Wikipedia:Reference desk/Science
Microbes causing humans to be amoral and evil?: typo
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:There is obvious evolutionary value of a microbe in causing altruism in a host species that is social, because if the host species thrives, the microbe would too. Similarly there is obvious value in [[Toxoplasma gondii|a parasite causing fearlessness in rodents]], since that gets them caught and eaten more often, helping to spread it. However, I find it difficult to imagine how any 'microbe' would benefit from causing humans to become 'more evil', and 'some unimaginable way' is untestable. |
:There is obvious evolutionary value of a microbe in causing altruism in a host species that is social, because if the host species thrives, the microbe would too. Similarly there is obvious value in [[Toxoplasma gondii|a parasite causing fearlessness in rodents]], since that gets them caught and eaten more often, helping to spread it. However, I find it difficult to imagine how any 'microbe' would benefit from causing humans to become 'more evil', and 'some unimaginable way' is untestable. |
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:[[Evil]] is a human value judgement, to some extent dependent on culture, and on the viewpoint of the individual. I suspect it is evolutionarily irrelevant, or neutral: I don't think it's valid to set it up on an axis against altruism and amorality, but others may have different views. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} [[Special:Contributions/~2026-76101-8|~2026-76101-8]] ([[User talk:~2026-76101-8|talk]]) 05:50, 18 April 2026 (UTC) |
:[[Evil]] is a human value judgement, to some extent dependent on culture, and on the viewpoint of the individual. I suspect it is evolutionarily irrelevant, or neutral: I don't think it's valid to set it up on an axis against altruism and amorality, but others may have different views. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} [[Special:Contributions/~2026-76101-8|~2026-76101-8]] ([[User talk:~2026-76101-8|talk]]) 05:50, 18 April 2026 (UTC) |
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::I said perhaps unimaginable. What we can't imagine now might be imaginable in the future. Also, if some random antibiotic someday used in some prison changed the ethics of many prisoners, then we wouldn't need to know the advantage that the |
::I said perhaps unimaginable. What we can't imagine now might be imaginable in the future. Also, if some random antibiotic someday used in some prison changed the ethics of many prisoners, then we wouldn't need to know the advantage that the microbe gained from it,although that would motivate us to find out.[[User:Richard L. Peterson|Rich]] ([[User talk:Richard L. Peterson|talk]]) 05:30, 19 April 2026 (UTC) |
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:There's the [[rabies]] virus. It causes aggression in the host, so that the host bites others, which is how the virus spreads. Biting may be considered evil. |
:There's the [[rabies]] virus. It causes aggression in the host, so that the host bites others, which is how the virus spreads. Biting may be considered evil. |
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:Also see [[behaviour-altering parasite]]. [[User:PiusImpavidus|PiusImpavidus]] ([[User talk:PiusImpavidus|talk]]) 09:06, 18 April 2026 (UTC) |
:Also see [[behaviour-altering parasite]]. [[User:PiusImpavidus|PiusImpavidus]] ([[User talk:PiusImpavidus|talk]]) 09:06, 18 April 2026 (UTC) |
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