I want to explore this idea, and wonder if there is a philosopher who has dug deep into it?: We are all (people and other animals) part of a species that strives to be successful. But because reproduction is the goal, success is represented by maximising reproduction. Allowing for a scintilla of selfishness in individuals within the species as a necessary attribute to this success, success must be truly represented by limitless expansion. All species that would expand limitlessly are curbed by one of three things: predation - another species thriving on you as a resource; lack of resources - they run out of food, like mice or locusts; or disease - simply because there are too many of the successful species living too close together. Each of these three outcomes is represented by violent or sickly death for, at the very least, a large portion of the successful species. Are a large number of violent or sickly deaths not therefore an inevitable conclusion to a successful species in all circumstances?