Re:Proposal for a rewording of the definition of The Theory Of Evolution
« Reply #2 on: 2003-09-12 19:58:34 »
Evolution (as fact) is a change in shared allele distribution (due to all sorts of factors). Evolution (as theory) explains that the resulting allele distribution observed is because there is a tendency for allele selection to be 'pruned' for results which are more adapted to the particular environment during the process of selection.
Which of these two formulations are you thinking of replacing?
With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion. - Steven Weinberg, 1999
Well, I wanted to replace the original one with the selection, because I think it is too narrow. Sometimes Evolution yields something new, so in this case it is not based on selection.
My emphasis lies on feedback, which can be negative, or positive. Changes happen, by chance or by intention (sort of enforced chance), and their impact is fed back, possibly changing the originator. This feedback loop is the heart of Evolution.
Meta-structure is another word for life, that is the structure of matter living longer that the matter it consists of. Take for example a human being, her or his atoms and molecules are constantly exchanged for new ones. But the structure remains the same. Take genes, they even live longer that their owners. Meta-structure is the crossing point of hardware and software.
Evolution is not restricted to life. It also happens in business, politics and everything that has the elements of meta-structure, chance and a feedback loop which permits to change its own meta-structure.
I'd even go so far as to say that the physics of the universe is a meta-structure which in the great feedback loop of the big bangs evolves into even more stable physics. The next question is how life has its influence on the creation of the next new universe.
Evolution not only is a scientific observation of how life created itself, but also the starting point of philosophy. Once mankind fully understands the mechanism of the feedback loop as the mother of all things, the search for an outside source will be over. Evolution is the only philosophical insight in order to understand life, it obsoletes philosophy and replaces it with science.
Charles Darwin not only was a real great scientist, but also the most important philosopher by answering the questing of creation.
With the Theory of Evoluton we have everything to understand life, humans, social interactions and meta-structures in general.