Addressing the Misconceptions That Evolution is about ProgressA Story by A. M. HolmesA short essay about evolution in nature and the misconception of how it applies to society.Seems that quite a few moralist have attempted to connect the evolution of the Humankind species with the technological progress of our materialistic, capitalist Western civilization. Their attempt to define technology, economics, ethics, and the general moral degeneracy of society as a form of 'natural selection' is not only false but blatantly misleading. To say that "evolving" technology has led us into an extremely complex society that threatens the very social order of mankind is ignorantly alarmist. In the other extreme, it is equally naive to believe that progress is a "natural" byproduct of human existence. Organisms evolve, material or abstract creations do not. Evolution is a natural process by which organisms exist in constant flux with their environment. Civilizations are paradigms created by historical circumstances. Natural selection, one of the processes that influences evolution, is objective ,whereas, morality is very subjective. Natural selection is a process in which, through diversification in the genome, organisms can better take advantage of ecological conditions long enough to pass that advantage on to their progeny. There's no progress, no increase in sophistication, no complexity just an attempt to reach equilibrium with the ecosystem long enough to survive. It may appear that societies work in the same way, but that is due to a prevailing Greco-Roman bias that taints any empirical model. This point of view defines observed processes arbitrarily and looks for cause and effect where none may exist. "Progress", "complexity", "order", "secession" are not effects of evolution, but a product of an outdated Anglo-centric Christian points of view that still dominates. The "nature of man" as defined by this view is that human beings, through their big brains and technological advances, are destine to dominate the world. That organisms through time became increasingly complex, and by extension, our technology is a natural progression. Nature is not about the "end product", but about balance.
You can say that civilization and technology are evolving but they really have not for they are products of Human endeavors. The simple truth is that; we are not what we make, but what we make is an extension of ourselves. No matter how much we change what we create, we remain the same. © 2008 A. M. Holmes |
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Added on June 3, 2008 Last Updated on June 3, 2008 AuthorA. M. HolmesDearborn, MIAboutOkay, I haven't really published anything yet and I write mostly for my own enjoyment, but that doesn't mean I never will (for otherwise why join this group) and that I don't wish others to read my ma.. more..Writing
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