RE: virus: Re: Social Metaphysics

Tadeusz Niwinski (tad@teta.ai)
Mon, 29 Sep 1997 13:30:43 -0700


Robin wrote:
>If there was no consistency between these messages as
>they leave the sender and as they arrive at the receiver,
>communication via email would be impossible.

Sure, a good example.

>> Consistency is driving evolution the same
>> way as gravity drives a falling rock.
>>
>Would you say that consistency is driving email
>the same way as gravity drives a falling rock?
>
>I'd suggest that, in both cases, consistency is
>just one of a number of prerequisites.

Of course consistency is needed in all three cases: email, rock falling, and
evolution. I see gravity as a prerequisite #1 for the rock and consistency
as #1 for evolution (what would the #1 for email be?).

If we look at writing computer programs using the algorithm of evolution,
consistency seems to be the most important prerequisite. If anything else,
the criteria for selecting "better" programs must be consistent. If we are
going to create a program which sorts numbers in ascending sequence, we
better not change our minds to sort in descending sequence before the task
is completed.

It was questioning if reality is consistent (a year ago) which prompted me
to realize that evolution would be impossible without consistency.

What other important prerequisites do we need for evolution to occur?

Regards, Tadeusz (Tad) Niwinski from planet TeTa
tad@teta.ai http://www.teta.ai (604) 985-4159