Proposed OSH legislation ammendment

[Kevin McCready 83]

Yes population pressure is the elephant in the room but THERE are some misunderstandings of evolution being expressed here.

 

The point of Darwin's thesis (as oppsed to the social darwinian misrepresentations of it which followed) is that diversity in the gene pool benefits the whole species. The notion that the species tends towards being some sort of uniformly strong group of individuals is crap.

 

All sorts of traits survive at random. What is "weak" in one context becomes "strong" in another context when conditions change. It is only when selection pressure is placed on certain traits that evolution happens.

 

Secondly, the notion of eusociality is being totally ignored in some of the comments about evolution here.

 

Third, if you want to believe in the "law of the jungle", go right ahead. Personally I think our intellects give us the chance to rise above that and you might find yourself outcompeted by a group of happier apes working together for fun and profit.

[Black Panther 1,767]

Agree, Humans succeeded because they learned to cooperate, not because they were faster, stronger or had bigger teeth.

[Mothership 6]

"survival of the fittest" is generally misinterpreted. 'Fittest' refers to 'best fit', not stronger, faster, more adept at running long distances. What is best fit is sometimes not what we would expect. Nature's complexity isn't easily unravelled by humanity's attempts at intellect. 

[Clipper 375]

But who doesn't agree, the less idiots the better?

[DrWatson 382]

The theory of Evolution is not about survival of the fittest. It's about survival of the one most able to adapt. The one who is most fit for the ever changing environment.

[Mothership 6]

Yup - what I said.  'fit' as in best fit.