Hi,
And you seem to have only a basic (and outdated) understanding of the concept of species survival.
--Pete
And you seem to have only a basic (and outdated) understanding of the concept of species survival.
Quote:In the Darwinian survival of the fittest paradigm, if you can dominate your peers it is success.No. If the 'dominating gene' in a species reduces the overall probability of all the genes of that species to survive (including itself), then it is failure. And a whole bunch of research in genetics and game theory keeps pointing more and more to the value of co-operation in survival.
Quote:The biological urge to propagate your genes is success, and whatever means you take to insure that is survival.Too simple. I'd recommend The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins as a starting point. That'll catch you up to thirty years ago;)
Quote:Your children will ask you "Why not kill, dad?", "Why not cheat and steal to get ahead?" and your answer will be based on what? On a social theory? It is weak.How about on Theory of Games and Economic Behavior by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern? Yeah, it's a lot harder to understand than "God says so." But at least it is rational, and you don't need to accept a god who wagers with the devil over how a guy named Job will react to getting unfairly #$%&ed over. Yeah, Job kinda gets it all back in the end, but I've always felt sorry for his wives and kids that died because the god of the Bible is a bastard.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?