Oh, no argument from me on that.  I just hate all this "missing link" hubbub.  It adds credibility to the whole business of "nuh uh, you still haven't found this fossil, so you can't say that evolution is true!"

GabuEx

I agree. It reminds me of this pic: 

Anyway, this was a interesting find. I'm looking forward to more finds to help improve our understanding of human evolution. 

Also, here is a blog post explaining the fossil that some might find interesting: http://scienceblogs.com/laelaps/2009/10/will_the_earliest-known_homini.php#more

http://commonsenseatheism.com/

I've been following this blog for a couple weeks and have been enjoying lately.  

Whenever I think about what it would be like when we die, I can never wrap my head around it. I always end up thinking it will probably be like before we were born. To me, that's sort of a scary thing to think about. Although, I always I thought it would be cool to be reincarnated into some other animal and still retain some of our former consciousness. 

All animals have learned morality due to livign in groups with social structures. If a group didn't have a moral code that group would die out due to other groups with moral code attacking it to extinction. In areas of small groups of wanderers they need to survive within that group and each person needs to assist the group in order for the group to stay alive. This moral code has been passed down from generation to generation since human ancestors began travelling in these groups.BumFluff122

This is basically how I see it. It seems to make sense that we would evolve some sort of moral code. For example, if we went around killing each other, that would only be harmful to our group and provide no benefit. So, no, I don't think religion is necessary for morality at all.

[QUOTE="Dr_AlanGrant"]

I'm against capital punishment. For the reasons that an innocent man could be killed and I find life in jail to be a better punishment. I'd imagine wasting your whole life being in jail possibly thinking about what you did to be rather horrible.

GabuEx

Well, that line is one I've never really been very sure of.  I don't think a day has ever gone by on which Charles Manson actually felt any remorse for what he did.

I do agree that most criminals probably doesn't regret their crimes but I'd think that some actually do. Even if they never regretted the crime, I'd still think it would be a better and somewhat worse punishment.