Negative Geez by CH3SH1R3 M4TT	Last Updated: 04 July, 2010
Modern Philosophy

Darwin-Gauge Shotgun 04/17/10 Evolution is shotgun, not a sniper rifle. Shotguns spray a group of shards in a random pattern which land in a cluster, the size of which is determined by a number of factors such as barrel size and length, and the range of the target to name a few. A sniper rifle places one projectile along an extremely narrow and specific path with a great deal of accuracy and determinism. Evolution favours a more shotgun-like approach, using DNA to enable billions and trillions of unique and random combinations of building codes by which life's engineers write it's blueprints and it's technicians carry out their instructions. Some might say that evolution seems like too clumsy a method of creation to have forged the impressive array of solutions life has documented. Some even go so far as to suggest that this eclectic assortment of variety in nature, the fact that we have so many interesting survival techniques and environmental adaptations on earth, proves that there must be some kind of intelligent creator. Nonsense. Evolution is not extremely good at creating things that are extremely well adapted, it is extremely good at making everything, apex predators, unadapted throwbacks and everything in between. Natural selection is the process of lottery selection. It is highly scientific, in fact it might even seem ironic that the very creatures it created use a method it seems to use to analyze the world around them. Nature creates many, many different possible mutations on a genetic code when life reproduces. It's odd to think about, but the difference in why you have a different face than myself or anyone else, is down to minute mutations in our genes, tiny variations in our blueprints. With so many people on the globe and no two faces exactly alike (save for those of twins, triplets and the like), it becomes easy to see nature's strategy. Don't have any plan to begin with! Try everything and see what works out. This is why there is any change over time at all, because with any new generation there are plenty of failures, but also plenty of new and interesting triumphs of mutation. Those generations of any particular species which are hindered by their failed attempts at positive adaptation are less likely to be able to pass their genetic code on through reproduction. Those creatures which benefit from their mutations become the new standard for the next generation to carry on those positive traits. Those in the middle, those who bear like-traits of their ancestors without any significant improvement can be thankful they were not on the bad end of the spectrum, but will eventually be left in the dust by those with greatly beneficial adaptations. This is how evolution moves species forward, not through laser-like precision and focus, but with the focus and laziness of maple-keys gently helicopter-ing their way to the ground, ready to keep a legacy alive with all the time in all of creation. Literally. -CH3SH1R3 M4TT Share

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