Now let me first say that this idea is a young one and still needs some work.For those of you who are not fully up to speed on what Evolution IS .... Evolution is in a nut shell:
"In biology, evolution is the change in a population's inheritedThe current state of human evolution is one in which our DNA has now conquered our environment. We have humans living in the desert, people living in the rain forest, on the poles and in the most inhospitable locations on the planet. For our DNA, the environment is no longer an issue for its continued survival. Let's not get into the future possibilities that may lie before us in regards to Global Warming, sever weather, "Ebola" type viruses etc... because even if these become severe, there will still be people on this planet able to adapt. So an assumption here is that the human being as an organism has now morphed into an entity that can live in its current environment.
characteristics, or traits, from generation to generation. These traits are
encoded as genes that are copied and passed on to offspring during reproduction. Random changes in these genes can produce new or altered traits, resulting in differences between organisms. Under natural selection, organisms with traits that help them to survive and reproduce tend to have more offspring. In doing so, they will pass more copies of inheritable beneficial traits on to the next generation. This leads to advantageous traits becoming more common in each generation, while disadvantageous traits become rarer.[1][2][3] Over time, this process can result in varied adaptations to changing environmental conditions"
So now what? As we run around on this little blue dot in the middle of the universe, WHAT and HOW is our DNA attempting to better its place in the Universe? What is the next step for our DNA in its pursuit to be the best organism it can create?
The next step is an obvious one, it is genetic engineering. Over the millions of years of evolution our DNA has created an organism that can now look into itself in attempts to "reverse engineer" itself, in a sense. Parents are beginning to choose the hair color, eye color, height, weight of their children. Biotechnology will continue to figure out what causes aging, diseases etc... in order to create a longer living stronger human being. A longer life will be necessary in order for DNA to continue to search for its purpose in the universe. It takes approximately 3 months to get to Mars with current technology. It would take hundreds of thousands of years to reach another arm of our Milky Way galaxy. So at this point, our DNA is concentrating on lengthening human life and even trying to stop aging all together in order to explore the universe. Of course it will also work on our durability along the way.
So how does this come back to Capitalism you ask. Well, biotechnology consumes a huge amount of resources $$$$. In order to facilitate such an endeavor, we need enough pooled resources to cover the opportunity cost of exploring/using biotechnology. Capitalism is similar to Evolution in that it is game of competitive advantage. Capitalism is the "survival of the fittest" in the modern age. We no longer fight for survival against the environment and other humans, it's just against other humans at this point. It creates those that have a lot at the expense of others. In the end, Capitalism is going to enable and speed up our pursuit and use of biotechnology by allowing some to obtain the amount of resources necessary. Some humans will and have begun to engineer their offspring and without hordes of money, that would not be possible.
Now there are of course Communist nations like China beginning to perform human engineering (and at a much faster pace than the U.S. due to our Stem Cell debate), but I would argue that free market Capitalism is a much better and more efficient method of fueling progress in biotechnology or any field than state sponsored endeavours. So although Capitalism is not 100% necessary for this next step, it is and will continue to speed up the process of human engineering.
In the end the only REAL purpose of our DNA is to propagate the universe in order to discover our true purpose? In order to do so, human engineering is a requirement. Yes, it always comes back to the Universe, the answer must be out there, right?
Unfortunately I will only be able to partake in this endeavour by passing my genes into the future, which I have already done. I guess my work is done here.
Cross Posted at Rocketstar's Thoughts on Life
12 comments:
So at this point, our DNA is concentrating on lengthening human life and even trying to stop aging all together in order to explore the universe.
Is it our DNA that's doing this, or humans? Or are you argung that we are doing it because we are controlled by our DNA?
In the end the only REAL purpose of our DNA is to propagate the universe in order to discover our true purpose?
I guess I just don't know what you mean by this. How is the purpose of our DNA to propogate the universe?
dodos,
I am arguing that or DNA, when you realy break it own is the "human organism".It is the "map" or "brains" of the human structure.
So the thinking is tat from the beginig of life, in the vey first ocean dweling cell, it wa the DNA calling the shots. So over the millions of years, the DNA has constructed us in order to figure itself out.
What other purpose do we really have other than tryig to figre out the mystery of the Universe, beyond the basic "Be happy an Prosper"?
Does that make more sense?
What other purpose do we really have other than tryig to figre out the mystery of the Universe, beyond the basic "Be happy an Prosper"?
Well, that assumes we have a higher purpose, which is a wedge that can introduce some external force (i.e. the supernatural) into the mix. Our purpose? If you're talking DNA, it's to pass our DNA on. Continuation of the species is just about it. No other creature on the planet worries about mysteries or higher purposes, and it's a human conceit to think that because our brains have evolved to examine the world with greater sophistication and complexity that it's part of a purpose. A mentally retarded person who lacks higher reasoning skills is no less human or a viable organism than Einstein when you get right down to the DNA. Philosophy is a luxury, albeit one that is greatly rewarding. But it's not especially relevant to passing on our DNA.
