hal@finney.org writes:
> > Our simulation thus functions something like a petri dish, and we sperm and
> > eggs striving to transcend it.
>
> I forget the biological term for this kind of reproductive strategy.
> Some animals have lots of babies and only a few survive. Think of frog
> eggs spawning hundreds of tadpoles, most of whom are destined to fail.
> Inevitably this strategy is associated with an absent or uncaring parent.
> Mammals on the other hand have only a few babies and invest tremendous
> effort and care in raising and nurturing them so that they have a good
> chance of survival.
It is called a r-strategy (many young) and a K strategy (few young).
> Tom's gods seem to have reverted to the frog strategy. It seems callous
> by our standards to take your children and drop them into a Darwinian
> sink or swim competition, in order to see which survive.
They could be running a K strategy, with their young growing up in a
carefully designed environment that will maximize their early
growth. So if you believe this explanation, then *you* are likely a
Godling (and we others just props, extras - or your true parents). Of
course, this doesn't guarantee a nice upbringing: the gods might
consider a few car accidents, civil wars or meteor strikes character
building.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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