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admin
Beloved Admin
Joined: 28 Sep 2000
Posts: 160
Location: Seattle, WA
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 Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 1:24 pm Post subject: Evolutionary Cosmology and Stephen Hawkings |
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The more humans learn about the universe through science, the more we must look anew at ourselves. Science is a kind of magic mirror for human identity. The appropriate integration and interpretation of these new scientific insights requires creative collaboration of the world’s wisdom traditions.
Today, humans can gaze out upon the fascinating complexity of the universe with the Hubble Space Telescope, even as we discover that the elemental components of our bodies are recycled stardust. Today, humans can explore and edit the intricate chemical structures of life, even as we understand that the cellular structures of our organs are condominiums for DNA-replicating microorganisms. Today, humans can ponder global climate change, even as we recognize that the chemical composition our bodies is a complex manifestation of ocean water – thinking about itself. Today, we can log onto the Internet and share in rich technological and cultural legacies, even as we learn that this negentropic exchange of information is as ephemeral as the vibrating subatomic particles which beam across fiber-optic cables and bounce off satellites. |
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solidsquid
Ferret
Joined: 17 May 2004
Posts: 108
Location: Victoria, Texas
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seventytwo
House Cat
Joined: 22 Feb 2004
Posts: 162
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:15 am Post subject: |
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| Whoa... thats way deep dude! |
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Arthwollipot
Moderator
Joined: 26 Feb 2003
Posts: 1009
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 4:05 am Post subject: |
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| Please amend the forum title to reflect the man's correct name - Stephen Hawking. No 's'. |
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admin
Beloved Admin
Joined: 28 Sep 2000
Posts: 160
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Thu Jul 15, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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| Thank you for bringing that to my attention. |
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Arthwollipot
Moderator
Joined: 26 Feb 2003
Posts: 1009
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 2:27 am Post subject: |
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| No prob, dude. |
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Erasmus
Lion King
Joined: 27 Jan 2004
Posts: 1047
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:20 pm Post subject: NEGENTROPIA |
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| Quote: | | negentropic exchange of information |
That's a new one on me. Incidentally, am I really the only person in the world (apart, I expect, from Arthwollipot) to have both purchased AND read A Brief History of Time?
Well, what do you know, "negentropic" is actually highly pertinent to biological evolution:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_economics
| Quote: | Energy costs of problem solving
A central argument in energy economics is its relation to complexity. In nature, life is negentropic, meaning, it not only reverses the entropy which over time disorders any given system, but that it sheds disordering heat energy. Its internal organization must become ever more efficient, via evolution, to survive in more environments, on less food, and be less attractive to predators who are not seeking a lean bony meal but a plump one. Evolution can be seen as seeking more energy-efficient forms - as problem-solving. |
This extends an argument I recall posting to these boards a little while ago, from saying that evolution follows a path of greatest available energy efficiency, to saying that ever-increasing efficiency is inevitable. I'm not sure I quite buy that. Anyone care to convince me (maybe back in the standard threads)? |
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Arthwollipot
Moderator
Joined: 26 Feb 2003
Posts: 1009
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: NEGENTROPIA |
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| Erasmus wrote: | | Incidentally, am I really the only person in the world (apart, I expect, from Arthwollipot) to have both purchased AND read A Brief History of TimeIncidentally, am I really the only person in the world (apart, I expect, from Arthwollipot) to have both purchased AND read A Brief History of Time? |
 You guessed right. A lot of people bought it, apparently, but few of us actually read it. I didn't think it was all that great, myself. |
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