3 ms·

While the CCE studies are undoubtedly exciting and represent (to me anyway) the new paradigm for anthropology, it will be even more exciting to look at evidence

While the CCE studies are undoubtedly exciting and represent (to me anyway) the new paradigm for anthropology, it will be even more exciting to look at evidence for/against the evolutionary inevitability of intelligence and culture. The currently popular understanding based on hopes of eternal progress would of course be in support of this, but sophisticated CCE based on a high level of intelligence may itself be only one of the ways that genes 'achieve' propogation.

nine_k 4y ago
The fact that the biomass of bacteria is an order of magnitude larger than the biomass of all eukaryotic life, including all animals with brains, shows that intelligence is not necessary for long-term evolutionary success. What bacteria lack is an ability to build a starship and travel outside their gravity well. This may strictly require intelligence in life forms which are able to colonize a neighboring celestial body.
- bilbo0s 4y ago
  Maybe they don't need the ability to build a starship? Maybe over their billion+ year existence they're content with waiting for the occasional asteroid to blow them into space to the moon or mars or some other asteroid or what-have-you? Or maybe they're content with waiting for meatbags to get intelligent enough to build space ships for them? I know that we are full of bacteria, and wherever we go, there we are. So the bacteria would be there as well. I just think bacteria have so many methods of getting to extreme environments, and surviving them, that I'm not sure starships are necessary to their continuance.
  - abudabi123 4y ago
    Where do homeless bacteria go? Do they go alone or as colony? What is the minimal viable product for a bacteria's exoskeleton capable of reaching Alpha Centauri with enough water to terraform the exoplanet reached?

3 ms·

While the CCE studies are undoubtedly exciting and represent (to me anyway) the new paradigm for anthropology, it will be even more exciting to look at evidence

by achrono 4y ago

nine_k 4y ago
The fact that the biomass of bacteria is an order of magnitude larger than the biomass of all eukaryotic life, including all animals with brains, shows that intelligence is not necessary for long-term evolutionary success. What bacteria lack is an ability to build a starship and travel outside their gravity well. This may strictly require intelligence in life forms which are able to colonize a neighboring celestial body.
- bilbo0s 4y ago
  Maybe they don't need the ability to build a starship? Maybe over their billion+ year existence they're content with waiting for the occasional asteroid to blow them into space to the moon or mars or some other asteroid or what-have-you? Or maybe they're content with waiting for meatbags to get intelligent enough to build space ships for them? I know that we are full of bacteria, and wherever we go, there we are. So the bacteria would be there as well. I just think bacteria have so many methods of getting to extreme environments, and surviving them, that I'm not sure starships are necessary to their continuance.
  - abudabi123 4y ago
    Where do homeless bacteria go? Do they go alone or as colony? What is the minimal viable product for a bacteria's exoskeleton capable of reaching Alpha Centauri with enough water to terraform the exoplanet reached?