Scepticism, please.
in [Physics]
|
Prev: Long Summary (rev 2) of 'Medical Doctors: The Sickening Force Undermining World Health and also Undermining the United Nations Organizations ...' {HRI 20100304-V6.1-SL-V2}
Next: EPA report on a nearly certain catastrophe ignored by the media
From: Mike Vandeman on 19 Jun 2010 18:12 Scepticism is the chastity of the intellect, and it is shameful to surrender it too soon or to the first comer. -George Santayana, Scepticism and Animal Faith, Scribner's, 1923, p. 69
From: Mark Thorson on 20 Jun 2010 12:57 Salmon Egg wrote: > > If evolution is at work, and selection has selected for the prevalence > of excess stupidity, does that not mean that some stupidity is required > for the super-organism of mankind to flourish? Could it be that mankind > is selected to have a few elitists who can then exploit the stupid. It is my observation that the lowest class of intelligence has the most number of children. I attribute that mostly to lack of long-term planning and lack of knowledge of basic human biology. Therefore, intelligence is not favored by natural selection.
From: Salmon Egg on 20 Jun 2010 15:33 In article <4C1E4872.E3173A96(a)sonic.net>, Mark Thorson <nospam(a)sonic.net> wrote: > Salmon Egg wrote: > > > > If evolution is at work, and selection has selected for the prevalence > > of excess stupidity, does that not mean that some stupidity is required > > for the super-organism of mankind to flourish? Could it be that mankind > > is selected to have a few elitists who can then exploit the stupid. > > It is my observation that the lowest class of intelligence > has the most number of children. I attribute that mostly > to lack of long-term planning and lack of knowledge of > basic human biology. Therefore, intelligence is not favored > by natural selection. I think that selection allows subpopulations to build up to the extent that survival of some individuals is enhanced under various stressful situations. For example, fat people have all kinds of health problems in our society. Nevertheless, if global warming cuts down on food production, people with fat are going to have adaptive advantage. There are many such traits that persist. Another example is that of sickle cell anemia. It is devastating to those who suffer full blown sickling, but but will be a definite advantage when we are no longer able to control mosquitos. There is nothing about evolution that tends toward comfort of individuals unless comfort provides advantage. Bill -- An old man would be better off never having been born.
From: David Bostwick on 22 Jun 2010 09:38 In article <4C1E4872.E3173A96(a)sonic.net>, Mark Thorson <nospam(a)sonic.net> wrote: >Salmon Egg wrote: >> >> If evolution is at work, and selection has selected for the prevalence >> of excess stupidity, does that not mean that some stupidity is required >> for the super-organism of mankind to flourish? Could it be that mankind >> is selected to have a few elitists who can then exploit the stupid. > >It is my observation that the lowest class of intelligence >has the most number of children. I attribute that mostly >to lack of long-term planning and lack of knowledge of >basic human biology. Therefore, intelligence is not favored >by natural selection. q.v. "The Marching Morons."
From: Salmon Egg on 22 Jun 2010 12:12
In article <hvqebe$df9$1(a)news-int2.gatech.edu>, david.bostwick(a)chemistry.gatech.edu (David Bostwick) wrote: > In article <4C1E4872.E3173A96(a)sonic.net>, Mark Thorson <nospam(a)sonic.net> > wrote: > >Salmon Egg wrote: > >> > >> If evolution is at work, and selection has selected for the prevalence > >> of excess stupidity, does that not mean that some stupidity is required > >> for the super-organism of mankind to flourish? Could it be that mankind > >> is selected to have a few elitists who can then exploit the stupid. > > > >It is my observation that the lowest class of intelligence > >has the most number of children. I attribute that mostly > >to lack of long-term planning and lack of knowledge of > >basic human biology. Therefore, intelligence is not favored > >by natural selection. > > q.v. "The Marching Morons." It is not clear to me that selection for lots of stupidity with a few elite may increase the survival of both kinds. For example, hordes of stupid people put to constructive work benefit both. Look at what is happening in China. How could hordes of stupid people could not prosper without the introduction of vaccines and sanitation provided by the smaller number of elite. Bill -- An old man would be better off never having been born. |