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IIRC, virologist have mentioned that this is the usual progression for new mutations of viruses like COVID-19. High vitality and low mortality. The virus wants

IIRC, virologist have mentioned that this is the usual progression for new mutations of viruses like COVID-19. High vitality and low mortality. The virus wants to stay alive.

ericmay 5y ago
While I generally agree I’d just say we should be careful about anthropomorphizing COVID-19 or any other virus. They don’t have desires. It may be evolutionarily advantageous though to “stay alive” by continuing to propagate and spread.
- trevyn 5y ago
  Why should we be careful? Aren’t our desires just a reflection of evolutionarily advantageous behavior?
  - curryst 5y ago
    A desire implies a conscious and at least semi-reasonable actor. People with desires behave rationally (mostly). If person X doesn't want to be homeless, they probably won't burn their house down. We can depend on that. COVID is not a rational actor. It might burn its own house down and do a tapdance on the ashes. Even though being less lethal is evolutionarily advantageous, COVID could absolutely become more lethal in the short term.
    - timeon 5y ago
      Although I agree with your point. And even I personally perceive virus as something more like machine. But your analogy opened another interpretation for me. Person probably won't burn their house down. But some may argue that people in fact do not have problem to burn whole planet down. Like virus with the whole organism. It may be just matter of focus. I don't think of people like I do with virus. Just that analogy opened this train of thought for me. Several different interpretations is natural feature of analogies.
  - ericmay 5y ago
    > Aren’t our desires just a reflection of evolutionarily advantageous behavior? I think that’s a great question but it’s not quite there in this context. Think of a virus as being more like a rock. We don’t attribute wants or desires to rocks (though maybe there is some fun and interesting philosophy to uncover here). The reason to be careful is that you’ll never be able to think like a virus (or a rock) and so when you think that the virus might do X or Y you’re inserting a human bias to the virus that may cause error in judgement. Of course we’re just rambling on the internet but I guess it’s a good rule of thumb or at least something to think about.
ZeroGravitas 5y ago
One of the interesting things about viruses generally, is that they are right on the line between things we consider alive and things we don't.

IIRC, virologist have mentioned that this is the usual progression for new mutations of viruses like COVID-19. High vitality and low mortality. The virus wants to stay alive.

ericmay 5y ago

While I generally agree I’d just say we should be careful about anthropomorphizing COVID-19 or any other virus. They don’t have desires. It may be evolutionarily advantageous though to “stay alive” by continuing to propagate and spread.

trevyn 5y ago
Why should we be careful? Aren’t our desires just a reflection of evolutionarily advantageous behavior?
- curryst 5y ago
  A desire implies a conscious and at least semi-reasonable actor. People with desires behave rationally (mostly). If person X doesn't want to be homeless, they probably won't burn their house down. We can depend on that. COVID is not a rational actor. It might burn its own house down and do a tapdance on the ashes. Even though being less lethal is evolutionarily advantageous, COVID could absolutely become more lethal in the short term.
  - timeon 5y ago
    Although I agree with your point. And even I personally perceive virus as something more like machine. But your analogy opened another interpretation for me. Person probably won't burn their house down. But some may argue that people in fact do not have problem to burn whole planet down. Like virus with the whole organism. It may be just matter of focus. I don't think of people like I do with virus. Just that analogy opened this train of thought for me. Several different interpretations is natural feature of analogies.
- ericmay 5y ago
  > Aren’t our desires just a reflection of evolutionarily advantageous behavior? I think that’s a great question but it’s not quite there in this context. Think of a virus as being more like a rock. We don’t attribute wants or desires to rocks (though maybe there is some fun and interesting philosophy to uncover here). The reason to be careful is that you’ll never be able to think like a virus (or a rock) and so when you think that the virus might do X or Y you’re inserting a human bias to the virus that may cause error in judgement. Of course we’re just rambling on the internet but I guess it’s a good rule of thumb or at least something to think about.

ZeroGravitas 5y ago

One of the interesting things about viruses generally, is that they are right on the line between things we consider alive and things we don't.