jskains wrote:Absolutely. But that is the problem. You assume nature selects homosexuality. I think it is more likely that homosexuality is when nature fails. Your not going to tell me there is any value in someone who is clinically depressed, are you? Would that person not be better off without the depression? Did nature MAKE them depressed or is depression when nature tripped up?
I assume no such thing. I only offer speculation I have heard that homosexuality may in fact be selected for in nature. That may or may not be the case.
There may, in fact, be value in depression. It may end up being a benefit to creativity although perhaps only during pauses in between the depression. On the other hand, it could also be that there is no value in depression. Maybe it is an examle of nature tripping up. If so it brings up a more interesting question. If we think that nature trips up with depression, then why should we care what nature intends at all? Perhaps nature killing homosexuals is an example of nature tripping up. It may be that homosexuality provides no benefits to nature, but it can yet provide us benefits just as many humans have a mutation to allow them to drink milk late in life (being lactose intolerant is what nature intended to promote weaning).
Furthermore I think there is a fundamental difference between depression and homosexuality. I imagine that few people wish to remain depressed while I imagine that many homosexuals wish to remain as they are even if many would like to change. Arguably there is nothing inherently miserable about being a homosexual--rather the miserable thing is how people treat them. I think the question of whether someone would be better off without depression or homosexuality is best posed to that person instead of to nature. I would say the same about dwarfism, giantism, synthesia, polydactylism, or other such things which are different from the norm. A woman who is in the middle of childbirth may not care what nature intended her to feel at such times and probably is quite happy to have an epidural (and probably wishes for something even more effective). I think society does the right thing by asking her if she wishes to use it rather than asking nature what should be done. Learning from nature, however, can be beneficial. I think nature provides insight into human problems, not answers.