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I think the idea is that evolution finds "good enough" solutions. If you can stop growth and it has the side effect of putting a time limit on an individual org
by svachalek 4y ago
I think the idea is that evolution finds "good enough" solutions. If you can stop growth and it has the side effect of putting a time limit on an individual organism's lifespan, that may be an acceptable tradeoff in terms of genetic propagation. While halting growth without aging may be even better there may not have been enough pressure given how many animals in the wild don't die of old age.
Not that I've ever heard this theory before. But logically it seems plausible.
- tambourine_man 4y agoRight, the question is why would stopping growth necessarily limit an organism's lifespan. I don't think that's a given. If you don't age and can stop growing at optimum size, then that's potentially a huge evolutionary advantage. And since even “marginally better” can often be selected given enough pressure, it's hard to imagine why growing older is so prevalent.