roblems thathave been repeatedly met and overcome become "behavioral information" recordedin the sentiments of the various moral systems that spontaneously emerge. If anindividual, society, or civilization must repeatedly relearn the lessons of thepast, that ignorance becomes parasitic on the energies of the person, society,or civilization. A biological system whether it comprises genes, bacteria,animals or humans that acts in inefficient ways places itself at a strategicdisadvantage. Social problems lead to conflicts that distract from the orderlygrowth of civilization and are a waste of vital social energies. A society thatinvests more in creatively building a future instead of sustaining conflicts ofthe past will probably outperform its competitors.If a society is to conserve energy, it must develop some method ofdistinguishing wasteful activities from productive ones. It must remember whichelements in its past are associated with conditions that gave rise to conflicts.Remembering what works, and what does not, is recorded in a society's formallaws, customs, manners, ethical systems, and literature.The simple idea of good and bad would naturally arise in the consciousness ofeven the most primitive society. A "good choice" would be avoiding behaviorsthat demonstrably lead to conflict and a "bad choice" would be a decision thatignores the dangers inherent in certain behaviors. The idea of refraining fromkicking a tiger has an Aristotelian quality to it: first, it is a practicalidea; second, it is definitely a productive idea because it leads to a longerlife; and third, it is theoretically the best way for everyone to live thelongest life in the presence of tigers. The tiger is a metaphor for humannature. A human analog might be that if you are a one hundred and thirty poundprofessor, it is probably a bad idea to make romantic overtures toward thegirlfriend of a two hundred and thirty pound drug dealer on a dark street.Certain condition...
