[extropy-chat] [Bulk] Re: Forbes Magazine on Robotics

[Olie Lamb]

On 8/24/06, Keith Henson <hkhenson at rogers.com> wrote:
> At 10:11 PM 8/22/2006 -0400, Martin wrote:
> >On 8/22/06, Keith Henson <hkhenson at rogers.com> wrote:
<SNIP>
> > > War is worse for your genes if the future prospects are bright.
> >
> >Not if you're a militarized and highly trained band that's good at
> >fighting, going up against nonmilitarized, poorly trained bands who
> >spend all their time farming.
> >
> >Marauding bands essentially took on the role of parasites, which exist
> >in any ecosystem.  It would have happened whether or not they were
> >running out of resources.
>
> Examples?  It is rather hard for marauding bands to raise children.

Not _that_ difficult - take any of the nomadic horsemen groups that
have come from northeastern Eurasian steppes - the Huns, the Mongol
Hordes...

In particular, the Huns were reasonably well supported for several
generations (4th to 6th century) by plundering Roman cities.

...
As a rule, the competition will be won by the specialist

-- Olie