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Net Galley Challenge

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Saturday, December 30, 2023

Plagues upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History

 

Plagues upon the Earth: Disease and the Course of Human History 

The definition of parasitism as "predators that eat prey in units of less than one" is very interesting.
"Parasites, in a phrase, are predators that eat prey in units of less than one. Tolerable parasites are those that have evolved to ensure their own survival and reproduction but at the same time with minimum pain and cost to the host." - The Meaning of Human existence
This sounds like the parsimony or Occam's Razor of inflicting only enough damage as necessary for subsistence.

"pathogen is a medical term. parasite is an ecological one"
virus - fastest replication and error rate (strategic sloppiness to evade immunity)

"To be successful, a pathogen that depends on a vector must be able to navigate atleast two immune systems"

Heisenberg's uncertainty principle in Tai forest case of RSV plus transmission from human watchers to chimpanzees. - Biology's observer effect.

Counerfactual scenario







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