Pennington

Evolution is a natural phenomenon, much like gravity or lightning. As humans, we are smart enough to control it, just as we can now create lightning and avoid gravity in space. Evolution happened purely by chance, but now evolution is inteligent. Through technology (which is a product of civalisation, which is a product of speech, which is a product of extended vocal range through enhanced vocal cords and a dangerously long neck, which are a product of evolution) we have reached a level above evolution. An analogy would be a bird whose only purpose in life is to fly up against gravity finally reaches space and no longer has to fight gravity. What does it do?

That is the point that we are at now. What do we do now that, evolutionary, we are perfect. Evolution can take us no further. Mutations will still happen, but whether they are good or bad is now irrelevent. Evolution no longer effects us, so what do we do?

We become more perfect.

Now, we strive to end suffering and to increase freedom. We use technology to increase pleasure. We expand our knowledge in hopes to one day apply it to better human life. In short, we maximize utility. The old purpose of life was to continue the species. The new purpose of life is to make life better. When we can make life no better, and there is nothing to make it worse, that, my friends, that would be heaven and hell.

[edit] - spelling