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Though it may be depressing to contemplate, death is an essential element of a fitness function, a requirement for evolution in the broadest sense. No death wou
by squibbles 6y ago
Though it may be depressing to contemplate, death is an essential element of a fitness function, a requirement for evolution in the broadest sense. No death would lead to either depletion of resources or a stagnation of growth that would inevitably lead to extinction due to inevitable and unanticipated catastrophe.
That said, a reduction of suffering may naturally lead to extended lifespans. However, the elimination of mortality is something altogether different.
- fossuser 6y agoYou don't need to wait around for natural selection to make changes (we don't do that for medicine). We have an entire universe to grow and expand into, along with the capability for long-term thinking. These problems are solvable problems and a critical part of reducing suffering.
- SpicyLemonZest 6y agoThis sounds to me like someone looking at premodern child mortality and saying "well, you know, families would have too many children if a quarter of them didn't die as babies". I have no doubt that a society where people don't die would require other major changes to compensate - but it's hard to imagine those changes could be so tragic that death is preferable!