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> "learns nothing, make no progress" 1. What makes you so sure you learn nothing during sleep? All the articles I've read about sleep's role in learning have i
by ZenoArrow 11y ago
> "learns nothing, make no progress"
1. What makes you so sure you learn nothing during sleep? All the articles I've read about sleep's role in learning have indicated that it helps us process what we pick up during the day.
2. Why is 'progress' so important? Progress towards what? What are we chasing after?
Whilst I realise you were only questioning sleep from the point of view of its utility, for me utility alone kind of misses the point. For me the rituals around sleep are some of the best parts of daily life. I love drifting off to sleep, I love dreaming (when I'm lucky enough to remember it at least), I love waking up without any great urgency, slowly coming to my senses, wrapped in the warmth of a comfortable bed. Whilst I appreciate it wasn't your intention, I dislike the notion that our time must be spent on making ourselves better people, if we aren't causing great harm isn't enjoying what we do reason enough to do it?
- TeMPOraL 11y agoRE 2. I agree with your sentiment, but I think GP didn't intend to imply we're supposed to want progress, only that when you have two competing species, the one that progresses faster will outcompete the other one. Life forms aren't fitness maximizers, they're adaptation executors - they do stuff because they like doing stuff, not because they recognize evolutionary fitness as important.
- justinsingh 11y agoI'm not arguing against any points you made, but I would like to give a reminder that in human history it's a relatively recent luxury to be able to enjoy sleep like you are describing. It took a lot of 'progress' to get to do that! And still many people are not able to.