3 ms·
Well, if the "aim" of the virus (what is ours, btw?) is to replicate as much as possible, the best "strategy" would be to be highly contagious and remain dorman
by dvfjsdhgfv 6y ago
Well, if the "aim" of the virus (what is ours, btw?) is to replicate as much as possible, the best "strategy" would be to be highly contagious and remain dormant for as long as possible; fatality would be an obstacle rather than advantage. There is just one problem with this approach: as far as we can tell viruses aren't intelligent and they don't think.
On the other hand, if you consider the possibility that viruses might be a tool used by someone else (God, aliens, evil scientists hired by bad governments), fatality becomes an important, if not the defining aspect of the tool.
- nicoburns 6y agoI think it's important to remember that viral mutations are random. Therefore to a large extent there is no purpose. What there is are traits that make a given mutated version of the virus more likely to spread and thus come to our attention.
- throwaway316943 6y agoThey don’t think and they don’t control their mutations but selection acts on them and “chooses” the strains that reproduce more. Pathogens become less deadly with subsequent generations because those strains which kill the host quickly limit their spread. It’s not impossible for them to become more deadly but it is unlikely due to the fitness cost.