Chapter 7 is primarily about the Master Equation, which contains hidden within it, largely just because of symmetry, all the important things in the whole universe!
I've read the explanation several times, and have to confess that I haven't been able to get really excited about the Master Equation. I understand how cool it is that this equation explains everything, but a) I don't find myself convinced that it really does, and b) I'm just not feeling it.
No, the thing about chapter 7 that really seemed exciting to me is the fact that the sun is a very inefficient source of energy.
This totally amazes me. I think of the sun as a fantastic source of energy, probably the best, but it's not well designed at all.
Or -- and this is the thing that occupied my thoughts most -- perhaps efficiency is not the point of the universe.
I guess the reason that this came to my mind so strongly is that when I read chapter 7, a couple of weeks ago, I was also working on a biology lesson for Artsedge. The original author of the lesson stated baldly that reproduction is the most important process for living organisms. From a biological perspective, this is true.
And yet, think how little of what we humans do is actually effective in terms of reproductive success! Survival, of course, and work and caring for our families -- all these things contribute to our overall reproductive success. But think of all the time we waste on video games, and music, and gourmet cooking, and yoga, and reading about physics...
We're highly inefficient living organisms. And yet we are arguably more interesting and impressive than the mayfly, just as the sun is arguably more impressive than a light bulb.
I'm derailing this topic b/c of this post!
ReplyDeleteI get the point being made about reproduction being an important process.. and that if you break it down to the very basics, sure.. we're probably not being efficient at it. I have to say though, that I love being a human being b/c I can decide for reproduction to not be the focal point in my existence. I can decide that I want to read and listen to music and play video games and not feel that I am somehow going against what I was meant to be doing while alive. A rabbit probably does not know any better than to eat sleep and make babies. /sympathy
I think those things are important for reproduction from an opportunity standpoint. I know that if I meet a guy whose sole purpose in life seems to be getting married and having babies, I run.
ReplyDeleteThose extracurriculars give us 1) the chance to meet likeminded people and 2) the ability to talk about more than moving to Alaska and having your wife homeschool your nine kids.
I'm just sayin'.
Good points!
ReplyDelete