On: The Fable of the Dragon-Tyrant (2005)

[hirundo]

The story anthropomorphizes death as a dragon (dracomorphizes?). I'm pointing out that it is doing so to an essential mechanism of biological evolution. That gives evolution a moral valence, per the story.

In general, it should be clear that to cut a species off from a primary source of biological evolution would not usually be beneficial to that species' survival prospects. Maybe that is no longer true of Homo sapiens, but I doubt it.

[blkhawk → hirundo]

We are already cut of from general evolution as long as we have a society that relies mostly on factors externally to genetics. Those factors are so much more rapid and impactful than the slow evolution by procreation and death statistical processes that it makes little sense to even consider them.

[ben_w → hirundo]

Genetic evolution is probably already no longer part of humanity's future, regardless of death.

We have generic engineering, albeit limited. Direct genetic engineering will be driven by memetic evolution within a generation or two.

[kiba → ben_w]

As long humanity continued to have children, there will be evolution.

[ben_w → kiba]

Just not of the genetic variety, not when we can read and write DNA like a book (or even like decompiled assembly language).

[kiba → ben_w]

Genetic variation occurs through normal human reproductive process.

[ben_w → kiba]

In a world where it can be read and written at will, natural mutations will be irrelevant even when they occur.

[kiba → hirundo]

Destroying death doesn't cut off evolution, since humans are able to reproduce, which is our primary source of variation. Moreover, the story is about aging, not death. Although the ultimate outcome of aging is death.

[stale2002 → hirundo]

> an essential mechanism

It's not essential though, is the point.

We can do better than the sloppy process of evolution.