Survival of the Fittest

The maxim that most easily encapsulates evolutionary theory is – survival of the fittest.  In other words, only the fit survive, and those that survive are the fit.  There is a simplicity to this logic that is Darwinian to the core.

Evolutionary logic has been brutally applied by Marxist, revolutionaries, fascists, and dictators, as in, they, the fit, chose who will survive.  Power to them is natural selection embodied in the political process.  If nature is red in tooth and claw, they have lots of teeth and claws.   

But it is unlikely that most people actually believe like this, so we have to import categories of ethical virtue of some kind or rather.  Some evolutionists believe we developed, in the process of natural selection and adaptation leading to physical complexity, the tools of moral value, selflessness and ethics.  But for someone who only believes in the totalising physicality of life and the universe, it is some kind of stretch to believe in beliefs.  How you eke selfless love out of DNA recombination is quite a miracle. 

I say all this to say that very few people are actually consistent evolutionists.  If they were the loss of life that we are seeing with the pandemic of Covid 19 would be accepted with evolutionary pragmatism and resignation, maybe even with some relief that the bulging world population will be culled, albeit ever so briefly.  Why do we mourn what can only be good for the world?  We mourn because logic just doesn’t cut it. 

Were any of us to suggest that the epidemic should be allowed to run its race, do its dash, and see off those who were vulnerable, old or otherwise apparently disadvantaged, would be to incur the righteous wrath of the rest of us, except, that is, for those that actually are committed to survival of the fittest as a viable doctrine.  They however are likely to remain silent at this time. 

And why, pray tell, do we expend so much energy and resource to battle evolutionary outcomes, even if they are deemed harmful?  Why hospitals, why doctors, why research, unless you believe in some inherent value in humanity beyond mere survival value? 

We do, but that may have more to do with the massive and determinative influence of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the Western world.  Let’s blame Christianity – life was so much easier when the fit survived and those that didn’t, didn’t.

There comes a point when evolutionary logic just won’t do.  Something more is needed; it always was.