Organisms are adaptation executers, not fitness maximizers

“Individual organisms are best thought of as adaptation-executers, not fitness-maximizers.” (Eliezer Yudkowsky, Rationality)

Useful differentiation between an organism executing its adaptation (sometimes to its own demise), versus actually making “choices” in consideration of its own fitness. Example, we’ve adapted to like sugar, but now we are just executing that adaptation rather than “choosing to eat sugar because it improves our fitness” or something like that. Organisms are adaptation executers, not fitness maximizers

“Individual organisms are best thought of as adaptation-executers, not fitness-maximizers.” (Eliezer Yudkowsky, Rationality)

Useful differentiation between an organism executing its adaptation (sometimes to its own demise), versus actually making “choices” in consideration of its own fitness. Example, we’ve adapted to like sugar, but now we are just executing that adaptation rather than “choosing to eat sugar because it improves our fitness” or something like that. Organisms are adaptation executers, not fitness maximizers