RE: The Future of Evolution

From: Vandergraaf, Chuck (vandergraaft@aecl.ca)
Date: Sat Apr 14 2001 - 11:39:22 EDT

  • Next message: Howard J. Van Till: "Re: The Future of Evolution"

    Howard,
     
    If that's the way evolution is to proceed, we can expect a short, but
    violent ride, I'm afraid. Relying on "sound moral principle and appropriate
    science/technology" is, IMHO, wishful thinking. With increased competition
    for diminishing resources, moral principles will be flying out of the
    window, if they have not already done so. I agree that the human race will
    be able to evaluate the effects of its behaviour, but the time delays of
    natural systems is such that there may not be enough time to respond. I'm
    not as pessimistic as Richard Duncan, and don't expect that humankind will
    regress into an Olduvai-type society, but it won't be pretty. Hopefully, the
    Lord will intervene in time, before we descend too far into the abyss.
     
    Chuck Vandergraaf

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Howard J. Van Till [mailto:hvantill@novagate.com]
    Sent: Saturday April 14, 2001 8:18 AM
    To: James W Stark; asa
    Subject: Re: The Future of Evolution

    Jim Stark wrote:

    "The Jesus movement requires intentional change. If we do not intentionally
    change, we will probably destroy life on this earth. The future of
    evolution is to insert intentional change into the process."

    Another way to look at it: Until recently, evolution could be characterized
    as a happening (something that took place without its participants
    self-consciously making decisions about the future course of the process).
    From here on, however, evolution will be more like a performance. The human
    race is now able to evaluate the effects of its behavior on the future
    course of the global ecosystem. This performance will either be done well
    (employing sound moral principles and appropriate science/technology) or it
    will be done poorly, perhaps even self-destructively.

    Howard Van Till



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