An Intelligent Blog | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 hidden)
Did you REALLY mean... (none / 0)
...for the mutations you listed as "good" to be listed as "good?"

HIV becoming resistant to drugs
Bacteria becoming resistant to anti-biotics
Insects becoming resistant to DDT
 
Maybe your definition of "good" is different than mine?

by MedfordTim on 02/09/2010 07:00:36 PM EST

What's good for the goose (none / 0)
You're not putting yourself in the shoes of HIV.

by OneHitKill on 02/09/2010 07:57:11 PM EST

[ Parent ]
I still don't get it (none / 0)
How is becoming resistant to the drugs a good thing?

What am I missing?

by MedfordTim on 02/09/2010 08:49:08 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Germs are people too (none / 0)
Now you're making me wonder if I'm misunderstanding. If you were a bacterium, you'd want to be resistant to drugs which are designed to destroy you (assuming, of course, that bacteria are capable of "wanting" anything). So a mutation that causes a disease to become drug-resistant is a mutation in favor of the "interests" of said disease.

by OneHitKill on 02/09/2010 10:14:31 PM EST

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Silly me! (none / 0)

...whatever you do, don't say "bacterial point of view" too loudly or James Cameron will make a 3D movie for Disney...

by MedfordTim on 02/09/2010 10:52:00 PM EST

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Oops! (none / 0)
Sorry.  I wrote my comment below before I read your comment above.

by EveningStarNM on 02/09/2010 11:17:49 PM EST

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Mutations and Evolution (none / 0)
Mutations certainly play a role in evolution, but most mutations are not beneficial and are, in fact, detrimental.  Besides, most mutations are not hereditary, which is a necessary component for evolution to take place.

Besides, from the bacteria's point of view, resistance to antibiotics is a good thing.

by EveningStarNM on 02/09/2010 11:16:43 PM EST

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Well... not for us. lol (none / 0)
Well, the mutation was GOOD for the specie. Its bad for us as humans, but for the specie, it was good. Its like the "Longer Claw" thing i said, the specie will live longer because of those "good" mutations. =]

by MC Stevie on 02/12/2010 07:37:40 PM EST

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An Intelligent Blog | 10 comments (10 topical, 0 hidden)