possibilites - cause evolution or is it the opposite?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 13 Feb 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

jade	13 Feb 2002
do possiblilities cause evolution or does evolution cause the possibilities? new river posted this and i thought .....nows there a discuss in the making so i thought i would make it a thread on it's own. in light, jade

kayne	14 Feb 2002
Jade: Are you talking about evolution in the scientific sense or in terms of the evolution of an idea or concept within a person?

Kiama	14 Feb 2002
I can see how it works both ways. With regard to biological evolution, then the most probable is that possibilities cause evolution. For instance, if you've got three offshoots from the same species, such as the woolly monkey, the dancing monkey, and the purple monkey, all from the same species of monkey, survival of the fittest would apply. Let's say these sub-species of monkey all lived in the Arctic Circle. Which one stands more chance of survival? Methinks it would be the woolly monkey because of its extra warmth. The purple monkey would be easily hunted down against the white snow backdrop, and the dancing monkey is just a stupid idea, so I doubt it would survive. In this case, possibilities lead to evolution: The evolution of the woolly monkey! It also works the other way round, with non-biological evolution. For instance, the evolution of my 'search fo my true self'. I start out as conditioned by society to believe in say, the Big Green Hippo. Then, as I grow, and come to understand things more (Evolve) I see that there are other paths to follow.... And suddenly, I am faced with possibilities! Do I follow the Big Green Hippo? The Giant Purple Giraffe? The Tiny Red Lion? Choices, choices.... That's just my take on this, and I hope you understood what I was trying to get across! *Kiama crosses her fingers* Kiama

New River	14 Feb 2002
hey jade, thanks for posting this for me. it is an interesting topic to noodle around. i first thought that it was the possibility that caused the evolution. reason being that if we were all totally satisfied we would have no inclination to become better or seek change. and uh, yes, i still think this. but i have to agree with diana's take too because the spiral of evolution brings us back to our beginnings. still, if the possibility/idea of making art never entered our minds then how many artists would there be? i think this discussion came up as my hubby and i were watching the olympics, checking out the new moves and extreme sports that are new to the games. once introduced, an olympian has to evolve themselves to the capability of performing the latest trick or they will not make the cut. what used to be considered impossible is now de rigeur, or the standard, to those not speaking french. you'd still think there would be room somewhere for kiama's dancing monkey tho wouldn't you?

slinky_jo	14 Feb 2002
Adaptation - the animal changes to it's environment or it dies. But what decides the animal WILL change, or WILL die?? Yes, as a climate becomes colder, maybe the monkeys there will develop woolly fur! But then, maybe they will die out... It's confusing - makes my widdle brain hurt too much! One of my lecturers said that every animal fits a niche - it's not a growth of evolution in a straight single line, but growth that looks like a bar chart (many creatures growing different ways). The fish suit the water, the water needs them so they stay there. The earth needs some poop to fertilise the flowers, so the gecko poops. - ??? lol I sound like a kid, but how else am I to explain this crazy thing called life??!! LOL! ...really I have no idea! ;p

jade	15 Feb 2002
i think that possibilities and evolution happen hand in hand. as we evolve....new possibilities arise. as now possibilities arise.....we evolve. in light, jade ps which is the egg and which is the chicken?

Kiama	15 Feb 2002
Quote: jade (15 Feb, 2002 17:39): ps which is the egg and which is the chicken? I just thought I'd add that the chicken or egg question has now been answered! The first chicken-like creature was the archeopteryx (sic?), a bird from the late prehistoric era, which scientists claim was the first chicken. Now, at some point, this archeopteryx must've laid the egg which hatched into the first actual chicken. Thus, the egg came first! (I read this in the Reader's Digest) That's a useless fact for you to impress your work-mates with! Kiama

Malachite	15 Feb 2002
with reference to the chicken/egg problem,.....evolution isn't a process of single individuals leading on to more evolved individuals...its a process where populations give rise to more evolved populations after a few generations...there wasn;t 1 chicken, or 1 egg, there was a whole load of feathery things that were almost chickens!.... re the original questions....since everything has consequences, evolution affects the evolvers affects evolution....its all linked, after all... malachite

Kiama	15 Feb 2002
Quote: Malachite (15 Feb, 2002 21:26): with reference to the chicken/egg problem,.....evolution isn't a process of single individuals leading on to more evolved individuals...its a process where populations give rise to more evolved populations after a few generations...there wasn;t 1 chicken, or 1 egg, there was a whole load of feathery things that were almost chickens!.... malachite Ah... You know what I meant!! Saying 'a feathery thing' is alot quicker than saying 'a whole lot of feathery things'. ;p Kiama

kayne	16 Feb 2002
I am going to sit on the fence and agree with everybody... Great topic :) I liked your analogies Kiama.

Kiama	16 Feb 2002
Quote: kayne (16 Feb, 2002 16:26): Great topic :) I liked your analogies Kiama. YAY! You all love my dancing monkey!!!! I suddenly wish there was a dancing monkey emoticon.... Kiama

The possibilites - cause evolution or is it the opposite? thread was originally posted on 13 Feb 2002 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.