[OFB Cafe] Beatitudes and Social Darwinism (was Re: Bio Fuels)

[Derek Broughton]

On July 23, 2008 23:32:15 Timothy Butler wrote:

> 	The problem I see with social Darwinism is that if we say the "best
> adapted" survive (and, by extension, should survive), precisely what
> do you do about the less well adapted (leaving well adapted to mean
> any particular thing one might choose)? I think there are surely some
> Darwinistic elements to society -- and in some senses those are
> healthy -- but I think if taken too far...

You know this reminds me of an argument I had with Chris about Darwinism in 
Open Source software...

As I see it, "fittest" in any herd animal - and Man is a herd animal - always 
involves an ability to get along with other members of the herd.  "Best 
adapted" _means_ those who contribute to the well-being of the society.  
Darwin wasn't a livestock breeder - he didn't believe in culling to get 
better species, he simply said that healthy traits survive and unhealthy ones 
don't.  In that way, history has shown us that unhealthy societies collapse. 
-- 
derek