[extropy-chat] RE: Re: Intelligent Design and Irriducible Complexity

[Dan Clemmensen]

John K Clark wrote:

>
>There is a parallel in our own species, for millions of years a gene that
>told us to eat as much sweet and fatty foods as we can get our hands on
>worked great for survival, but today food is so plentiful people become fat
>and get heart attacks. We know it’s bad for us but it just tastes so damn
>good.
>
>  
>
But this behavior has little evolutionary effect. Most consequences of 
consumption of fatty
and sweet foods occur after the age of reproduction, and is therefore 
not directly selected
against. The effects on the next generation are mixed: Granddad has a 
heart attack. Dad gets
his inheritance in time to actually improve Kid's life during the 
formative years. Or, the
inheritance is smaller because Granddad kicked the bucket before 
retiring. Or, the inheritance
is bigger because the old geezer lived well into retirement and spent 
the money on himself.