From: Robert Owen (rowen@technologist.com)
Date: Sat Jan 22 2000 - 22:42:22 MST
J R Molloy wrote:
> Robert Owen wrote,
> >The basic question asked is: why is their not nothing but unicellular life
> >on earth? Why are we not all bacteria?
>
> Because of something called extropy. Complex adaptive systems evolve into more
> complex, more highly evolved, adaptive systems, organisms, and super-organisms.
> No mystery here, and no supernatual cause at work. The natural order of the
> universe eventuates in genetic algorithms, organic chemistry, and Darwinian
> evolution.
>
> --J. R.
I don't think, actually J.R., that this addresses the issue of those taking
an interest in the "cooperative gene". First of all, "extropy" is at best
a descriptive term -- it does not, it seems to me, have any explanatory
value whatever. Isn't "extropy" itself something in need of explanation?
The term has no recognized scientific status, does not appear in any
standard reference work, and in fact is primarily a metaphor. Here is what
Max More had to say:
What is Extropy? A metaphor referring to attitudes
and values shared by those who want to overcome
human limits through technology.
First of all, it would be natural to assume that extropy
is the opposite of entropy. But it’s not. The opposite of
entropy is negentropy. That term can be defined in
terms of information theory or in terms of thermodynamics.
http://www.extropy.com/faq/entropy.html
Second, the issue is not how complex adaptive systems evolve, but
why simple, unicellular adaptive systems evolve?
Third, I am afraid I find the statement "The natural order of the
universe eventuates in genetic algorithms, organic chemistry, and
Darwinian evolution" completely meaningless.
-- ======================= Robert M. Owen Director The Orion Institute 57 W. Morgan Street Brevard, NC 28712-3659 USA =======================
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