[MD] Social Ants?

[Case]

Steve and Michael,

I think the points Horse raised last night are far more interesting and
relevant but just to round this out from my end anyway:

If you see the levels as of metaphorical use only, I am with you. They are a
useful way of viewing things. But all of the hassling about which ideas
belong in what level sort of takes the zing out of the usefulness, for me
anyway.

As for the notion of the discreteness of the levels: here are a couple of
further observations. Back in the late 70's in Atlanta a group of siamangs
was caged with a group of gibbons. The result was Shaun-Shaun who was
written up in Science magazine because she was a viable offspring across
genus, not just a cross species hybrid. I don't think there was an effort to
see if she was fertile or not. My conclusion from this was that it is
entirely likely that a viable hybrid between Chimpanzees and humans is
possible.

Also, just the other day I was involved in a vigorous discussion about race.
Certain HUD reporting forms ask three questions about a person's race. For
primary and secondary race the options are:

American Indian or Alaska Native
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Asian
Black or African-American
White
Multiracial
Other

The third question asks if the person is Hispanic or not Hispanic. 

During the course of this discussion unimaginable possibilities of how to
classify people came up. The HUD guidelines say anyone of European, or
middle eastern origin is White but what about people from southern India
whose skin is very very dark? They are black skinned with Caucasian
features. Are they really Asian. How about Samoans? Are Indians from Chile
really American Indians?

I tried to simplify the matter through song with: "Red and Yellow, Black and
White they are precious in his sight Jesus. loves the little children of the
world."

After an embarrassing silence, the debate raged on. 

I guess my point about discrete versus continuous is that no matter where
you draw a line there can be dispute. But this is precisely the point. It is
at the edge of things, at the 'taint if you will, that thing get really
interesting.

Case