[ExI] Jacques Cousteau on evolution and survival

[Kevin Freels]

MB wrote:
>> Has anyone read _The Ocean World_ by Jacques-Yves Cousteau?  If so, if you
>> have a moment please explain why he believed that dying is necessary for
>> the process of evolution, that evolution is necessary for "survival," and
>> that whether an organism is mortal or immortal it "must die".
>>
>>     
>
> I have not read the book, but I've heard the comment before. When I've heard it,
> people mean the following:
>
> Evolution implies heritable genetic change over generations. For any change to
> spread through a population there need be many births/generations. There won't be
> room/resources for all the generations to live at the same time so some must die.
> (Who must die? The older ones past breeding, the genetic failures before breeding,
> plus accidents.)
>
> If we're talking about the natural world, then I think this may be so. That's how it
> has worked in the past. When we put technology and new space and new resources into
> the situation, it appears otherwise, at least until the room/resources problem
> catches up with a population again.
>
> Regards,
> MB
>
>
>
>   
It's t he death before reproduction that determines which 
characteristics are inherited and which are not, which over time with 
changes in the environment drives evolution. Being immortal just spreads 
those same genes around. There would be very little if any change 
without the environmental changes or the death of those who couldn't 
cope with it.
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