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The idea behind the no free lunch principle is that if a small molecule drug exists that can realistically be biologically produced in humans (ie not penicillin
by mateo1 5y ago
The idea behind the no free lunch principle is that if a small molecule drug exists that can realistically be biologically produced in humans (ie not penicillin) we would probably have evolved that ability already, because we're very well optimized by now.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- Retric 5y agoThe no free lunch idea is mostly a question of trade offs. For example Humans naturally produce antibiotics, however prescribing them in large numbers could be very risky potentially significantly compromising everyone’s immune system worldwide. That said, it’s very possible for diseases to have very simple cures that people simply aren’t producing enough of. Evolution is great at population level optimizations over time, but it can really suck for individuals.
- Jensson 5y agoI don't think so, we don't even produce vitamin B12. The "no free lunch" only applies to things we already produce, like we already produce dopamine so getting more will have consequences for healthy people or we would have evolved to produce more.
- ramraj07 5y agoYou can’t just evolve to produce any random molecule especially anything with actual chemical complexity. Scores of extremely complex enzymes are needed to produce cholesterol and pretty much all small molecule steroids we produce are derivatives of it. Plants have a vast repertoire of enzyme pathways to produce many small molecules which they can mix and match quickly to produce compounds of great chemical complexity but humans cannot.
- D-Coder 5y agoEvolution is not going to evolve longer-life genes beyond a certain point. Something's going to kill you: disease, accidents, predators. Any gene that would, for example, help humans to live to 200 in the wild is useless. If it did evolve, it could mutate into a broken state and never be missed.