From: David Musick (David_Musick@msn.com)
Date: Wed Aug 14 1996 - 00:46:54 MDT
However much we may dislike the tyrannical aspects of governments, they still
are a form of Spontaneous Order. Our rational thinking and our intentions are
not supernaturally outside the realm of evolution and spontaneous order. Our
rationality comes from the spontaneous ordering of trillions of nerve cells in
our bodies and from the incredibly complex interaction, competition, evolution
and spontaneous ordering of memes which compose our minds. Our societies and
governments emerge from similar processes of evolution and spontaneous
ordering. NOTHING (as far as I know) lies outside this arena of evolution and
spontaneous order. The libertarian memes will hopefully outcompete the
authoritarian memes, and the amount of coercive behavior would then decrease.
But we always have been, are, and always will, exist in a system of evolution
and spontaneous order. Just because we intentionally create something,
doesn't mean it is not spontaneous order. All our intentions are the results
of incredible spontaneous order; we're not somehow magically outside the
system.
Our rationality is not some pure and holy faculty, issued forth from God. It
is the result of intense genetic and memetic competition. The memes which are
the most durable and successful in the memetic competition and evolution are
simply the ones that we label "rational". Rationality is the most trustworthy
of our faculties, simply because the memes which are "rational" are the ones
which have out-competed all the competition....so far, anyway. Rationality is
not the pure thing that some people make it out to be. It's a very haphazard
and chaotic process. But rationality is all the best and most competitive
ideas we've come up with so far, so it deserves our praise. It is not some
dead and dry academic faculty either; it is at the forefront of evolution; it
is that which has triumphed over all competitors so far. Rationality is, I
would say, the most vibrant, living and the most likely to *continue* living
aspect of existence, simply because it is the best of the best at any given
moment.
The systems which survive the best are the ones which are the most responsive
and adapted to their reality. Thus, I would say that the systems which
survive the best could be considered to be the most rational.
Our thoughts evolve, and "we" have no control over them. "We" ARE the
evolving thoughts. If the thoughts are competitive enough, they'll survive;
if not, they won't. The system will play itself out. No one is in control.
And no one ever can be. That's just how things are. It kinda blows the
mind...
David Musick
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