Is agriculture our idea? (Pollan)
September 24th, 2007 | Published in Evolution, Biology, Agriculture, Quotes | 2 Comments
Though we insist on speaking of the “invention” of agriculture as if it were our idea, like double-entry bookkeeping or the lightbulb, in fact it makes just as much sense to regard agriculture as a brilliant (if unconscious) evolutionary strategy on part of the plants and animals involved to get us to advance their interests. By evolving certain traits we happen to regard as desirable, these species got themselves noticed by the one mammal in a position not only to spread their genes around the world, but to remake vast swaths of the world in the image of the plants’ preferred habitat.
–Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma (2006), pp. 23-24
September 24th, 2007 at 2:05 pm (#)
Plants making conscious decisions in the evolutionary process? A little far-fetched, if you ask me…
September 24th, 2007 at 2:12 pm (#)
Oh, he doesn’t think it is conscious (notice the “(if unconscious)”). Though it seems too far-fetched to me as well, I still find the whole concept fascinating. It probably has to be a little bit of both — plants needed the fruits/roots/berries/seeds/etc and man needed to be able to eat them. If either of those are broken, then agriculture could not be possible.