It was incorrect of me to imply that “evolution” is an entity with a plan. Allow me to take this in another direction.
First, we can reduce the problem further. In terms of individuals, each individual may frame his curiosity for the sake of bettering his peers. After all, intensely curious researchers tend to make great discoveries. In terms of ancestry, this is analogous to being the alpha male, in order to win life and pass on his genes (by “win life,” I mean get dates, eat food, and otherwise survive to the best of each individual’s ability). Thus understood, no human is actually curious for the sake of being curious, but for the sake of 1. being better than other humans, which generally leads to 2. surviving. There is a more in-depth discussion of this here. (pardon me, I can’t get the link to embed)
http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2010/02/wearing-rationality-badges-popularizing-neutrality-and-saying-i-dont-know-to-politics-colin-marshall.html
By the way, a shameless example would be my posting this to regain some degree of pride. Do I actually want to answers to my questions, or do I just want to be better than other people? It’s hard to say, but I lean to the latter.
As for the phenomenon of diminishing curiosity, it can be attributed to the fact that only one person can be the best. In sports, that’s ok—the Superbowl is held every year and you get many chances to be the best. In science, something awesome can only be discovered once. There’d be no point in trying to discover the nature of lightning, because Ben Franklin already did that. He already won.
If I want to win, I have to discover something of my own (or do something awesome). Curiosity is cultured by the scientist to win, to beat his peers. The most curious scientist probably works the hardest, and has the greatest chance of winning.
And now, you’ll try to post a response that critiques my own, but not for the sake of a greater truth. It’d be for the sake of beating me. Humans aren’t very mature, are they?
It was incorrect of me to imply that “evolution” is an entity with a plan. Allow me to take this in another direction.
First, we can reduce the problem further. In terms of individuals, each individual may frame his curiosity for the sake of bettering his peers. After all, intensely curious researchers tend to make great discoveries. In terms of ancestry, this is analogous to being the alpha male, in order to win life and pass on his genes (by “win life,” I mean get dates, eat food, and otherwise survive to the best of each individual’s ability). Thus understood, no human is actually curious for the sake of being curious, but for the sake of 1. being better than other humans, which generally leads to 2. surviving. There is a more in-depth discussion of this here. (pardon me, I can’t get the link to embed) http://www.3quarksdaily.com/3quarksdaily/2010/02/wearing-rationality-badges-popularizing-neutrality-and-saying-i-dont-know-to-politics-colin-marshall.html
By the way, a shameless example would be my posting this to regain some degree of pride. Do I actually want to answers to my questions, or do I just want to be better than other people? It’s hard to say, but I lean to the latter.
As for the phenomenon of diminishing curiosity, it can be attributed to the fact that only one person can be the best. In sports, that’s ok—the Superbowl is held every year and you get many chances to be the best. In science, something awesome can only be discovered once. There’d be no point in trying to discover the nature of lightning, because Ben Franklin already did that. He already won.
If I want to win, I have to discover something of my own (or do something awesome). Curiosity is cultured by the scientist to win, to beat his peers. The most curious scientist probably works the hardest, and has the greatest chance of winning.
And now, you’ll try to post a response that critiques my own, but not for the sake of a greater truth. It’d be for the sake of beating me. Humans aren’t very mature, are they?