So over the millions of years, the DNA has constructed us in order to figure itself out.
I guess my problem is that I don't know what it would end up "figuring out?" Is the question, as you say, "trying to figure out the mystery of the universe?" To figure out our purpose here?
Why would our DNA be trying to figure it out? As long as it survives, why does it care?
One of things I love about you Rocket is that you've forced me to ask myself, what do I believe about humans and this world in a more metaphysical sense. Where did we come from? Why are we here? What is our purpose? And honestly, I just don't think we have a purpose - no more than animals, plants or anything else. I think that something happened billions of years ago and it created matter - what? I have no idea (well I am pretty sure that it wasn't GOD, or some reasonable facsimile - at least not in the sense that we understand or believe GOD to be).
Hmmmm...maybe I just need to write about this :)
cletus and Dodos,
I agree, I don't see it so much as a "higher purpose", but to think that there is nothing out there in this humungous universe just doesn't make sense to me. So in order to find out if there is something out there, or if there is a higher purpose, we need to explore the universe.
I am pretty sure that we are not alone in this big universe of ours. It would seem that given the vastness of it, it would seem almost arrogant of us to believe that we are the only one's populating it.
What I don't think, however, is that we have a purpose beyond that which evolution provided us - the ability to live, think, love, and hump. I just don't see a big universal plan that was laid out that we play some role in.
I'll just echo Peter—we don't "need" to explore the universe or anything else. We don't need to do anymore than what any other species on this planet does. Evolution has developed our brain to a capacity that we're capable of understanding the mechanics of nature better, and that such understandings feed our curiosity, but the universe will get along just fine if we don't explore it. Which isn't to say that we shouldn't explore these realms, just that it's wholly optional, a luxury.
How about this offering?
An organism evolves as long is its environment allows it to continue.
Humankind, thus far (at least this time around) are the only life forms able to construct the tools necessary to leave Earth.
Therefore, to extend your argument, it can be said that the human purpose is to extend organic life into redundant environments and thus up the chances of continued organic evolution.
(Personally, I think we're here to turn large amounts of fermented barley into urea and methane, but I know not why?)
Xris
Dodos,
“What I don't think, however, is that we have a purpose beyond that which evolution provided us - the ability to live, think, love, and hump.”
-- But hold on, I think you are getting hung up on “purpose”… So forget about “purpose” and think about the next step.
Let’s say we are an ant roaming around the sidewalk. Shouldn’t that ant search the large neighboring structures to try to find new sources of food? We live in the universe, shouldn’t we try to find out what the fuck is in here?
Cletus,
“…and that such understandings feed our curiosity, but the universe will get along just fine if we don't explore it.”
-- Agreed, but come on, what else should the space ship planet Earth focus on? Are we satisfied that we are just this hunk of rock FLYING through the Milky Way solar system in the middle of the universe?
O.K., so the rum and cokes and other treats are getting to me, but you guys know what I mean…..
Xris,
“Humankind, thus far (at least this time around) are the only life forms able to construct the tools necessary to leave Earth.”
-- Exactly, so can we, should we, are we not obligated to using that POWER to see what the fuck is in this universe?
Life sucks., I want to live forever, maybe I will get my answer………………………
Rocket & Xris -
While I'm sure you don't have this intent in mind, the position that we need to explore space necessarily fetishizes technology—or at least certain types—and artificially elevates those societies that develop and value it. Which is to say, then, that societies with the more advanced technology are themselves more advanced. Which—I hope you see where I'm going—feeds into a traditional racist and imperialist argument that justified the conquering of native peoples of the New World, East Asia, Africa, and Australia. Technological development is a means of evaluating a society but by no means is it absolute. To make the argument that our purpose, our need, is to leave this planet is to validate an undue emphasis on technology as determinant of a society's worth.
But hold on, I think you are getting hung up on “purpose”… So forget about “purpose” and think about the next step.
I'm only hung up on it because you brought it up :)
We live in the universe, shouldn’t we try to find out what the fuck is in here?
Meh. Honestly, I don't care all that much. We have such huge problems here that we need to take care of them first. As I said, a program to find other civilizations etc... would be so expensive and focus so many needed resources away from what is needed that at this point and time, I just don't care.
cletus, I understand your point, but I think there exist ways of making it a global human endevour that minimizes those adverse affects.
dodos,
I think it was the definition of "purpose" I was trying to use. I hear ya that we have larger problems and I agree, but looking long term, I still think it is something that we as the human race need to put some and even a little more focus on.
As I always say, a meteor could smack into us next week and take the entire human race out.
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