Newsgroups: comp.ai.alife
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!das-news2.harvard.edu!news2.near.net!news.mathworks.com!newshost.marcam.com!uunet!pipex!uknet!bailgate!roborough.gpsemi.com!whipp
From: whipp@roborough.gpsemi.com (David Whipp)
Subject: Re: Reason for Short Life Spans?
Message-ID: <D164q4.8A6@lincoln.gpsemi.com>
Sender: usenet@lincoln.gpsemi.com (usnet account)
Nntp-Posting-Host: psupw22.roborough.gpsemi.com
Organization: GEC Plessey Semiconductors
References: <3bgc0h$1gh@cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> <D04ywG.Gq9@festival.ed.ac.uk> <3blv73$sp4@nntp1.u.washington.edu> <agapow.787363350@latcs1.lat.oz.au> <shea.1217.000C0A75@marcam.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Dec 1994 16:06:04 GMT
Lines: 40

In article <shea.1217.000C0A75@marcam.com>, shea@marcam.com (Tim Shea) writes:
|>a. Genetically coded, as described in the "Selfish Gene", i.e. genetic     
|>   flaws which come into play after reproduction (& rearing) simply
|>   aren't selected out. 
|>        
|>b. Genetically coded as a way to keep parents from competing with
|>   offspring.
|> 
|>c. Just the result of the creature's physical design (i.e. only good for a 
|>   certain number of years before it "wears out").

(c) is a non-option - its a result of the genes.

my $0.02:

If a creature can reproduce forever then if older individuals don't have
an increased chance of dying/being killed then they will dominate the gene
pool, thus supressing evolution. The species would be less adaptable, and
so have an increased probability of extinction due to environmental
changes.

If a creature lived forever, but did not reproduce when old, then
resources would be consumed by non-reproductive members of the species.
This is basically your option (b). If more experienced members of the
species are better at avoiding dangers (predators/poisons/starvation)
then reproducing members (beings younger) would be more likely to die/be
killed than older members. Therefore we would eventually get to a point
where no member of the species could reproduce. The species would
(eventually) die.

If organisms live forever but don't reproduce forever; but age gives
an individual no survival advantage, then they would not live forever :-)
(more old than young => greater probability that a dying individual is
old)

-- 
                    David P. Whipp.            <whipp@roborough.gpsemi.com>
Not speaking for:   -------------------------------------------------------
 G.E.C. Plessey     Due to transcription and transmission errors, the views
 Semiconductors     expressed here may not reflect even  my  own  opinions!
