What is the evolutionary role of Man on the planet today as opposed to what it w

Question:Man is modifying the planetary environment which affects everything including himself. As a caveman, his impact was primarily local and minimal. He was more subject to modification by the natural environment. Today, he is slowly modifying himself to survive in an environment of his own creation.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Man is modifying the planetary environment which affects everything including himself. As a caveman, his impact was primarily local and minimal. He was more subject to modification by the natural environment. Today, he is slowly modifying himself to survive in an environment of his own creation.

There is no role or purpose.

Evolution just happens, it's not heading in a specific direction.

Well since we are the most intelligent species out there, I would think having the most happiest life before you croak. We're like all the other animals made up of carbon.

Do you mean ecological role? For example, plants are producers for the most part, and animals are mostly consumers. Humans in the past occupied a role similar to that of animals, consuming resources (and producing resources for saprobes like fungi and bacteria, not to mention CO2). Nowadays we still occupy that role but are also changing the environment in even more powerful ways. We are also playing a role in artificially selecting and breeding plants and animals that are beneficial to us in our environment.

Well I'm not sure what you mean by role, but surely our presence has its effect in how animals develop. What comes to mind first are the domestication of several animals. Look at just how we breed dogs. Dogs now are not bred based on their survival in the wild, but how they entertain us. They're made to look pretty or to meet our needs in the farm or as part of the bomb squad.

I also remember some time ago an experiment when they bred some wolves in captivity and they immediately saw some qualities develop that make them more like domestic dogs.

The next that will happen would be superbred kentucky fried chickens with four legs and wings. :-)

I would say that, man destroying the environment as opposed to the conservation of the cave man(because he entirely depended on it).
man does pollute the environment so as opposed to the cave man.