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How long were these ancestors of ours living, while eating this idealized diet of which you speak? While I agree that that evolutionary context is interesting

How long were these ancestors of ours living, while eating this idealized diet of which you speak? While I agree that that evolutionary context is interesting to consider for nutrition, I don't think that it stands on its own as incontrovertible evidence. Evolutionary pressure is for passing on of genes, not necessarily for longevity.

dennis_jeeves2 3y ago
Guess based on anecdotes (primitive tribes etc.) possibly well into their nineties, notably they were physically very strong well past their seventies. One really need not go that far. The 'idealized' diet often shows results in a matter of few weeks.
- n8henrie 3y ago
  Do you take these anecdotes seriously? If so, with what frequency do you think this would happen? And what evolutionary pressures would lead to their occurrence with any frequency?
inejge 3y ago
How long were these ancestors of ours living Threescore years and ten, modulo infant mortality (which was horrific) and various accidents and injuries, easily fatal if the sepsis set in. You can find scholarly treatment by searching for the biblical phrase. That number wasn't put there by accident.
- n8henrie 3y ago
  That is all beside the point of whether or not evolutionary pressures would optimize for longevity or for "good enough for passing on genes."
- n8henrie 3y ago
  Also citation needed for a society >= 500 years ago with life expectancy of 70 years, infant mortality excluded. Sepsis, injuries, and diseases of adulthood should not be excluded, we're talking about passing on of genes here.
trilbyglens 3y ago
This is definitely arguable. Dawkins in "The selfish gene" does argue that having grandparents around greatly increases the probability that children live to reproduce, and therefore there is a genetic imperitive for longevity.
- n8henrie 3y ago
  > This is definitely arguable What is? > Dawkins in "The selfish gene" I've read The Selfish Gene. The same arguments are relevant regarding the utility? of menopause. > having grandparents around greatly increases How much is "greatly" -- or at least how strong does Dawkins argue is the effect? No doubt it could have some effect. Ultimately, this is all completely contained in and consistent with my statement that "evolutionary pressure is for passing on of genes, not necessarily for longevity."

dennis_jeeves2 3y ago

Guess based on anecdotes (primitive tribes etc.) possibly well into their nineties, notably they were physically very strong well past their seventies. One really need not go that far. The 'idealized' diet often shows results in a matter of few weeks.

n8henrie 3y ago
Do you take these anecdotes seriously? If so, with what frequency do you think this would happen? And what evolutionary pressures would lead to their occurrence with any frequency?

inejge 3y ago

How long were these ancestors of ours living Threescore years and ten, modulo infant mortality (which was horrific) and various accidents and injuries, easily fatal if the sepsis set in. You can find scholarly treatment by searching for the biblical phrase. That number wasn't put there by accident.

n8henrie 3y ago
That is all beside the point of whether or not evolutionary pressures would optimize for longevity or for "good enough for passing on genes."
n8henrie 3y ago
Also citation needed for a society >= 500 years ago with life expectancy of 70 years, infant mortality excluded. Sepsis, injuries, and diseases of adulthood should not be excluded, we're talking about passing on of genes here.

trilbyglens 3y ago

This is definitely arguable. Dawkins in "The selfish gene" does argue that having grandparents around greatly increases the probability that children live to reproduce, and therefore there is a genetic imperitive for longevity.

n8henrie 3y ago
> This is definitely arguable What is? > Dawkins in "The selfish gene" I've read The Selfish Gene. The same arguments are relevant regarding the utility? of menopause. > having grandparents around greatly increases How much is "greatly" -- or at least how strong does Dawkins argue is the effect? No doubt it could have some effect. Ultimately, this is all completely contained in and consistent with my statement that "evolutionary pressure is for passing on of genes, not necessarily for longevity."