I am unsure just what in your post was supposed to be directed to mine --
we seem to agree in a large measure.
I said:
"just because we out number them doesn't mean we should"
You said:
"But it's of little use to say that maybe humans ought not to have the
privileged position they occupy among the species of our planet."
Are you claiming, then, that it is not within our power to *decrease* our
population? That "superiority" is absolute? I think (your example of
terrible books notwithstanding) that it IS within our power to affect the
replicative success of both memes AND gene's -- and if you DON'T think
this, then clearly you will not be able to infect me with *your* memes,
since you can't affect their replicative success!
Whether we *ought* to decrease our population or spread memes which knock
us off our high horse is another matter -- but I think that Brodie's
comments about "influencing" others are particularly insidious (in the
sense that they have infiltrated my meme sphere...)
"I used to be worried about influencing people's beliefs because I
wanted them to make their own choice. Now I think I have a positive
difference to make in people's lives and I go all-out to make that
difference." -- Richard Brodie <RBrodie@brodietech.com>, on the CoV
mailing list
And as always, ought implies can.
ERiC