There is no progression up a ladder in evolution, not towards sophistication nor complexity.
Every single species alive on earth comes from a genetic lineage precisely as old and thus “evolved” as we do. Species can shed complexity and capabilities from evolutionary pressures just as much they can gain them.
I know this is a meme but framings subconciously slip into our ways of thinking like this very easily.
I’m going to nitpick even harder - Who says it’s a ladder depicting evolution? Maybe this framing subconsciously slipped into your way of thinking? It could be a ladder depicting of how the author regards creatures in terms of moral ability or even price per pound of entity. I’ll go one further, the inclusion of “God” on the ladder indicates that it’s not an evolutionary ladder.
My point is about the conceptual framing of a ladder leading to a narrow frame of view about evolution, not that this particular meme is portraying itself literally as an evolutionary ladder.
annoying nitpick
There is no progression up a ladder in evolution, not towards sophistication nor complexity.
Every single species alive on earth comes from a genetic lineage precisely as old and thus “evolved” as we do. Species can shed complexity and capabilities from evolutionary pressures just as much they can gain them.
I know this is a meme but framings subconciously slip into our ways of thinking like this very easily.
I’m going to nitpick even harder - Who says it’s a ladder depicting evolution? Maybe this framing subconsciously slipped into your way of thinking? It could be a ladder depicting of how the author regards creatures in terms of moral ability or even price per pound of entity. I’ll go one further, the inclusion of “God” on the ladder indicates that it’s not an evolutionary ladder.
My point is about the conceptual framing of a ladder leading to a narrow frame of view about evolution, not that this particular meme is portraying itself literally as an evolutionary ladder.