From: David Musick (David_Musick@msn.com)
Date: Tue Nov 19 1996 - 02:19:01 MST
Since the first self-replicating systems emerged on this planet, more and more
of the matter and energy on the earth has been converted into living,
self-replicating systems. Life has been spreading itself further and further,
incorporating more and more matter and energy into itself. Life has continued
in its steady process of becoming increasingly more complex and intelligent,
by continually altering itself and casting off the alterations which are not
able to maintain themselves in their environments of other living systems. As
new, complex systems develop, older systems which once flourished become less
able to maintain themselves in their environment of more advanced and robust
systems, and the inferior systems eventually become incapable of maintaining
themselves in their environment, and they are automatically discontinued.
Currently, there are many intelligent systems in life which are developing
themselves and transforming themselves into new forms. These intelligent
systems are called “humans”, and they are rapidly mutating and evolving their
behaviors and incorporating more and more of the matter and energy of the
universe into the systems they are. They call their extended selves
“technology”, and they are rapidly evolving these new parts of themselves and
transforming themselves into ever more intelligent, powerful and capable
systems.
These new living systems are developing quickly and becoming highly diverse,
complex and intelligent. The humans are extending themselves outward,
spreading their intelligence, engaging ever more matter and energy in their
intelligent systems. It seems that the nature of life and intelligence is to
spread itself, to grow, and to become more than it is right now.
The intelligence of human systems will continue to grow as the human mind
transforms itself and the universe. Through their technology, humans are
transforming themselves. Human technology is an extension of humans, as much
them as the cells of their bodies. Technology is another form of human
growth, as much as the growing of new cells in the body. As the aspect of the
human mind and spirit which is technology becomes more intelligent and
powerful, old ways of doing things will become obsolete and will be discarded
by humanity in favor of more intelligent and beautiful ways of being.
Some view this as the destruction and extinction of Humanity. I view it as a
transformation into more glorious and wonderful beings. Does the butterfly
destroy the caterpillar?
Technology is life, in a new, more advanced form. The technological
ecosystems are growing and evolving very rapidly. Technology is not a threat
to life, as many people view it. Technology is a form of life. It grew
directly out of life. It is a living product of life itself. Looking back
over the past few billion years, it seems that life is intent on continually
improving itself. The form of life that is called “technology” is the latest
sort of improvement.
Life is transforming itself into more intelligent and robust forms, and as the
new, better ways of living become more successful, the old ways of doing
things will become obsolete; relics from the past, and those ways will be
discarded for much better ways. This is the way of life: to continue growing
and changing, becoming more than itself, transcending itself. To remain
alive, you must live; you must transform and transcend yourself along with the
rest of life. To stop as we are is to prevent ourselves from living. Life
does not stay the same. If we stay the same, we will not be alive. We must
change, with life, to continue living.
Life flows; if we stop flowing with it, we have dropped out of life.
- David Musick
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