[LUVBUGZ]

Black = Juju, Purple = LUVBUGZ

Dave is a jerk. I really wouldn't recommend taking on his philosophies. But that's your call, of course.

Dave may very well be a jerk, I don't know him that well, but I kinda like his "I meant what I said" philosophy.

In any case, I wasn't trying to deviously alter what you said in an attempt to undermine you. I just thought that's what you meant by the word.

I realize that Juju. I'm sorry for the tone of my reply. I think I was having Quzah flashbacks at the time.

In truth, I don't think either of us can prove what goes on in an animals' mind. So it's all pretty much speculation.

You are absolutely correct here. It is speculation to some extent, although, science has given us a pretty good idea/theory of what goes on in some species minds which is then extrapolated out to what other species "think/feel".

Because you don't agree with me, my hypothesis is irrelevant? Can't I have more credit than that?

Once again, I'm sorry, Juju. Your hypothesis is just as relevent as mine is.

So, okay, first of all, what is the difference between a goal and a purpose?

I look at a "goal" as something one strives to attain, meaning that once that goal is reached there is an ending. You are done because you have reached your goal. I look at a "purpose" as a reason to do something, it continues on indefinately. I was trying to say that Nature's "purpose" is "species survival", which is continuous (ie.from generation to generation), not a "goal" which would have an ending point.