PhilGoetz comments on Group selection update - Less Wrong

38 Post author: PhilGoetz 01 November 2010 04:51PM

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Comment author: [deleted] 02 November 2010 06:47:17AM *  3 points [-]

Human history is full of group selection n. Every time one group with better technology or social organization pushes another group off of its land, that's at least group selection n.

It might make more sense to think of one technology or one form of social organization pushing others out of existence. Human beings (and the rest of the environment) could be thought of as the resources used for propagation.

In this context group selection seems like an obviously important idea for understanding certain salient phenomena.

Comment author: PhilGoetz 02 November 2010 01:58:41PM *  -1 points [-]

One level's organism is another level's gene? Not exactly, but there may be some use for that idea.