The very many questions-not-worth-their-own-thread question thread XXIV

[hobbsyoyo]

Even with mountain lions, we have to get at what we define as aggression.

Is a cougar who kills a jogger because he needs to eat aggressive? Are they not aggressive when killing and eating other animals that aren't human? IIRC, the question didn't even specify that the aggression counted only towards humans and even if it did, then you can't easily rule out humans themselves.

I don't mind answering random questions from anyone, but refusing to clarify the question when asked or stating 'that's not going to work' for no good reason for the umpteenth time gets old. Why did I bother in the first place?

 

[Cutlass]

The thing with calling a cougar or wolf aggressive is that there may be the odd attack, but nearly all the individual animals, given a choice, won't be anywhere near where humans live in the first place. So it's not like they are seeking out humans to hunt.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

And so when human action takes away said choice by crowding them or depleting their food, we call them aggressive?

And that rule is far feom universal as well, some prides of lions learn to hunt humans, and coyotes are very happy living in our space.

 

[Farm Boy]

And so when human action takes away said choice by crowding them or depleting their food, we call them aggressive?

And that rule is far feom universal as well, some prides of lions learn to hunt humans, and coyotes are very happy living in our space.

You might, though cougars do find humans somewhat tasty looking if they're hungry for any reason really. They're just not super common and humans aren't quite the right size to be a preferred target. Like polar bears and walruses, the adults are too big and risky unless you're starving. The young look better.

 

[Cutlass]

Pretty much. The animal just wants to live as it's ancestors have lived for the past many 1000s of years. But it doesn't have the option of doing that anymore. It can adapt, or die out. Big predators take a lot of land area, or they don't have enough prey. But the land of that area which does not contain humans is pretty small now. So the most of the population of predators is gone. The remainder sometimes inevitably crosses paths with humans.

 

[Chukchi Husky]

What other species of animal engineers famines, launches operations which kill thousands upon thousands, and designs weapons to make it easier to kill?

Humans don't count because they're not animals.

It was something that I was told about. American farmers and ranchers are shooting wolves, and that it's the right thing because wolves are the most aggressive animal as they frequently attack people.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Humans are animals.

Wolves aren't particularly aggressive towards people. The motives for killing them are purely economic (they kill expensive cattle).

 

[Farm Boy]

Wolf attacks on humans are rare. A starving pack might go after an isolated human adult. It's terrifically unlikely even in areas with a lot of wolves. You do have to mind your cattle, your sheep, your dogs and cats and I wouldn't let your toddler out unattended for long stretches of time. But Hobbs is right. They're not particularly aggressive. They get culled for the same reasons ground hogs do or coyotes do or foxes do or deer do, they're destructive to property. Any of the above can and will cause significant economic loss.

 

[Chukchi Husky]

Humans are animals.

If I said that then I'll be told that I'm wrong and stupid for believing that.

 

[Synobun]

If I said that then I'll be told that I'm wrong and stupid for believing that.

Don't let yourself be gaslighted.

 

[cardgame]

From what I've gathered, Chukchi has been getting gaslighted for years now.

I've read a lot of reasonable posts by him which he follows up by saying "My friends would tell me I'm wrong and stupid for this."

Your friends are wrong and stupid, Chukchi.

 

[Rashiminos]

If you find a pool of magma in your dream, would you be able to jump in it?

***

Humans are animals.

Humans are not animals.

If I said that then I'll be told that I'm wrong and stupid for believing that.

Do you always believe what you're told?

 

[bhsup]

I'm pretty sure that humans are in the animalia kingdom, yes?

 

[Ajidica]

I'm pretty sure that humans are in the animalia kingdom, yes?

Yep, according to Wikipedia:

Clade: Synapsida
Order: Therapsida
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Hominidae
Tribe: Hominini
Genus: Homo
Species: H. sapiens

 

[Rashiminos]

I'm pretty sure that humans are in the animalia kingdom, yes?

If you use a shoehorn, maybe.

 

[Synobun]

Humans are not animals.

I'm interested in your reasoning for this opinion.

 

[Farm Boy]

One would presume he's using the social construct of the word rather than the scientific term. Both of which are in common usage and appropriate.

 

[Rashiminos]

I'm interested in your reasoning for this opinion.

It's slightly more useful than some of the alternatives.

Spoiler :

Biological Classification*

 

[caketastydelish]

Link to video.

 

[Synobun]

How does one qualify to enter a League of Legends tournament? Googling reveals nothing except that there are teams and you win money.

Is there any way to be emailed whenever a new episode airs of a show?

I hope 8 days is an acceptable bump with no answers.