Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id JAA07700 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 8 Aug 2001 09:50:21 +0100 Date: Wed, 8 Aug 2001 09:20:41 +0100 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Logic + universal evolution Message-ID: <20010808092041.C11320@ii01.org> References: <20010726131734.AAA4273@camailp.harvard.edu@[128.103.125.215]> <002a01c1177f$fba0f640$26c4fac1@necdirect> <997203959.3b701ff75347f@rugth1.phys.rug.nl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.15i In-Reply-To: <997203959.3b701ff75347f@rugth1.phys.rug.nl>; from P.A.E.Jonkers@phys.rug.nl on Tue, Aug 07, 2001 at 07:05:59PM +0200 From: Robin Faichney <robin@ii01.org> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
As Dawkins points out in The Selfish Gene, survival of the fittest is just
a special case of the more general principle of survival of the stable.
The more general principle applies, of course, to non-living as well as
living entities. Smolin's ideas are fascinating, but whether they're
valid or not, the relationship between evolution and non-living matter
is very simple: that which is stable, survives.
Of course, if we define "fittest" and "stable" in terms of survivability,
then these definitions are circular. So this is at least as much about
concepts, as what's "out there". But I think these concepts are useful
-- not least in helping us understand the relationship between evolution
and non-living matter.
-- "The distinction between mind and matter is in the mind, not in matter." Robin Faichney -- Inside Information -- http://www.ii01.org/=============================================================== This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing) see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Wed Aug 08 2001 - 09:54:38 BST