tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post111298424541409936..comments2023-10-31T05:37:45.410-07:00Comments on Hungry Hyaena: Evolution and Radical LongevityHungry Hyaenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06354349850246750046noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post-1116729844599674792005-05-21T19:44:00.000-07:002005-05-21T19:44:00.000-07:00By the way, I don't want my comments at Worldchang...By the way, I don't want my comments at Worldchanging to give the impression that I am opposed to rejuvenation research. I really doubt such research can be stopped. I was merely stating my opinion that extreme longevity and rejuvenation are mostly irrelevent to the subject of the environmental restoration and preservation.<BR/><BR/>Birth control and environmental restoration are something that should be dealt with now, with the science and technology we have <STRONG>now</STRONG>, and never mind advances in medical science. The connection between the two isn't that strong and one shouldn't be an excuse to ignore the other.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post-1113332635150595172005-04-12T12:03:00.000-07:002005-04-12T12:03:00.000-07:00I'm afraid I can not quell your fears of the reduc...I'm afraid I can not quell your fears of the reductionist camp...but I would not want to. Your fears are all justified.<BR/><BR/>I think I may have given you the wrong idea with my previous "comment." I don't view myself as a reductionist <I>per se</I>. While I find reduction a very useful tool - it is essential, and fascinating, that any number can be infinitely 1/2ed and yet the result <I>never</I> equals zero - I think any science or inquiry that principally advocates reduction must be willing to compare what is learned through such process with what is learned through the holistic approach.<BR/><BR/>Your example of economics is a perfect case in point. In fact, I believe we are entering an era of holistic policy making...at least, we had better be. That said, I see no problem with neuoscientists continuing to isolate proteins or physicists continuing to shatter atoms.Hungry Hyaenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06354349850246750046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post-1113263792833606552005-04-11T16:56:00.001-07:002005-04-11T16:56:00.001-07:00Rio de Janeiro from Brazil see youRio de Janeiro from Brazil see youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post-1113263760857720482005-04-11T16:56:00.000-07:002005-04-11T16:56:00.000-07:00The DISCOVERIES Of the MAN and the WOMAN the Man d...The DISCOVERIES Of the MAN and the WOMAN the Man discovered the COLORS and invented the PAINTING, the Woman discovered the PAINTING and invented the MAQUIAGEM. The Man discovered the WORD and invented the COLLOQUY, the Woman discovered the COLLOQUY and invented the FOFOCA. The Man discovered the GAME and invented the LETTERS, the Woman discovered the LETTERS and invented the TAROT. The Man discovered AGRICULTURE and invented the FOOD, the Woman discovered the FOOD and invented the DIET. The Man discovered the FEELINGS and invented the LOVE, the Woman discovered the LOVE and invented the MARRIAGE. The Man discovered the WOMAN and invented the SEX, the Woman discovered the SEX and invented the MIGRAINE. The Man discovered the COMMERCE and invented the MONEY, the Woman discovered the MONEY and there everything fudeu...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post-1113263746985571792005-04-11T16:55:00.000-07:002005-04-11T16:55:00.000-07:00The DISCOVERIES Of the MAN and the WOMAN the Man d...The DISCOVERIES Of the MAN and the WOMAN the Man discovered the COLORS and invented the PAINTING, the Woman discovered the PAINTING and invented the MAQUIAGEM. The Man discovered the WORD and invented the COLLOQUY, the Woman discovered the COLLOQUY and invented the FOFOCA. The Man discovered the GAME and invented the LETTERS, the Woman discovered the LETTERS and invented the TAROT. The Man discovered AGRICULTURE and invented the FOOD, the Woman discovered the FOOD and invented the DIET. The Man discovered the FEELINGS and invented the LOVE, the Woman discovered the LOVE and invented the MARRIAGE. The Man discovered the WOMAN and invented the SEX, the Woman discovered the SEX and invented the MIGRAINE. The Man discovered the COMMERCE and invented the MONEY, the Woman discovered the MONEY and there everything fudeu...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11167350.post-1113262781678244612005-04-11T16:39:00.000-07:002005-04-11T16:39:00.000-07:00I always appreciate a good ramble. Hell, if you e...I always appreciate a good ramble. Hell, if you edit this and flesh out the meaty areas, you could have a good essay, albeit one with more questions than answers, but aren't those the best kind anyway?<BR/><BR/>While I am interested in the predictions made by contemporary philosophers such as Ray Kurweil, I find the notion of a collective database-consciousness both alarming and, for the foreseeable future, far-fetched. On the other hand, I don't believe viewing the human brain as a "goopy, gray hard drive" is unfair. Infinite reduction ultimately arrives at infinite expansion; breaking down the human brain into smaller and smaller parts eventually leads the investigator "out the other end" into the far reaches of another universe. Though I believe in no sentient creator, such an overwhlemingly beautiful dynamic could be considered my God equivalent.<BR/><BR/>As to whether evolution applies to the constructed computer...that is a tough question. My knee-jerk response is, "Absolutely." On the other hand, most of humanity would not be so eager to attribute evolutionary "gowth" or "progress" to our whirring machines. Also, the change from stone-throwing, hunter-gatherer to rocket scientist is not really physiological evolution. Jared Diamond argues that Cro-magnon humans were fully equipped to do the work of contemporary humans; their brains could have been made to comprehend rocket science, even 50,000 years ago. Trouble is, 50,000 years of social/cultural evolution, that more Lamarckian beast, were missing from the equation.<BR/><BR/>Can synthetic beings experience a similar cultural evolution? Kurzweil argues that they can (and will) - and, though I'm unwilling to dismiss this notion offhand, I do find it difficult to accept. Then again, Renee Descartes believed all animals (excluding <I>Homo sapiens</I>, of course) were just programmed machines, incapable of pain or emotion. It has taken 350 years, but we seem to feel differently now.<BR/><BR/>Great comment, though, Devo...and all ideas I love to chew on. Thanks.Hungry Hyaenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06354349850246750046noreply@blogger.com