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.jpg) Dear
Readers,
Co-operation among the global scientific community, indeed among all
nations, is crucial during this era of pandemic. Through Charles
Darwin’s extensive fieldwork he often observed co-operative behavior
among organisms from insects to humans, as well as between species,
deeming it fundamental to success and survival. This seems to stand
in contradistinction to what we are led to believe is the meaning of
the well-known phrase “survival of the fittest.” However, the word
“fit” was used by Darwin to mean best fit or best suited to succeed
in a particular environment, and co-operation is often a better
survival strategy than competition.
Ironically, the phrase “survival of the fittest” was not first
coined by Darwin, but rather by Herbert Spencer, a British polymath
who after reading Darwin’s Origin of Species, used the term to
describe Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection. While Darwin later
used the term himself, he defined success for organisms as being
able to thrive in an environment, writing:
“Those communities which included the greatest number of the most
sympathetic members would flourish best and rear the greatest number
of offspring.”
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is now a part of our environment and
co-operation is essential to the survival and well-being of our
global human family. While, of course, Darwin also observed
competition, there can exist a positive interplay between
competition and co-operation. As challenging each other can lead to
improved outcomes, there can be a friendly competition between
nations, working to develop a vaccine and medical therapies, yet
co-operation is still an indispensable component of this type of
competition, as the sharing of data and knowledge among the global
scientific community is more likely to lead to earlier success than
not sharing, with history showing that scientists often build upon
the work of others. Indeed, Charles Darwin’s own grandfather,
Erasmus Darwin, a physician, also conducted research as a
Naturalist, and his writings were studied by Charles.
“If I have seen further, it is because I stand of the shoulder of
giants” is a phrase used by the great physicist Isaac Newton,
however the phrase dates to antiquity. Sharing information,
acknowledging each other’s contributions, and working together
co-operatively is keyto creating a solution to the coronavirus which
threatens our human family. While we are all “in it together” I have
unfortunately heard some express the view that they are “in it for
themselves” and the misinterpretation of the term “survival of the
fittest” is so pervasive that I have learned there are many people
who have never heard of co-operation as an essential component of
success and survival. While we are not all scientists, we can all
share the message of co-operation. If you know of any who have the
“in it for themselves” perspective, please patiently share this
message of co-operation, so central to the success of our human
family.
Thank you
If you have other thoughts, please feel free to send them via email
to: ecj2@cynthiascenturies.net
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