Re: Social Evolution

But there are successful parasites. I recently read about an ant that
keeps climbing up a grass stalk, even though it falls off and has to
climb again. It has a parasite in its brain that forces this behavior.
The parasite needs to be ingested by a cow, and increases its chances by
being on the tip of the grass. It produces no benefit for either ant or
cow.

Consider the calculation if one is strong enough or bright enough to
control his fellows, in contrast to the individual who is not that smart
or strong. The first needs only fear that someone brighter or stronger
will come along and depose him. But it's to his advantage to recruit
those he can to support him and gain the benefits for that support,
without overdoing the misery of the outsides or raising a rival. The
second will want to keep things equal, hoping that the group will keep
the strong in check. The controllers call this the slave mentality.
"Nature" is OK with either approach.
Dave

On Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:33:52 -0500 "Donald Perrett (E-mail)"
<donperrett@theology-perspectives.net> writes:

[Don Perrett]
A couple of posts on this topic state that one cannot find morality in
natural processes. For every action there is an equal and opposite
reaction. Life is give and take. With the exception of a black hole,
name something in the natural world that consumes without giving back
something. If a person only takes and does not give back then one is a
black hole where all matter is destroyed (theoritically). In which is
only death. So the moral of the universe is to give into the cycle of
life and only take in that which you need to sustain yourself. This is
what one will see in nature. Lest we become parasites.

Don P
Received on Thu Jan 26 18:08:33 2006