Are Humans the Most “Evolved” Species?

The most common trope in biology debates is anthropocentrism versus non-anthropocentrism: “Humans must be dethroned!” vs. “humans are special!” The traditional understanding of evolution is much like the diagram of a fish that crawls on land and becomes a reptile, then a mammal, then a chimp, and finally an upright, enlightened human. The diagram suggests that evolution has been working towards us. The new, countervailing…