Purpose Of Evolution

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In the video and in some articles in his website, Ray Peat talks about the purpose of evolution. What I want to know is: what is the purpose of evolution? Is the purpose "to get maximally structurally energetic" (whatever that means [if you know, please explain]) (as from the idea that energy and structure are ultimately dependent)?

 

tupolev

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Purpose of evolution? You're so far deep into metaphysics you don't know what you're even asking. The coinage of the term is even pretty weird. It has little relation to Darwin's ideas.

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OP
Mr. God of Cars
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Purpose of evolution? You're so far deep into metaphysics you don't know what you're even asking. The coinage of the term is even pretty weird. It has little relation to Darwin's ideas.

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It's not me saying there's a purpose -- it's Ray Peat.
 
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In the video and in some articles in his website, Ray Peat talks about the purpose of evolution. What I want to know is: what is the purpose of evolution? Is the purpose "to get maximally structurally energetic" (whatever that means [if you know, please explain]) (as from the idea that energy and structure are ultimately dependent)?



Perhaps he means life has a tendency to become more organised and energetic, evolving into higher forms with a more developed consciousness. Maybe the 'purpose' is more of an axiom, in that in this Universe, having more energy is a value. Like an inbuilt law. So perhaps biological evolution is directed towards obeying a wider cosmic goal: that of using and organising more energy than its previous forms did.
 

Samya

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The way I see it is evolution is consciousness having a myriad of experience through evolving physical forms, gradually gaining greater self-awareness and ultimately experiencing itself as unitive non-physical consciousness.
 

Thybo

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Ray is a fan of process theology (he said that in the latest One Radio Network interview) and he aligns his view of God with David Ray Griffin's view. In the book "Panentheism and Scientific Naturalism", Griffin argues that there is a "Divine aim towards richness of experience" and that experience is the only thing that is "intrinsically valuable." Therefore, Griffin's hypothesis is that the divine aim is to "bring about conditions that allow for the emergence of individuals with more complex modes of experience and thereby the capacity for greater intrinsic value" (p. 85). I think this is similar to what Christopher R. and Atma have posted and I could imagine that Ray sees the purpose of evolution similarily.
 

Gone Peating

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It's not me saying there's a purpose -- it's Ray Peat.

Evolution is the result of random mutations being acted on by natural selection.

Any talk of pantheistic ideas makes no sense. The universe did not create itself. The universe is a wonderful and unimaginably complex (to the human mind at least) creation pointing to a transcendent Creator.

Genetic mutations are one of the results of the Fall, when humanity chose to turn away from God, and we have all been repeating that same mistake day in and day out becoming vain in our imaginations seeking to deify ourselves or other created things.

The good news is is that God became a man in the form of Jesus Christ to save us from our own self-destructive pride. And even though from the moment of His incarnation we all waged war against Him, He never stopped loving us and still does.

He doesn’t want much from us, not fancy charitable works or whatever other thing we think we can do to gain favor, He just wants us to come back to Him. All of humanity is the Prodigal Son.
 
J

jb116

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Evolution is the result of random mutations being acted on by natural selection.

Any talk of pantheistic ideas makes no sense. The universe did not create itself. The universe is a wonderful and unimaginably complex (to the human mind at least) creation pointing to a transcendent Creator.

Genetic mutations are one of the results of the Fall, when humanity chose to turn away from God, and we have all been repeating that same mistake day in and day out becoming vain in our imaginations seeking to deify ourselves or other created things.

The good news is is that God became a man in the form of Jesus Christ to save us from our own self-destructive pride. And even though from the moment of His incarnation we all waged war against Him, He never stopped loving us and still does.

He doesn’t want much from us, not fancy charitable works or whatever other thing we think we can do to gain favor, He just wants us to come back to Him. All of humanity is the Prodigal Son.
Yes its important to have a sense of humor in these times.
 

Cloudhands

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Look at maslows hierarchy of needs. He seems to model the idea of our needs bringing us closer to self actualization. I think we are slowly part of a process that is aimed at enjoying life and loving everything. I think that enjoying and loving everything is an infinite approach to a limitless concept. If you look at everything in the universe it seems to follow a feedback loop, for example seasons constantly change, fruit is born, it lives, it dies, and is born again. Im not sure of a feedback loop in maslows hierarchy pov or anything similiar that leads back to suffering from self actualization but it is possible. To say that there is a purpose is not necessarily objective, but all experience is dependant on observer anyway so im im not sure if anything isnt isnt subjective. Im just rambling tho haha
 

lampofred

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Evolution is the result of random mutations being acted on by natural selection.

