Humankind Advancing Vol.8, No.1 January 1997 THE LIFE IMPERATIVE
Discussion by Erika Erdman of VITAL DUST Life as a Cosmic Imperative
by Christian de Duve
(Basic Books, 1995) (A Division of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.)
De Duve's work has a similar revolutionary content and promises to have a similar impact as that of Darwin. It goes beyond Darwin, however, to come closer to the views of Teilhard de Chardin, yet surpasses Teilhard also to deal with problems that were unknown during his time.
The book's major contribution consists in detailed documentation of progressing evolution from subatomic particles to values, not only as an extrapolation from past events, but as an inherent necessity, valid for evolving life anywhere in the universe. Most importantly, it shows that at a certain stage of mental development, further advance of evolution (and prevention of degradation) depends upon the insight that shortsighted ruthless competition must be replaced by wisdom.
De Duve, who received the nobel prize in biochemistry, provides the most thorough scientific foundation for the "Principle of Cosmic Selection," which states that "those technological civilizations (of any type on any planet) that recognize the need for, develop in time, and fully embrace a global ethics will survive, and those that do not will not," (Chaisson, 1988). Vital Dust has been written to support the author's tenet that life on this planet is not unique. On the contrary. Wherever conditions are right (as they are on about a trillion heavenly bodies) life will be created from cosmic dust, and wherever life is created, progress toward greater complexity is unavoidable. The very definition of life embodies the capacity to multiply. Cosmic rays produce variation in life forms, which multiply at different rates, and, as their complexity increases, more and more chance mutations become useless or lethal. In other words, the chance element in evolution becomes gradually less important, while more and more tightly determined directions manifest themselves. It is de Duve's thesis that during this process essential similarities are bound to occur. | |
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