Is life on earth for human beings essentially no greater than a survival of the fittest?

Question

This question is open to anyone, not just Darwinists.

And for those with communication problems: Try to keep in mind I am not saying life is a survival of the fittest. I am asking the question. I am also not insinuating anything by asking this question. Questions can be asked in a manner that is as objective as possible. Still, too many people jump to conclusions and are quick to assume because you asked a specific question you immediately want others to agree with what you are asking about. I'm only asking the question.

Answer 1

Something like that, maybe rather survival of those who possess the necessary conditions for survival, be it physical health or access to necessary medical treatments.

Answer 2

Dear Peter,
Absolutely not, life as it was originally intended was to be in company of God and was designed to be enjoyed immensely. We were created in the image of God and for the purpose of communing (talking, walking, playing, living) with God. The idea of survival of the fittest is an idea that is horrific if one believes that life started out that way. a god who would create life only to bite and devour each other is a horrific god and not the one I worship. The only problem was this. God wanted someone who had a brain to use, not a simple creature that would love and adore him without choice but an intelligent creation that would choose to love him. This required a dangerous risk that God must take. In order to have this precious relationship He must risk that man(humans not necessarily male) might choose not to relate to Him, only then would the relationship be made special as it would be entered into on both sides by choice. This is what happened. The first couple made a mistake and in so doing, sin entered with all its terrible consequences.
These being what we see now, survival of fittest animals and others being eaten or dying out. This was not a satisfactory condition to God to leave the world in this way so He had to provide a way out of this mess. This is exactly what He did when He sent Jesus to die on the cross for the removal of our sins. But of course as in the original relationship, this one we enter in by our own choice(or not). This is what makes the relationship special and unique. Some day God will come back and the new earth and new heaven will be perfect. All animals will get along and eat vegetables. No one will argue, fight, stab or kill another and life will be restored again to its original perfection and peace.I Cant wait. Can you?

Answer 3

In some ways yes it is just like the survival of the fittest. Because if you have plenty of money that is how you will survive in this world basically, some people may suck up to you for it, and it gives you power over those who are less fortunate. Whilst in the animal kingdom, they are adapted to their environment and they already have their instinct of how to hunt other animals. For animals it depends on size, strength, and leadership. For humans, because of the world we live in, it really usually comes down to money, because if you have money you have power.

So it is like the survival of the fittest, surviving meaning to have money.

Answer 4

It is no greater than that.... in terms of process, but it is in terms of scale.

I used to believe that it had effectively ended with the introduction of religion.... that humanity had stopped evolving because morality screwed everything up.


And then I learnt more about evolution as a whole and a bizarre realisation came to me:
How did the first multicellular lifeforms arise?
Surely they came about as a result of independant cells coming together to operate in union... and gradually becoming more co-dependant until the accumulation could be an entity in its own right.



Humanity is at that intermediary stage right now... one step up.
We are so conflicted because within us, the survival instinct of the individual is battling with the survival instinct of the hive-mind.... of society itself.... the desire to conform and "belong". Both entities are ruthless and often at odds.... and the resultant splurge makes a mockery of human action on a day-to-day basis.

Eventually though I imagine our individuality will be crushed completely, but maybe for a few like myself.... and that which we know as society will genuinely become like some kind of amoeboid super-life-form.

But yeah.... at the core of it all... it is still survival of the fittest (or survival of the most reproductively fit, at least... Neo-Darwinism > Old Darwinism) ....

Answer 5

Not anymore. It may have been once, but not anymore. People who would not survive under natural conditions are thriving, often to the expense of those who are, technically, "fitter". Now it's those who are born with the most wealth or who are best able to garner pity (though I suppose that's a "fitness" in itself) who survive. Those who are not "fit" to breed are now popping out 5 kids at a time thanks to modern science. Infants who would have died at birth and would never have lived to reproduce are subjected to medical science and miraculously survive, "fitness" not witstanding. Meanwhile, perfectly "fit" infants are born in poverty and war stricken areas and never given the opportunity to breed. In today's world, intelligence, cleverness and physical "fitness" has much less to do with survival than being in the right place at the right time.

Evolution isn't about "fitness" anyway, it's about adaptability. Those who can adapt well enough to their environment survive, those with money adapt better to an industrial society than those without, so can spend their money to fix the problems an industrial society inflicts upon the body that would otherwise render it less fit. But likewise, that same person dropped in the wilds of Kenya wouldn't make it very long after their prescriptions ran out and the local antelope failed to magically turn into filet minon. Likewise the locals there would have a heck of a time trying to figure out how to survive in downtown Manhattan (though I suspect they'd have an easier time than the other guy)

Answer 6

Please enable me deliver a private mail on the situation, because it style of feels for me is between the preferrred private undertaking, in spite of the undeniable fact that I had defined it in this dialogue board, which will misuse via unfit disciples. the great secrets and techniques of nature can't be disclosed in public, extremely a thank you to function and defeat the character - nature interior the experience of - inherent via start. there is specific qualification which the candidate merits to get such wisdom. Klue : well-being- over all. Survival : huge fishes stay via eating the small fishes.

Answer 7

It seems as if at the end of the day, it is all about survival of the fittest. i think that there is more to life that comes with this theory. we live in a dog eat dog world and everybody at the end must be able to fend for themselves.
But within this more real survivor series called real life there is a lot you learn in it, there is a lot more you experience in it and that for me is the bigger picture
So let just say, it might seems as it is eat or get eaten but is more of a live life to the fullest or why live at all!

Answer 8

It is no greater than survival of the fittest, but when viewed with reference to our cognitive powers, it takes on a religious/idealistic nature.

Our species physical and particularly cerebral structure is advanced such that mind is able to manifest. In a way, this is like nature giving us 'the reins', as nature seems to guide the rest of 'her' component organic parts (and us to a low extent). So now, a task of humanity is to understand how nature works, and then to apply this knowledge to ourselves, that the mind we 'inherited' from nature is used in a 'correct' (healthy) way. It is not deadly to be a humanist, but it is deadly to be a humanist and anthropocentric.

Yes, the modern world is unhealthy/deadly

Answer 9

Man was created for one reason: to worship Jesus, and every man was created with the knowledge of God in him. Some people try to deny that God exists, but there comes a point for every person when you KNOW deep inside your heart that God is real. And when I say "God," I'm not speaking about an ambivilant genie/Santa Claus in the sky who will let you into heaven based on how good or moral you are. I'm speaking about the God of the Bible, whom man has tried to create into his own image by saying, "God wouldn't send anyone to hell. That's mean." And what none of us truly understands is just how much God HATES sin; but He's sent His Son to die for us so we don't have to go to hell. How can we, with our finite understanding, judge an infinite God?

Without Jesus in your life, no matter what you do, you'll feel empty. People think Jesus was: a good man, a fake, a prophet, never existed, or is God. But it all really comes down to one thing: Jesus called Himself the Son of God. He's either telling the truth or He's a liar. Who do you say that Jesus is?

So, in answer to your question, life on earth is far more than survival of the fittest; it's purpose to glorify God. People say, "How can you KNOW that Jesus is real?" If you seek Him with ALL your heart, you'll find Him.

Answer 10

Perhaps for early man, yes. The best hunters, the healthiest males, the smartest, were those who mated and led the group. If you look at history, you can see the gradual change from strength equaling power to wealth equaling power.
Today, survival is scientific. Great advances in medicine and technology have tried to assure that humanity will survive to a ripe old age, healthy or ill.