Anyone read about this challenge to Darwin?
Survival of the kindest...
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talib-al-kalim
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I haven't read a book about it, but I understand what it means. Do you want to discuss a book or a topic?
Dhammañāṇa Bhikkhu
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What about "escape of the kindest"?
Whatever floats your boat.
Even Darwin thought 'survival of the fittest' was misinterpreted
Even Charles Darwin thought "survival of the fittest" was misinterpreted. Instead, consider "survival of the kindest."
www.nbcnews.com
Dhammañāṇa Bhikkhu
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I never realised Darwin promoted 'natural selection' but not 'survival of the fittest' as a theory.
I did know that the latter theory owes a lot to the predominant white male privilege thinking of the so-called 'Enlightenment'.
I had read about symbiosis – mutual cross-species interaction – as an engine of 'evolution' (I read that term to mean progress that might be towards a distant goal or up a blind ally, I'm not sure Nature's too bothered).
So symbiotic relationships I can see. 'Survival of the Kindest' I'm not so sure about as a process rather than as a human ideal?
(Having said that, of course I am mindful of the Beatitudes as a statement along those lines.)
Suffering is the given right? Why is that? Is it training in this existence?
Dhammañāṇa Bhikkhu
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What makes suffering required in any of that?
Have I not lived life unless I suffer?
I don't have much time..I don't know where to start.
Dhammañāṇa Bhikkhu
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Suffering is an effect of taking on what's not required, no refuge, not real, good householder.
No. Desire for sensuality, desire for becoming or not-becoming, has always suffering as it's effect. What ever good householder does, moment for moment, is all just a try to escape it.
That's a good observance!
Not taking on anything that's not real, not lasting, no refuge. Abound what's unskilful, eg. doing bad, develop what's skilful, eg. doing good (by body, speech, thoughts).
TheLightWithin
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It was always about natural selection.
Survival of the fittest was someone's take on it, but really, survival of the individual organisms is not really what it is about, it is about the survival of the genes. The genes are "fit" if they contribute to the organism both surviving and reproducing so the genes are spread to the next generation.
Same reason covid had to weaken and become endemic...if it killed all its hosts it to would not survive, now the human race will carry it fkrever..
talib-al-kalim
Well-Known Member
That theory of the proliferation of the genes is naturally correct in that the mere proliferation of the species proliferates the genes of the parents only. But it tends to forget the component of the survival and the success. Not only, but more than other animals, the humans have other means of proliferation, which is, in religious terms, the proliferation of the spirit. As Jesus said according to John 3:6, "The body is born from the body and the spirit is born from the spirit". The latter is usually understood as the Spirit of God. But it dwells in human mind. There have been many people who didn't proliferate genetically but only spiritually. Jesus himself is the most prominent example. This spirit, if it is well understood, contributes substantially to the survival of the humans, and its importance is growing with the power of humanity over their own basis, the earth and what is on it. All commandments, all guidance that is said to be from God, can be seen as a guidance for survival of humans and life.