Thanks for the feedback! I plan on anthropomorphizing evolution freely in this series of posts, because I think that for most readers, describing evolution in this way is more intuitive. I am making the assumption that any serious reader is fully aware that evolution has no actual teleology. Since this isn’t focused on explaining the basics of evolutionary theory to readers, it unfortunately won’t cure somebody who’s so confused about evolution as to think it actually has a teleology or goal.
Good question. Anthropomorphizing isn’t necessary, it is just easier to write quickly in colloquial language, which is the tone I’m striving for here. I can’t think of a clearer short colloquial summary of antagonistic pleiotropy than “evolutionary favoritism of the young,” and though it does anthropomorphize, I think it gets the point across effectively as long as one doesn’t object to anthropomorphizing evolution on principle.
Thanks for the feedback! I plan on anthropomorphizing evolution freely in this series of posts, because I think that for most readers, describing evolution in this way is more intuitive. I am making the assumption that any serious reader is fully aware that evolution has no actual teleology. Since this isn’t focused on explaining the basics of evolutionary theory to readers, it unfortunately won’t cure somebody who’s so confused about evolution as to think it actually has a teleology or goal.
This seems a bit counterintuitive. The “serious reader” by definition is willing to spend more time to carefully read something that’s unintuitive.
Why is the anthropomorphizing for more intuitive reading necessary if that’s your target audience?
Good question. Anthropomorphizing isn’t necessary, it is just easier to write quickly in colloquial language, which is the tone I’m striving for here. I can’t think of a clearer short colloquial summary of antagonistic pleiotropy than “evolutionary favoritism of the young,” and though it does anthropomorphize, I think it gets the point across effectively as long as one doesn’t object to anthropomorphizing evolution on principle.