestry.

An illustration:

It was in 1885 that Karl Benz produced the first petrol driven motor vehicle. Benz's vehicle had three wheels, with the back wheel being driven by a rear, mounted engine. Power was transmitted from the engine to the wheel using a leather belt.

From here.

Viewed in retrospect, the Benz Motorwagen (pictured below) can be seen as the ancestor of all wheeled things driven by internal combustion, be they Ferrari, Kenworth, or Harley. These variations evolved over time to fulfill particular requirements placed upon the basic structure of the auto-mobile.

Naturally (pun unintended), animal species exist due to causes and circumstances not directly paralleled by the "mechanical kingdom." But the relationships are close enough to make a casual conversational point.

Evolution -- It's everywhere you look!

 

[arthwollipot]

Interesting. I've never seen two motor vehicles mate and have offspring...

 

[Bruce]

Interesting. I've never seen two motor vehicles mate and have offspring...

You've never heard of hybrid cars?

 

[arthwollipot]

You've never heard of hybrid cars?

Of course, but until now I had been thankfully ignorant of their origin.

This means that the Toyota Prius is the result of the unholy union between a Ford Laser and a golf cart?

That's a mental image that I didn't want!

 

[headscratcher4]

I suppose this theory explains the pile-up this morning that made me 40 minutes late to work...

 

[Upchurch]

Oh, yeah? Well, if cars are decended from motorcycles, why do we still have motorcycles?


Boy, that argument just doesn't work, does it?

 

[drkitten]

Oh, yeah? Well, if cars are decended from motorcycles, why do we still have motorcycles?

No, no, no. Cars aren't decended from motorcycles, motorcycles are decended from cars.

And the reason that we still have cars is that not all of the cars got the memo. And even among those that got it, some cars are very slow readers.

 

[Upchurch]

And the reason that we still have cars is that not all of the cars got the memo. And even among those that got it, some cars are very slow readers.

And here the analogy begins to break down. There are monkeys who are more literate than some humans I've met.

 

[TragicMonkey]

And here the analogy begins to break down. There are monkeys who are more literate than some humans I've met.

Thanks!

 

[headscratcher4]

Oh, yeah? Well, if cars are decended from motorcycles, why do we still have motorcycles?


Boy, that argument just doesn't work, does it?

Motorcycles clearly decend from bikes....and, btw, both are full of intelligent design!

 

[arthwollipot]

So where do unicycles appear on the family tree?

I'm comfuzzed now.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

Interesting. I've never seen two motor vehicles mate and have offspring...

It's simply a little thing I like to call... an analogy.

So where do unicycles appear on the family tree?

The first internal-combustion-engine-powered/wheeled conveyance --> today's diverse examples of the same.

In other words, no uni, wolli, considering you're talking about a wholly different species and all.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

Oh, yeah? Well, if cars are decended from motorcycles, why do we still have motorcycles?

Boy, that argument just doesn't work, does it?

Well, by my original example (perhaps not clear, as it was written at 3am) all of today's motorized conveyances can trace their lineage back to the Benz three-wheeler pictured in the OP.

As to your question though, we still have motorcycles because evolution has selected for them.

Now don't get all mecho-creationist on my azz!

 

[arthwollipot]

The first internal-combustion-engine-powered/wheeled conveyance --> today's diverse examples of the same.

In other words, no uni, wolli, considering you're talking about a wholly different species and all.

Well I wasn't the one who brought up the relation between motorcycles and bicycles.

 

[Zep]

So...

Is a steam-roller a descendant of the bicycle? With only two (big, fat) wheels?

And can I put in a word for the tricycle phyla here too, please. Rickshaws, trikes, Messerschmits, that sort of thing.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

So...

Is a steam-roller a descendant of the bicycle? With only two (big, fat) wheels?

Well, and with respect, bicycles have nothing to do with the original analogy, insofar as they are not motorized vehicles.

That being said, steam-rollers are descendants of the Benz Motorwagen. And a marvellous example of evolutionary adaptation.

 

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

And here the analogy begins to break down. There are monkeys who are more literate than some humans I've met.

un gow ah?