h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

i discovered this essay a few months ago and read thru some of it.
i totally loved it!
whoever wrote it is quite a high-level thinker.

http://www.geocities.com/evo_psych/index.html#ch1

Essay Sections:
Introduction
The Mind is the Body
Hardware vs. Software: A Crude Analogy
On Free Will
In The Beginning
Survival Of The Fittest
Optimization/Arms Races
Selfish Genes And Altruism/Cooperation
Sex: The Way It Is
Sex: The Adaptationist Reasons Why Or The Egg vs. The Sperm
Exceptions To The Rule: The Follies And Limits Of Adaptationism
The Limits Of Adaptationism: Part II
Flexible Strategies: "Niche" Roles And Concurrency
Adaptationist Ambivalence: Concurrency PT II
Cultural Adaptationism: The Fast Track (Mental Flexibility Cont)
Modern Love-Why Not Free Love Then?
Sex Differences
Honor And Status
Race Differences
On Universal Crime And Hatred
Conclusion: The Meaning of Life (And Everything Else)

I've printed off to read in the bath!
thank you
Annie

holy cow!
that's a lot of pages to print off!
the guy is quite biologically based, but i think you'll find it interesting!

PeteY OUT!

Reading through and raising comments as they appear.

"For ex., what happens to the soul of a person who dies of Alzheimer's or CJD? Is their soul forever "impaired" in the afterlife? And if not, then how can a soul have much to do with a person's "essence" and memory in the first place, "

This seems to be ridiculously simplistic and not very imaginative.
It seems to suggest that any after life includes the physical body and it's current ailments.
If the brain suffers a memory loss illness, this does not signify that the soul/essence/ higher power what you will, also suffers the same physical ailment.
The soul does not require the use of a biological brain when it transcends the physical.

I haven't lost my mind, I've got it backed up on disc somewhere!

"Some things are impossible and will remain so, no matter how much scientific progress we make (e.g., fundamental thermodynamic limitations)."

I don't totally agree with this statement either. Some things are impossible now, but will not remain so.
BUT the very nature of believing that they are impossible predicts that no one will attempt the so called impossible and redefine it as possible

No, man cannot fly.

as always, you bring up good points
i thought you'd disagree with many of his ideas, but i hope you're enjoying reading about his beliefs