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Let's say we have a standard definition (as much as possible) of each of these horse based species. They are pretty similar and each of them has its own powers. I am curious who would win a fight.

Environment: European woods near the (not high) mountains. The winner is the last alive.

  • Unicorn is a white horse with a large, spiralling horn projecting from its forehead (no magic powers, but great intelligence).
  • Centaur is a creature with the human upper body (hands included) and horse lower body.
  • Pegasus is a horse with wings (so it is able to fly).

So actually, it could be simplified that I am asking what is best to survive evolutionary in the world where this kind of fight is on a daily basis. The ability to fly, big sharp horn on the head or a human upper body.

L.Dutch
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TGar
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    Voting to close because: https://stackoverflow.blog/2011/08/gorilla-vs-shark/ Note that if you follow the advise in the blog entry, you can edit the question, specify some parameters, and possibly rescue it. – cobaltduck Jan 03 '17 at 20:30
  • Some edits provided, is is better? – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 20:38
  • This feels answerable somewhat objectively.... – James Jan 03 '17 at 20:55
  • given the answer he accepted was 'the centaur can shoot a pegasus', I think this question is entirely subjective. following the close vote – Twelfth Jan 03 '17 at 21:38
  • @Twelfth So you're voting to close because he didn't choose your answer? Seems a little petty. I was going to answer centaur too; having a way to wield different weapons is huge. Who cares about a 3 foot horn when you can carry an 8 foot lance, and a shield, and a bow to attack from a distance. – AndyD273 Jan 03 '17 at 21:58
  • @AndyD273 - stackoverflow.blog/2011/08/gorilla-vs-shark read the link, don't just react and get preachy. If the question is stated as a which will win in a fight, then it's a subjective question that should be closed. His final line of the post is answerable. By the way, the Pegasus obviously wins here as it developed air to surface tactical nukes decades ago. Oh wait, is the weapons it invents subjective? I mean I gave the centaur a fricken laser stuck to it's forehead but it still lost to the nuke. Meh, that seems like one for the philosophers to discuss and for you to bitch about. – Twelfth Jan 03 '17 at 22:11
  • @Twelfth The links gives 4 basic faults of these questions:
    1. It's not nearly specific enough: I think that I specified all we want to know, maybe the used technology would be nice to have (but in "standard definition" as I declared is the bow and arrow I think acceptable)
    2. It is difficult to learn from these questions: That is why I have the last line. It can be used for other but similar cases.
    3. It drives away experts and 4. Nobody needs to know the answer to this question: The link is talking about fiction vs. reality and +-declares the fiction is wrong, but this is different on WB.
     – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 22:22
  • But actually, I don't have such a problem with closing (I admit it is a borderline case). But I do not agree that the answer I accepted is necessarily opinion based and moreover that it should affect the question itself (and therefore be the reason to close). – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 22:39
  • You ask two questions here. 1. who would win in a fight. This is completely opinion based in this sense and should be closed. Question #2. " that I am asking what is best to survive" - that is fully answerable and is quite relevant here. It's just a matter of determining which question you are asking. Contrary to Andy's speculation, I don't really care if you select my answer...reputation is pointlessness here...however in choosing an answer that answers the opinion based question, you're showing you intended this to be the opinion based question and it should be closed/reworked as such. – Twelfth Jan 03 '17 at 22:48
  • @Twelfth Heh until now I didn't get your answer, because you didn't get my (as you call it) Question #2. What I meant was what is best to survive in the world of fighting between species, what is best evolutionary. I still don't think that approved answer is opinion based. – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 22:57
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    @TGar Also voted to close. It is simply one of those brainless monster fight questions (gorilla vs shark as already mentioned by cobaltduck) without any reason why such fights should happen or what is the background/environment of the story. – Thorsten S. Jan 04 '17 at 04:27

2 Answers2

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In my opinion, it would most definitely be the Centaur.

A: Above average human intelligence and cognitive ability (in most mythical descriptions of them)

B: A human body with arms and opposable thumbs (able to use a myriad of weapons)

Ba: can use weapons and in theory has speed relative to his two potential opponents.

Unicorn wouldn't stand a chance though I think the Pegasus obviously would being able to just fly away and all. Still, if the Centaur were skilled enough, he/she could just shoot the Pegasus with an arrow.

Benjamin
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The fight answer is completely subjective, but an answer directed to this:

"So actually, it could be simplified that I am asking what is best to survive."

The unicorn actually wins this, due to biology.

  1. centaur - This is a very odd creature at the best of times as it's mixing unique biology types. A horses digestive system vs a human carnivorous diet...given that the centaur likely has a humans digestive track (a horses teeth is fundamental into the horses digestive system...human head lacks the teeth required) and this leaves a human mouth feeding a horse body. Biologically, a centaur is not a well designed creature and would likely fail right there.

  2. Pegasus - Why fly when you can run? I know that sounds a bit simplistic...but why would any creature that is so well adapted to one trait (running) adapt another trait that negates the need for the first one (flying)? Wings are not attach a few feathers on some lightly attached arms and go...flight requires a lighter body structure (porous bones) and a strong muscular setup to support these wings. All of this (weight and strength loss) is a direct hindrance to what the creature is already designed to do (run). It would either find itself in a situation where supporting the wings is too major of a hindrance to it's running function, in which case the wings would evolve to be vestigial or non-existence, or supporting the muscle mass to run is at too much of a hindrance to flight where it'd lose it's running muscles in favor of flight traits. Kinda leaves it in an evolutionary void where it's a short term stepping point between a flying mammal losing it's ability to fly or a land based mammal in the process of evolving to flight.

Leaves the unicorn...an already successful animal with a slightly increased intellect and a vestigial horn.

Twelfth
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  • I did not specify the centaur really well, but I have thought about some more functional type. Such as in some of the answers here and here. – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 22:06
  • @TGar - I think the answer in the first link you provide suggests it's not feasible biologically (lungs and digestive) and the second link suggests it must eat the equivalent 12 quarter pounder meals per day just to exist. Unfortunately there really is no functional centaur design. – Twelfth Jan 03 '17 at 22:16
  • Yes, sorry for the first link, it is more about the question assumption for inspiration (if you assume otherwise than OP, it can work for the animal with combined organs). But in the second question, there are more than just one answer. (And actually, we can live even with the most upvoted one, only we are dealing with here in this question, is a fight, not centaur's life before and after it, so maybe it can be split in two scenarios centaur is hungry vs. centaur is fed) – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 22:32
  • " I am asking what is best to survive" - species survival isn't a single encounter. Heh, edit your question...you simply want an answer to a 'who wins the guerrilla vs shark fight!' question, no need to bring up survival-ability here ;) – Twelfth Jan 03 '17 at 22:50
  • Answered in question comments. Giving +1 to your answer. And editing the question slightly. – TGar Jan 03 '17 at 22:58