Hi everyone,
We all know that we are genetically very close to our animal cousins. 98.8 % of our DNA is identical with chimps. So, are we 98.8% chimps? No! So, how is it that we are so different?
There is obviously much more to all this than merely matching DNA. The differences between humans and chimps are so large that the above number is clearly not the only parameter to consider while measuring the similarities.
It is like saying that today's latest computer is 98.8% similar to the 286 of the 1980'S....just because the box and the plastic and the metal content are similar. The incremental increase in capacity is very high with every model. More importantly, the software being used is much more complex than that in early models.
Similarly, the mental capabilities in humans is much more than in chimps and that cannot be measured entirely in terms of DNA.
The differences could be largely epigenetc and dependent on gene expression or maybe many other factors that we don't know of yet.
In other words, merely because we have 98.8% of the DNA similar to chimps does not mean we can keep thinking of ourselves as 98.8% chimps. No...we are very different and the differences clearly outweigh the similarities....(whatever the underlying biological or non biological reasons may be).
Just some thoughts.
Cheers.
Sriram
