From: Delvieron@aol.com
Date: Thu Dec 02 1999 - 20:11:06 MST
In a message dated 12/2/1999 2:45:34 AM EST, Ken@InnovationOnDmnd.com writes:
<< As far as humans (and what comes next) are concerned Darwinian evolution
is over(unless, of course, we screw up and blow life back to simple
organisms). We are switching to directed evolution (somewhat like
Lamarckian, but even faster because of the self selection process).>>
I suspect that we are entering a time when both Lamarckian and Darwinian
evolution (along with punctuated equilibrium-Singularity?) will be in force.
Since the Lamarckian-like evolution will act much more quickly, it will be
the most obvious, but I suspect that natural selection will still be lurking
in the corners.
<<In _Out of Control_, Kevin Kelly has a great section on this in which he
relates the work of two Bellcore scientists, Ackley and Littman who compared
Darwinian to Lamarckian evolution in simulations that attempted to solve
problems by genetic algorithms:
-- Comparing the two systems, Ackley and Littman found that, at least for
-- the complicated problems they looked at, the Lamarckian system discovered
-- solutions almost twice as good as the Darwinian method. The smartest
-- Lamarckian individual was far smarter than the smartest Darwinian one.
The
-- thing about Lamarckian evolution, says Ackley, is that it "very quickly
-- squeezes out the idiots" in a population. Ackley once bellowed to a
roomful
-- of scientists, "Lamarck just blows the doors off of Darwin!"
There is a vast space of different kinds of evolution ahead of us. Darwin
did a
good job explaining how we got here, but gives us little to predict the
future.>>
Interesting tidbit above, thanks.
<< Their identities may be disintegrating, but their physical forms may be
morphing
into Powers that others may either envy, or feel they must keep up with.>>
While this may indeed happen, I was more thinking of disintegration in terms
of these people becoming dysfunctional and perhaps even defunct should the
changes they make destabilize their personalities. For example, they may end
up in a state where they can't decide whether to pursue their current desires
or change their desires to fit the current situation. Or where their runaway
modifications lead to behavioral dead-ends such as locked in a pleasure
positive feedback loop (blissed out) or a nirvana-like state of no self where
nothing matters, equinamity to the extreme, or into a nihilistic free-fall
where the easiest course is to reprogram yourself to simply desire oblivion
and then achieve it. These are just a few examples of what could happen.
<<The *easy* ability to change what you want is one of the slickest
slippery slopes
I can think of.>>
True. The decision to change one's desires should only be undertaken with a
great deal of forethought and care.
<<The *easy* ability to change what the general population wants
(super wet dream of all advertising firms) is one of those scary aspects of
coming
times we will have to deal with.>>
Again, I agree. We must be ever vigilant to prevent such abuses of the
powers we are about to come into, as well as of the capabilities we already
possess.
<< Dear Glen,
If only the vast majority of the world had your good wants, or at least
wanted to
have those wants, my heart would soar like an eagle.
-Ken >>
Thank you for the very great compliments. I have some faith that "the better
angels of our natures" will win out in the end, but it will be a hard-fought
battle and a near thing, by my estimation. That is why I believe it is up to
all those of good will to embrace the changes that are coming, so as to be
able to add their voices to the chorus that will shape the times to come.
Sincerely,
Glen Finney
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