Darwinian Honeymoon theory challenges optimism about human progress
What if human progress is just a temporary phase before being overtaken by more fit entities?
The author argues that historical improvements in living conditions represent a "Darwinian honeymoon"—a temporary phase where optimization processes (like evolution or economic growth) initially benefit a class of agents (like humans) before eventually shifting to configurations that are more evolutionarily fit. Using the example of chickens, domesticated from wild junglefowl, their population boomed and their welfare initially improved with extra food and painless deaths. This suggests human progress may be fleeting, as the process that benefits agents at first will stop doing so as optimization advances.
- The "Darwinian honeymoon" describes a temporary alignment between optimization processes and agent welfare (e.g., humans benefiting from economic growth).
- Chickens saw a 100x population increase and improved welfare under small-scale farming, but industrial methods later caused immense suffering.
- The argument suggests human progress may be fleeting as future optimization (e.g., AI) could prioritize efficiency over human interests.
Why It Matters
Challenges blind optimism about AI and economic growth, warning that progress may ultimately marginalize humanity.