Subject:
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Re: Drake Equation (was: Re: Some great Space info and dicussion)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.space
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Date:
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Wed, 22 Jan 2003 23:16:44 GMT
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Viewed:
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1513 times
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In lugnet.space, Paul Baulch writes:
> In lugnet.space, Lindsay Frederick Braun writes:
> >
> > And, of course, it need not be pointed out too sharply that
> > intelligence has yet to show itself as anything other than
> > an evolutionary dead-end. Our track record is not incredibly
> > impressive (but I'd like to be optimistic).
>
>
> You must be joking, right? Intelligence has already done immeasurable things
> for our species.
> If you're talking about our capacity for conflict and self-destruction,
> blame our million-year-old instincts. IMO, intelligence is about the only
> redeeming feature our species has!
Depends on how you look at it. Yes, there are some great things to being
intelligent at this level. However, LFB said that it is "an evolutionary
dead-end". If you think about it, that is somewhat true. We are less
likely to evolve from our current physiological form (or at least we will do
so more slowly than normal) as a result of the intelligence we employ.
Here's why: Due to the wonders of technology, we no longer adapt to our
environment, but rather adapt our environment to us. When it gets cold, we
use fire (or fossil fuels) to make it warm again. When it gets wet, we
build roofs and make weather resistant clothing. If we ever colonize
another planet, we will not likely change our bodies to live there (although
with genetics, that could be a cool Sci-Fi idea), but rather we talk about
terra-forming the environment to be one that we like already. In this
sense, we have short circuited our evolution.
And because of this, any catastrophe that threatens our technology threatens
our survival. If we run out of fuel sources, and if we can't find
alternatives, we will fall into a dark age of technology. And if that
coincides with global disaster or climate change, we will not be able to
adapt without the aid of new technology or intelligent application of what
we have. We won't evolve. We will be smart enough to find a solution to
our problems, or we will die. But certain species of insects, rodents, or
whatever will survive regardless of intelligence, because they will be
suited to adapt.
Uh, did that make any sense?
-Hendo
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