ERROR!

Error!

Mistake: An error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness. (Dictionary.com)

“…It is hard to think of examples where errors can be described as improvements.”  (Pg. 16) Being raised and influenced by our culture we have come to remain on a single judgment in concern to mistakes: they are wrong and bad as stated on the previous definition. However Dawkins makes a realization proving that we in fact are mistaken to judge mistakes in that way. But, why would we be? As infants confusing colors was wrong, as teenagers trying a cigarette was wrong, as adults investing in the wrong place was wrong, and as old people confusing your grandchildren’s names was wrong. Every little detail that breaks society’s rules or plans is a mistake and consequences usually follow. How could we not see a mistake negatively when that is what’s reasonable!

Like every human mistake there is always a counter argument or excuse for in general “mistakes”. In this case we are literally referring to mistakes and this excuse would be that “you learn from your mistakes”. Despite being a controversial point in society it approximates Dawkin`s position. “Erratic copying in biological replicators can in a real sense give rise to improvement, and it was essential for the progressive evolution of life that some errors were made.” (Pg. 16) Here, the “you learn from your mistakes” represents that the learning are better traits for survival. A cost will always be paid for making a mistake, but as seen it’s not necessarily a bad or unfair one.

At first, I couldn’t help questioning whether this evolving from mistakes was selfish or not. My thoughts were that making a mistake was bad enough and at the moment a sort of discrimination or trouble might have popped out. After I reasoned that the long-term result was an utter survival over the other competitors and that is definitely selfish. So as wrong as it may sound the reason that you are here reading this blog entry as you are is all due to a mistake that took place many many many years ago. Who knows what mistake will happen next that will transform the path of evolution …