AndrewPD writes:
I think that on one portrayal of evolution it makes us victims of intentionless coercive drives in the service of mindlessly propagating our genes.
I don't see how that is limited to just evolution. That applies to the entire universe. The intentionless decay of isotopes can cause a mutation in an oncogene and give us cancer. The intentionless orbits of asteroids can send a 5 mile wide rock hurtling at our planet. The intentionless thundercloud can send down an unguided bolt of lightning and strike us down.
The appearance that the universe simply doesn't care about our existence or plight in life is found everywhere.
I also think the naturalistic fallacy is invoked a lot and people even talk about and try to enact programmes in service of improving our evolution. Things that evolved cannot scientifically be defined as good without crossing the is-ought barrier.
That's a stance that I also take. How I got here with the DNA I have and the adaptations I have has little to do with how I find meaning in life. Ultimately, the meaning of life is your worldview of how the world ought to be, not how it is. If sentience and a fledgling ability to use reason are just accidents of natural selection for survival, then so be it. Might as well take advantage of it.
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