[extropy-chat] The Cassini Division

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Hal Finney <hal at finney.org> wrote:
> Dirk quotes a character in The Cassini Division:
> > Life is a process of breaking down and using other matter, and if 
> > need be, other life.
> 
> That would be true mostly of animals.  Plants generally do not do
> this, they only use minerals and already-dead organic matter.
> 

I think his statement covers that, with the 'if need be' only applying
to animals and predatory plants (like venus flytraps).

> > Therefore life is aggression and successful life 
> > is successful aggression.
> 
> According to
> http://www.icsu-scope.org/downloadpubs/scope13/chapter06.html
> plants make up 99% of earth's biomass, and animals make up only a
> tenth of a percent.  The overwhelming majority of successful life is
> non-aggressive.  Aggressive life accounts for such a tiny percentage
> that it is almost inconsiderable, based on biomass.  Nonaggression is
> actually a far more successful strategy for life to adopt, on the
> average.

Plants are primarily responsible for the degradation and breaking down
the intrinsic value of rock. How positively un-martian of you to forget
this immense history of geocide. ;)


Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com


		
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