Humans are robot vehicles for genes!!!

[SUN7867]

I recently read the book Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins and I was shocked. I mean literally shocked to know that I am just DNA molecules existing to replicate.

 

I mean so the life we are living is meaningless from human point of view. I mean what about all the philosophy, meaning in life and so on.

 

I mean how does the DNA know that it has to replicate. Who gives it that Intelligence? Is DNA an entity like us?

 

Please clarify

[Strange]

I mean literally shocked to know that I am just DNA molecules existing to replicate.

 

You are not.

 

I mean so the life we are living is meaningless from human point of view.

 

Of course it isn't.

 

I mean how does the DNA know that it has to replicate. Who gives it that Intelligence? Is DNA an entity like us?

 

DNA doesn't know anything. It is just the molecule that stores the information encoded in our genes. It has no intelligence.

 

Please clarify

 

I would suggest a good book on how genetics works.

[CharonY]

Well, about the meaning part, why should anything have a meaning? What is the meaning of a rock? We give things meaning, but it does not mean that it is an intrinsic property. With regards to DNA and intelligence, it is pretty much the same. It does not know anything about replication. It does because it has the biochemical ability. If it didn't it would not spread. Disregarding the ability to transfer from generation to generation, it is true for every molecule. Water form hydrogen bonds, not because it knows something, but because of its chemical property. Same for the proteins in your body, or lipids or anything else you consist of.

 

We are not special, biologically.

Actually, what makes us special is potentially the time we spend on thinking how special we are.

Edited July 23, 2015 by CharonY

[Strange]

I recently read the book Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins and I was shocked. I mean literally shocked to know that I am just DNA molecules existing to replicate.

 

I mean so the life we are living is meaningless from human point of view. I mean what about all the philosophy, meaning in life and so on.

 

Just to expand slightly on my earlier comments (I am often criticised for being too blunt).

 

We have known for a long time that life is just a series of chemical reactions, and that the universe is just a series of physical interactions. That doesn't make any difference at all to our ability laugh, love, cry, create and enjoy art, be amazed that we can do all those things, etc.

 

In other words, we create the meaning in our lives. We don't require it to be inherent in the universe (or our genes).

 

Also, your "robot" comment is quite wrong. Very few things are absolutely determined by genes. Generally, they only define a tendency or probability of a particular trait or disease. So, we can look at your genes and tell whether you have blue eyes. But there are also genes associated with psychopathy but most people with those genetic markers are not psychopaths; it requires a particular environment in combination with the genes.

[Phi for All]

I prefer to think that all the small genetic pieces go together to provide a stage for human life to emerge, similar to the way conditions have to be just right for fire to emerge from its mundane requirements. Life is an event, it's a canvas, it's whatever you make of it, but it's made possible because of all the little things that have to be just right to keep it going.

 

So we aren't special biologically. Life is potential though, and human life, with it's high intelligence, has a great ability to affect the future. I suppose if you want to think of us as robot vehicles, it's more like life is our motor, with all its power and potential, and our intelligence tells us what kind of robotic vehicle we should power.

[Asimov]

Sun7867: Strange nailed it. We are vehicles for propagating DNA though. To them, nothing more.. These mindless entities have used organisms for their purposes and are most successful.Life finds a way that works and stays with it until it dies.Pretty simple.DNA's use of us is fortunate as we wouldn't be here otherwise. I don't think one should consider us to be diminished in any way by this selfish use of our bodies.Philosophically, spiritually or otherwise.

 

My DNA made me do it officer. Might try that.Take a deep breath then exhale into the mouthpiece. We consider ourselves the top dogs but are we really? What constitutes success.Microorganisms have more biomass than any other life form on the planet.Talk about successful.They don't kill for fun or religion and have done a terrific job of terraforming this planet to suit themselves.If we screw it up they will adapt or fix it or both. And we are the ones with brains.

 

Consider E.T.s with mindless bodies and their seat of intelligence in their equivalent of DNA. Finding our DNA mindless, would we even be considered sentient or just bags of chemicals and organic circuits living by instinct only and propagating mindless DNA? Oh they would admire our technology for such non-sentient beings but look at the civilizations that bees and ants and termites and wasps construct.

[overtone]

Meaning in general derives from context, not constituent. It's the pattern, not the substrate, that carries meaning.

 

One's life is no more meaningless for being constituted of various genetic influences (plus a lot of other stuff) than printed words are meaningless for being constituted of ink molecules.