Philosophers love to worry us that we can't trust our senses and we can never be sure that what we perceive (via our senses) is correct. However, I’ve never worried about this. If two organisms are competing to survive in the world, then the one that sees reality clearer or has a better understanding of reality, will be naturally selected over the one that doesn’t. If two organisms are looking for food, who will survive? The one with the better eye sight or the one with a fuzzy vision of reality? Likewise, who is better adapted, the wild cat who avoids humans or the ones who knows humans love feeding cats. Also, who will get the best mate, the one who knows scare food is easier to find if you work as a team or the one that hunts alone? So I have always concluded the evolutionary process will trend towards a clearer understanding of reality. The implication for all of us, is keep learning and you will find it easier to survive.
Scientists have been telling us that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a key factor that determines the temperature of our planet and levels today are increasing at an alarming rate. If we keep pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere, temperatures will continue to do rise as it take a long time for geological weathering to remove it. Will the majority of humanity accept this reality and change our behaviour at a rate that minuses the harm, or will most of us choose to ignore the new clearer understanding of reality for our short term benefit? If the latter, will we be better adapted to our environment or will natural selection kick in and we will be naturally deselected? The future of our species and many others, depends on the decisions face.
