The Terrans-A 5 sentient species Earth

[MichaelJCO 0]

This thread was inspired by the Enterprise 3rd season premire episode

the Xindi.The crew discovers and we are shown that the new

villians-the Xindi-that attacked Earth are in fact a race made up of 5

sentient species. They are-Insectoid,Aquatic,Reptillian,Mammalian and

Humanoid.The Xinidi have envolved to the point where they coporate but

each species considers itself and its viewpoints the dominant

ones.But what if? What if 5 seperate sentient species

evolved on Earth didnt wipe each other out and came to known as the

Terrans. They evolved from the same types of Earth species with the

Insectoids being the oldest.The Aquatic species from Dolphins.The

Reptillians from a Dinosaur species.The Mammalian species from a form

of Apes.The Humanoid species fairly similar to Homo Sapiens and of

course the new kids on the block.How would Earth history have panned

out with 5 sentient species on the planet?Where would the different

species pre-dominate? Who would meet and interact first? Alliances?

Enemies? Cultures? Intermarriage? Reality Shows? What type of

Terran civilization would the Vulcans visiting Earth in 2063

encounter or would they have chosen to contact Earth years earlier?

Any and all ideas appreciated.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Very interesting thought. I will have to think on this one. My initial feeling is that the Insect race may be a dominate one. They out number all other life forms (To my knowledge) on Earth now as it is.

 

I'll be interested to see what everyone thinks.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

Well, I believe many forms of life on Earth are sentiant, just becuase they aren't like us, doesn't make them any less. Anywho, I agree with VBG, the Insectazoids or the Reptillians would be the dominate sect of the diverse Human species.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I don't believe there are other sentient life forms on Earth other then Humanity. I don't believe that simply for religious reasons though. I believe that to be sentient you must have a Soul, and I believe that the human soul is what makes humanity unique from other animal life on Earth. I also believe that humanity is the only life on Earth with a soul.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

VBG, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't sentience essentially mean "self aware"? My cat smoky ate food, drank water, reproduced, had interrests, was aware of her environment, displayed emotion, taught new pets (successfully) that she was in charge, and spent the last 3 days, before she died, staying alive via will power - no longer able to eat or drink. If that's not sentience, I don't know what is. Animals may not have intellect or a mind like that of a human, but I believe most forms of animal life are indeed sentient.

[edmcgon 0]

VBG, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't sentience essentially mean "self aware"?  My cat smoky ate food, drank water, reproduced, had interrests, was aware of her environment, displayed emotion, taught new pets (successfully) that she was in charge, and spent the last 3 days, before she died, staying alive via will power - no longer able to eat or drink.  If that's not sentience, I don't know what is.  Animals may not have intellect or a mind like that of a human, but I believe most forms of animal life are indeed sentient.

Capt. Picard,

Most qualities you mentioned in your cat are due to the survival instinct, which is shared by ALL animals (including insects, which are not sentient).

 

Regarding your cat staying alive "via will power", this is nothing more than an exceptional display of survival instinct.

 

Teaching new pets "she was in charge"? Merely a display of dominance, a common instinct in felines. Also common in chickens.

 

Displaying emotion? Have you ever ticked off a bee?

 

"Was aware of her environment"? If you have ever watched a predatory animal in its' environment, you will notice they are very aware of everything going on around them.

 

Self-awareness is more than just knowing you are different than everyone/everything else. It is knowing that you know. It is knowing that you think.

[Captain Jean-Luc Picard 1]

We cannot communicate with animals, yet. Who is to say that animals aren't self aware or aware of their own thinking, eh?

 

Regarding your cat staying alive "via will power", this is nothing more than an exceptional display of survival instinct.

Not really, her instinct was to crawl away into a hiding place and die. I'd find her, put her on my bed, and wrap her in a sheet. Knowing she was dieing, I stayed with her almost 24/7. As long as I was there, she wouldn't crawl off to die, but stay there and just stay alive. That's not survival instinct, that's love. The night before she died, she crawled into the bed with me, despite I set her up her own bedding, simply becuase she wanted to be with me.

 

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe animals aren't sentient. One does not need a soul to be sentient. Anyone seen ST-4? I know it's fiction, but we can't talk to animals, so what proof do we have that they "aren't" sentient?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I'm sorry, but I refuse to believe animals aren't sentient.  One does not need a soul to be sentient.  Anyone seen ST-4?  I know it's fiction, but we can't talk to animals, so what proof do we have that they "aren't" sentient?

It could just be my personal belief and not based on any scientific data. But I just believe what the bible says when it says that God created man (Both male and female) in His image.

 

To me, in my mind that means that humanity is special. Humanity holds a special place in creation. If we say that being able to think is enough for sentience then an Ant can be sentient. An ant is alive, it gathers food, lives in large complex communities. There is even a social structure in the Ant kingdom. They go to war and will sacrifice themselves for the good of their colony. Ants even capture other ants for slavery. Does this make them sentient? It does display "thought" on some level I believe.

 

But to me, humanity was given that special "spark" by God. I myself would call it sentience, but that is strictly my thinking.

 

If the definition of the word were looked up (Which I didn't do) it could be that technically Ants, Cats and Dogs are indeed sentient. That's not the way I see it though.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Am I dreaming or were the replies to this topic at one time?

[Indy 8]

Am I dreaming or were the replies to this topic at one time?

There's another thread in the Enterprise forum. It has replies.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

I merged the 2 topics together since they were identical.

[therabidirishman 0]

I don't think a planet could survive with so many intelligent species exisiting side-by-side like on the Xindi homeworld.Look at all the mayhem a single sentient species has done to Earth!

I'll reserve my opinion about nonhuman intelligences.I've seen glimmer's of extraordinary things from my furry and feathered and scaley little friends over the years....nothing approaching true sentience,but amazing nonetheless.

[bearded ape 0]

i think that while it would make for a lot less same species wars, it would make a new meaning to holy wars. you arent just fighting for god or for country, you are fighting to exist! imagine the wars that would go on. one dominint speices would find out bio weapons first, and then poof! all the other aliens are officaily screwed.

[captainfreeman 0]

i think that while it would make for a lot less same species wars, it would make a new meaning to holy wars. you arent just fighting for god or for country, you are fighting to exist! imagine the wars that would go on. one dominint speices would find out bio weapons first, and then poof! all the other aliens are officaily screwed.

Crudely put,but right on the money.I just cannot see 5 intelligent species existing on one small planet.If humans are any indication of what we could expect of other "evolved" and "civilized" sentients,then the planet with five such species is in trouble.The insectoids would probably annihilate all their competition early on and dominate the land,while the aquatics would continue to thrive in the sea.

[Capt.Vash 0]

Personally i hate bugs.... want them to leave us alone..... so i say that the bugsa evolve faster )do to much more rapid reproduction make a giant space ship and go away so that the reptialian culture can peacfully co-exhist with the huminoid culture and eventually they all have a nice big party with the dolphin eqsue evolution and we work together make really cool star ships by the year 1394 by today i would be on alpha prime a planet inhabited by the federation in the gamma quadrant!

[prometheus 0]

Visit

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/cavemen/chronology/

 

and learn!

[SoCalTom 0]

What if 5 seperate sentient species

evolved on Earth didnt wipe each other out and came to known as the

Terrans.

We have those on Earth already. They're called "Corporations."