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> "Evolutionarily speaking" When I use this term, I'm referring to the general theory of evolution, particularly in reference to survival of the fittest and na
by t0mbstone 7y ago
> "Evolutionarily speaking"
When I use this term, I'm referring to the general theory of evolution, particularly in reference to survival of the fittest and natural selection. I'm also referring to the natural instincts that a lot of animals (and humans) tend to have, such as the instinct to save the life of their own offspring, even if it means putting their own lives at risk.
- kevinh 7y agoBy that standard, evolutionarily speaking, he should have worked to maximize the number of children he had, as he had the means to provide for them. Or maybe he should have worked to fight climate change, as that could be a long-term threat to humanity's survival, which may include some of his descendents (and certainly some of the same traits he has). Acting like what is "evolutionarily smart" isn't necessarily what's good. It can be, but that's not a strong basis for moral action.
- krastanov 7y agoEvolutionarily speaking we should be chasing animals in hunter-gatherer clans. The fact that we are slowly transcending the bounds of biological evolution should be celebrated: we have culture, art, and science now. And what we consider family (the ones we want to be happy) is slowly growing (with the occasional small step back). That guy ensured his kids had marvelous opportunities and is now trying to provide marvelous opportunities for other people in his "extended family". Jeez, how misanthropic or selfish do you have to be for this to not make you happy?
- t0mbstone 7y agoI never said I disapproved of him giving away his money. I just found it odd. Like, it doesn't make logical sense to me. But I also have a deep-rooted mistrust of most charities, since I have first-hand knowledge of how many of them mismanage their funds.