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Re: Further Evolution beyond the Human?
Stephen Barnard (steve@megafauna.com)
Sun, 06 Oct 1996 11:59:47 -0800
Theodore A. Holden wrote:
>
> socrates@hunter1.com (socrates) wrote:
>
> >>Evolutionism (the idea that <survival of the fittest> is the only moral
> >>law in nature) has brought us English colonialism, the opium wars,
> >>robber-baron capitalism, fascism, naziism, and two world wars.
> >>You want to know what comes next? The answer is that unless
> >>humankind disabuses itself of this stupid bullshit, WW-III comes next.
>
> >Hate to interupt your diatribe with the facts but Colonialism, robber baron
> >captilism, fascism, and opium wars where all pre Darwin events. As to WWI it
> >was a war for greed pure and simple. As to racism and hate they have been
> >around for a very long time
>
> Learn some facts, and then worry about interrupting others with them; the one
> comes before the other.
>
> Ted Holden
> medved@digex.com
English colonialism began no later than the 17th century in the New
World. (I'm not counting Scotland, Ireland, Wales, etc, which go way
back).
I'm not sure of the date of the Opium Wars, but my guess is that they
predate Darwin. They at least predate the general acceptance of natural
selection, which didn't occur until the 20th century.
Robber-baron capitalism, in the style of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jay Gould
(ironic name coincidence!), etc., flowered in the late 19th century,
long before the general acceptance of Darwinism.
Fascism dates from the Romans. The name comes from "fasces", which was
the symbol of Imperial Roman power.
Naziism does postdate Darwinism. I wonder what warped interpretation
Darwinism the Nazis held?
Any suggestion that the WW-I and WW-II were caused by Darwinism is too
ludicrous to deserve refutation. I suppose you could argue that
Darwinism explains the evolution of a species as bloody-minded as ours.
Far, far, far more people have died in the name of religious dogma than
in the name of Darwinism.
Steve Barnard
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