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Is there a point to evolution?

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Does evolution have a point?
Yes 60%  60%  [ 15 ]
No 40%  40%  [ 10 ]
Total votes : 25

TheMachine1
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04 Jun 2007, 10:57 pm

The point of evolution will only be understood in the end(the answer could still be no point) . Where as in religion the point is understood in the begging.

Oh I did not vote as there was no choice of "unsure".



calandale
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05 Jun 2007, 3:21 am

I see no evidence of a POINT to anything.



Mitch8817
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05 Jun 2007, 6:53 am

Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


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Ragtime
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05 Jun 2007, 9:04 am

Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


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05 Jun 2007, 9:07 am

calandale wrote:
I see no evidence of a POINT to anything.

yup, im voting no



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05 Jun 2007, 9:09 am

SolaCatella wrote:
Has anyone else read Dawkins' The Blind Watchmaker?


yes, lots of people have.



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05 Jun 2007, 9:12 am

Evolution and nature do not have a point as such, they just happen naturally as competition of the species. Why should humanity survive? Because it's in human nature to advance further and further. Nihilists see nothing and do not believe in a point to anything, yet would they rather nothing ever happened? There may not be an absolute point, but the universe still exists.
Evolution has no intelligent point or aims, it is simply how organisms have developed to suit their environment. We can only speculate on what the deeper explanation might be so far, but we know that it happens.


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Mitch8817
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05 Jun 2007, 9:13 am

Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


No, but it's a goal nonetheless.


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Anubis
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05 Jun 2007, 9:18 am

Mitch8817 wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


No, but it's a goal nonetheless.


Exactly.

However, perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and in the eye of the sceptic, there is no perfection.


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Mitch8817
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05 Jun 2007, 9:46 am

Anubis wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


No, but it's a goal nonetheless.


Exactly.

However, perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and in the eye of the sceptic, there is no perfection.


If you believe in evolution then we are exactly as we are meant to be. Everything is. Nothing is really right or wrong ultimately, just progressive.


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Ragtime
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05 Jun 2007, 9:56 am

Anubis wrote:
Evolution and nature do not have a point as such, they just happen naturally as competition of the species. Why should humanity survive? Because it's in human nature to advance further and further. Nihilists see nothing and do not believe in a point to anything, yet would they rather nothing ever happened? There may not be an absolute point, but the universe still exists.
Evolution has no intelligent point or aims, it is simply how organisms have developed to suit their environment. We can only speculate on what the deeper explanation might be so far, but we know that it happens.


Interesting. Do you look forward to a time when the explanation might be known? Curiosity is part of human nature, so I would assume the answer is yes.

I also wonder, are nihilists, as nihilists, without curiosity? (I don't remember if you're a nihilist; I'm just posing a general question I have about them. Hopefully, there is at least one viewing this discussion.)


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Last edited by Ragtime on 05 Jun 2007, 10:02 am, edited 3 times in total.

Ragtime
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05 Jun 2007, 9:58 am

Mitch8817 wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


No, but it's a goal nonetheless.


That's a fascinating distinction, in the semantic arena. "Goal" and "point". The terms seem as easy to compare as they are to contrast.


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Mitch8817
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05 Jun 2007, 10:02 am

Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


No, but it's a goal nonetheless.


That's a fascinating distinction, in the semantic arena. "Goal" and "point". The terms seem as easy to compare as they are to contrast.


Evolution is progressive, therefore we must be going somewhere. 'Goal' seemed a fitting term, because it has to end somewhere.

Ragtime wrote:
Interesting. Do you look forward to a time when the explanation might be known? Curiosity is part of human nature, so I would assume the answer is yes.

I also wonder, are nihilists, as nihilists, without curiosity? (I don't remember if you're a nihilist; it's just a general question I have about them.)


You could say that curiosity is a human thing, just like sexuality. Yet we know that asexuals exist.


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05 Jun 2007, 10:02 am

Ragtime wrote:
Anubis wrote:
Evolution and nature do not have a point as such, they just happen naturally as competition of the species. Why should humanity survive? Because it's in human nature to advance further and further. Nihilists see nothing and do not believe in a point to anything, yet would they rather nothing ever happened? There may not be an absolute point, but the universe still exists.
Evolution has no intelligent point or aims, it is simply how organisms have developed to suit their environment. We can only speculate on what the deeper explanation might be so far, but we know that it happens.


Interesting. Do you look forward to a time when the explanation might be known? Curiosity is part of human nature, so I would assume the answer is yes.

I also wonder, are nihilists, as nihilists, without curiosity? (I don't remember if you're a nihilist; it's just a general question I have about them.)


Yes I do look forward to knowing when it is known.

I am not a Nihilist, and am very curious when I'm interested in something. Nihilists may or may not have curiousity and intellect, and exist for a variety of reasons.


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05 Jun 2007, 10:04 am

Mitch8817 wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Mitch8817 wrote:
Evolution is mindless betterment towards perfection. Once we are wholly adaptable to all situations, vastly intelligent, free of disease and death, then evolution is complete. Where else can it go?


Is there a point to perfection?


No, but it's a goal nonetheless.


That's a fascinating distinction, in the semantic arena. "Goal" and "point". The terms seem as easy to compare as they are to contrast.


Evolution is progressive, therefore we must be going somewhere. 'Goal' seemed a fitting term, because it has to end somewhere.



Is it an utterly random progression toward order, then?


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Last edited by Ragtime on 05 Jun 2007, 10:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

Ragtime
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05 Jun 2007, 10:08 am

Anubis wrote:
Ragtime wrote:
Anubis wrote:
Evolution and nature do not have a point as such, they just happen naturally as competition of the species. Why should humanity survive? Because it's in human nature to advance further and further. Nihilists see nothing and do not believe in a point to anything, yet would they rather nothing ever happened? There may not be an absolute point, but the universe still exists.
Evolution has no intelligent point or aims, it is simply how organisms have developed to suit their environment. We can only speculate on what the deeper explanation might be so far, but we know that it happens.


Interesting. Do you look forward to a time when the explanation might be known? Curiosity is part of human nature, so I would assume the answer is yes.

I also wonder, are nihilists, as nihilists, without curiosity? (I don't remember if you're a nihilist; it's just a general question I have about them.)


Yes I do look forward to knowing when it is known.

I am not a Nihilist, and am very curious when I'm interested in something. Nihilists may or may not have curiousity and intellect, and exist for a variety of reasons.


Makes me also wonder about solipcists. I wonder if they define "curiosity" "delusion".


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