From: Valuemetaphysics@aol.com
Date: Wed Aug 25 2004 - 22:18:40 BST
Part I.
Hi Mark,
Vac> Mark 22-8-04: Indeed. Static patterning protects from too much Dynamic
Vac> influence. What may be the optimum balance between openness and static
protection?
Protection OF WHAT, Mark? Static protection of static patterns?
Mark 24-8-04: Hi Ilya, There are two points to consider from the Lila text
here:
1. Static latching.
2. Static and Dynamic aspects working in parallel.
1. Static latching - Lila P. 150:
"But the invention of Dynamic carbon bonding represents only one kind of
evolutionary stratagem. The other kind is preservation of what has been invented.
A Dynamic advance is meaningless unless it can find some static pattern with
which to protect itself from degeneration back to the conditions that existed
before the advance was made. It must be a process of ratchet-like steps in
which there is a Dynamic movement forward up some new incline and then, if the
result looks successful, a static latching-on of the gain that has been made;
then another Dynamic advance, then another static latch."
2. Static and Dynamic aspects working in parallel - Lila P. 151:
"This division of all biological evolutionary patterns into a Dynamic
function and a static function continues on up through higher levels of evolution.
The formation of semi-permeable cell walls to let food in and keep poisons out
is a static latch. So are bones, shells, hides, fur, burrows, clothes, houses,
villages, castles, rituals, symbols, laws and libraries. All of these prevent
evolutionary degeneration.
On the other hand, the shift in cell reproduction from mitosis meiosis to
permit sexual choice and allow huge DNA diversification is a Dynamic advance. So
is the collective organisation of cells into metazoan societies called plants
and animals. So are sexual choice, symbiosis, death and regeneration,
communality, communication, speculative thought, curiosity and art. Most of these when
viewed in a substance-centered evolutionary way are thought of as mere
incidental properties of the molecular machine. But in a value-centered explanation
of evolution they are close to the Dynamic process itself, pulling the pattern
of life forward to greater levels of versatility and freedom."
Ilya:
They (sq) EMERGE out of nothingness
in the act of experience (DQ), don't they? And they do not become
independent of DQ upon emergence, do not "live their own life" - they
live as long as they are experienced, don't they? If so, what means
"openness of static patterns to DQ"? They cannot be closed to DQ by
definition! And cannot be MORE or LESS open to DQ - it just make no
sense to say so!
Mark 24-8-04: It does make sense to say, "MORE or LESS open to DQ" because a
Crocodile is an evolutionary dead end which has remained virtually unchanged
for millions of years. This particular biological static latch has been so
successful it has virtually stopped responding to DQ altogether. Humans, on the
other hand, are still evolving and may be said to be more open to DQ.
Now these are biological examples, but as stated above, "This division of all
biological evolutionary patterns into a Dynamic function and a static
function continues on up through higher levels of evolution." So, there are social
static and Dynamic functions and Intellectual static and Dynamic functions also.
Now, consider: "But in a value-centered explanation of evolution they are
close to the Dynamic process itself, pulling the pattern of life forward to
greater levels of versatility and freedom." Higher levels are evolving much faster
than the lower ones: Inorganic planetary systems evolve over billions of
years, Biological patterns can evolve new adaptations over hundreds of thousands of
years, Social patterns can change within a few generations, and Intellectual
patterns in a matter of years, months or days? I mention this, because the
faster evolving patterns can be viewed as coherent/incoherent more easily.
part II follows.
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