From: Pvthur@aol.com
Date: Sun Jan 28 2001 - 13:31:49 MST
Maybe we need better definitions.
For instance, Natural Selection created life on earth and us. But Natural
Selection can't create a civilizaton. To define what made our culture in an
evolutionary context, we need something like Externally Self-Optimizing
Selection: the process which allows us to better ourselves outside our own
bodies. Externally Self-Optimizing Selection can make cars, refrigerators,
domestic animals, poetry, economies, governments, religions.... And it
usually makes them better with each generation, just like Natural Selection,
but much faster. This is still a subset of evolution. Right now we are at the
high point of what Externally Self-Optimization can produce. So what's next?
Why, Internally Self-Optimizing Selection.
Evolution = Increasing Intra/Inter-Generational Complexity (atoms, galaxies,
stars, people, cars, refrigerators, storylines, economies, governments, AI...)
-Natural Selection (subset of Evolution) = Increasing Non-Intelligent
Biological Complexity (life on earth and us)
-Externally Self-Optimizing Selection (subset of Evolution) = Increasing
Intelligent Complexity Outside The Body (our civilization, culture)
-Internally Self-Optimizing Selection (subset of Evolution) = Increasing
Intelligent Complexity Inside The Body (modern medicine, psychology, DNA
manipulation,
Evolution: the process which allows things to change, over time, in the
direction of increasing complexity. This can include galaxies, stars, people,
cars, refrigerators, storylines, economies, AI.....
Natural Selection (subset of evolution):
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