Kevyn Jacobs wrote:
> Perhaps it comes down to memetic survival? Perhaps that baby will grow up to
> be a scientist, or a pilosopher, or a messiah who will become a vector for a
> new meme-complex that aids survival of the species? Saving as many babies as
> possible, increasing the diversity of the population, might have positive
> survival value.
>
> I would argue that the greater the diversity - both genetic and memetic - of a
> civilization that saves such babies, the more likely that civilization, or at
> least some members of it, will be able to adapt and survive future change.
>
> > How about eye-glasses? The longer we use them, the more of the population
> > *needs* to use them!
>
> True, but not everyone in the population needs them. And at this point, there
> is no negative survival value of needing glasses. Civilization protects those
> with weak eyesight from the harsh realities of "survival of the fittest."
>
> And as long as a big chunk of the population does not need glasses, the species
> will probably survive a change that makes poor eyesight a survival liability.
> It is only if we get to a point that *everybody* needs them that I will worry.
>
> > These and other issues make me wonder about the long term (ten of thousands
> > of years and up) viability of this thing we call "civilization". Are we
> > breeding people who cannot survive without it?
>
> Almost certainly yes.
>
> > If so, how long until even
> > our bests efforts will not be able to "cure" the debased gene's of the
> > culture?
> >
> > Maybe genetic engineering is not a only likely but a *necessary* step for a
> > galactic civilization!
>
> Or perhaps, it is part of the natural order of things that every civilization
> must eventually collapse into chaos and basic survival, so that the least
> viable parts of the gene pool & meme pool are eliminated, and the resulting
> survivors are stronger. Kind of like a well-earned vacation that allows you to
> rest and recuperate, before going back to work.
>
There is a novel called "The Toolmaker Koan" I forgot the writer, but the premise
is that as soon as any civilization can destroy itself, it does.
> It is a compelling argument for wide diversity of both genes and memes within
> any civilization, so that there are likely to be sets of memes and genes in the
> civilization capable of adapting to and surviving a major climate change or
> other unexpected circumstance.
>
> Or maybe there really are Shadows running around the galaxy, kicking over all
> the ant hills so that the surviving ants can rebuild better and stronger. ;-)
>
Damn, I've been found out, time to push the button!!!
Sodom
I have seen the light and I am it
Bill Roh