Alwaysrushed comments on Open thread, November 2011 - Less Wrong

4 Post author: Oscar_Cunningham 02 November 2011 06:19PM

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Comment author: Alwaysrushed 03 November 2011 10:46:11PM *  0 points [-]

I didn't know where to put this. Maybe someone can help. I am trying to further understand evolution.

PLEASE correct my assumptions if they are inaccurate/wrong: 1) Organisms act instinctively in order to pass alleles on. 2) Human biology is similar, but we have some sort of more developed intelligence (more developed or a distinct one?) that allows us to weigh options and make decisions. Correct me if I am wrong, but it seems that we can act in contradiction to assumption #1 (ex: taking birth control), is this because of the 2nd assumption? Do other animals act similarly (or is there some consciousness we have that they don’t)? Or do they choose not to act in contradiction to assumption #1

Comment author: dlthomas 03 November 2011 11:05:18PM *  9 points [-]

We are adaptation executers, not fitness maximizers.

That's equally the case for other animals.

Comment author: saturn 06 November 2011 05:50:18AM 2 points [-]

Evolution doesn't plan ahead. It's possible that humans will acquire an instinctive aversion to birth control, but not before that trait arises by chance and then the individuals who have it out-reproduce the rest of the species.

Comment author: pedanterrific 06 November 2011 05:54:29AM 2 points [-]

Catholicism?