'...natural selection is an alien thing whose 'decisions' can't be the target of my cynicism or admiration.'
All anthropomorphisation of evolution should be left to artists, even when it is dressed up, tongue-in-cheek, in scare quotes. Such anthropomorphisation is a barrier not only to the understanding of the process, but also to its widespread adoption due to its moral implications.
'...natural selection is an alien thing whose 'decisions' can't be the target of my cynicism or admiration.'
All anthropomorphisation of evolution should be left to artists, even when it is dressed up, tongue-in-cheek, in scare quotes. Such anthropomorphisation is a barrier not only to the understanding of the process, but also to its widespread adoption due to its moral implications.