[MD] Dawkins quotes RMP on religion.

[Krimel]

> [Krimel]
> What good is a system of morals based on levels when hierarchy of levels
> provides no guidance as to which level has moral priority? I thought that
> was your point over and over with the Doctor and the Germ. But if it is
> immoral for the higher level society to kill the lower level trees then 
> what does the MoQ have to tell us about morality?

[Platt]
The MOQ is clear. The higher levels have moral priority over the lower. "In 
general, given a choice of two courses to follow and all other things being 
equal, that choice which is more Dynamic, that is, at a higher level of 
evolution, is more moral." (Lila, 13) Cutting down a few trees here and 
there hardly dents the vitality of the biological level supporting 
humanity. The sun's cooling has much greater effect, in case you haven't 
noticed. 

[Krimel]
The issue is not global warming but the specific examples of Easter Island
and Haiti were social pressure caused deforestation and destroyed the
societies. I thought you agreed that in these instances it was immoral for
society to dominate biology.

> [Krimel]
> Are you willing to go further and say that what we experience
> pre-intellectually is a function of our biology. It is the memory of our
> ancestors encoded in our genes?

[Platt]
First question, yes. Atoms also experience, only non-biologically. Second 
question, depends on what you mean by "memory." Is the memory of the first 
human to build a fire encoded in our genes? No. Is the memory of being 
frightened by loud noises like motorcycles make? Yes.
 
[Krimel]
Right, not memory of specific events but of response to static patterns in
our shared environments. By that I mean the patterns common to us and our
ancestors. We inherit patterns of value that increase our probability of
passing along our gene.