Any talk of pantheistic ideas makes no sense. The universe did not create itself. The universe is a wonderful and unimaginably complex (to the human mind at least) creation pointing to a transcendent Creator.

Genetic mutations are one of the results of the Fall, when humanity chose to turn away from God, and we have all been repeating that same mistake day in and day out becoming vain in our imaginations seeking to deify ourselves or other created things.

The good news is is that God became a man in the form of Jesus Christ to save us from our own self-destructive pride. And even though from the moment of His incarnation we all waged war against Him, He never stopped loving us and still does.

He doesn’t want much from us, not fancy charitable works or whatever other thing we think we can do to gain favor, He just wants us to come back to Him. All of humanity is the Prodigal Son.

I've started becoming very careful with religion because I realized submissiveness is just as bad as pride. I think religious people tend to think submissiveness is good and pride is bad but both are driven by ego. It's not possible for an ego-less person to be submissive. And at the same time even being egotistical is better than having low vitality. Rocks have no ego but if the purpose of life is just to be ego-less then we wouldn't have been created. In my opinion the trick is to decrease ego (both submissiveness and pride) while increasing vitality.
 

lampofred

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The way I see it is evolution is consciousness having a myriad of experience through evolving physical forms, gradually gaining greater self-awareness and ultimately experiencing itself as unitive non-physical consciousness.

How is this not just death?
 

Gone Peating

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I've started becoming very careful with religion because I realized submissiveness is just as bad as pride. I think religious people tend to think submissiveness is good and pride is bad but both are driven by ego. It's not possible for an ego-less person to be submissive. And at the same time even being egotistical is better than having low vitality. Rocks have no ego but if the purpose of life is just to be ego-less then we wouldn't have been created. In my opinion the trick is to decrease ego (both submissiveness and pride) while increasing vitality.

There’s a big difference between humility and submissiveness
 

Noodlz2

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Evolution is the result of random mutations being acted on by natural selection.

Any talk of pantheistic ideas makes no sense. The universe did not create itself. The universe is a wonderful and unimaginably complex (to the human mind at least) creation pointing to a transcendent Creator.

Genetic mutations are one of the results of the Fall, when humanity chose to turn away from God, and we have all been repeating that same mistake day in and day out becoming vain in our imaginations seeking to deify ourselves or other created things.

The good news is is that God became a man in the form of Jesus Christ to save us from our own self-destructive pride. And even though from the moment of His incarnation we all waged war against Him, He never stopped loving us and still does.

He doesn’t want much from us, not fancy charitable works or whatever other thing we think we can do to gain favor, He just wants us to come back to Him. All of humanity is the Prodigal Son.

What's the point of making it so hard to come back to him? Seems cruel, or at least a bit dumb. I think we know at this point that a good environment can make a person the most compassionate, kind, and wise person in the world. And a bad environment can do the opposite. Why doesn't God just tweak the environment to give us all the most nurturing environment? Everyone would love that.

In other words, everything I do, good or bad, is just a reaction to something outside of me. If the environment is good, I am triggered to do good things. You would think it should be easy to just change the environment if the end goal is our happiness, salvation, whatever you want to call it.
 

Noodlz2

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The way I see it is evolution is consciousness having a myriad of experience through evolving physical forms, gradually gaining greater self-awareness and ultimately experiencing itself as unitive non-physical consciousness.

But why?
 

LUH 3417

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Oct 22, 2016
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I've started becoming very careful with religion because I realized submissiveness is just as bad as pride. I think religious people tend to think submissiveness is good and pride is bad but both are driven by ego. It's not possible for an ego-less person to be submissive. And at the same time even being egotistical is better than having low vitality. Rocks have no ego but if the purpose of life is just to be ego-less then we wouldn't have been created. In my opinion the trick is to decrease ego (both submissiveness and pride) while increasing vitality.
A lot of people play an ego game with spirituality. I’m more pious/aware/kind/non aggressive/loving than you.
 

LUH 3417

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What's the point of making it so hard to come back to him? Seems cruel, or at least a bit dumb. I think we know at this point that a good environment can make a person the most compassionate, kind, and wise person in the world. And a bad environment can do the opposite. Why doesn't God just tweak the environment to give us all the most nurturing environment? Everyone would love that.

In other words, everything I do, good or bad, is just a reaction to something outside of me. If the environment is good, I am triggered to do good things. You would think it should be easy to just change the environment if the end goal is our happiness, salvation, whatever you want to call it.
I wonder the same thing. God wants to trick us? God wants to test us? God wants to see how much we love him? God gave us free will and we intentionally choose everything wicked and bad?
 

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