tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8398797088391606752.post9104705643598630376..comments2023-09-06T07:13:58.715-07:00Comments on PLEKTIX: Is a new mode of evolution emerging?Ben Allenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15594823641514744644noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8398797088391606752.post-75054278281432513502010-09-14T07:24:24.285-07:002010-09-14T07:24:24.285-07:00That depends on what is meant by "singularity...That depends on what is meant by "singularity". If it means rapid, accelerating technological progress, then we're already there. If it means autonomous machines that are "smarter" than humans in some sense, then yes, that could facilitate an independent evolutionary process. <br /><br />Personally, I don't think the singularity concept is particularly useful. We're already at a place where technology accelerates the pace of discovery, leading to new technologies and even faster discoveries. This has arguably been happening since the industrial revolution, or even since the dawn of civilization. I expect this acceleration to continue in similar fashion. I don't forsee any particular turning point where it becomes a completely different process.Ben Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15594823641514744644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8398797088391606752.post-50880943676729551702010-09-08T14:50:18.798-07:002010-09-08T14:50:18.798-07:00Technological evolution might be a real possibilit...Technological evolution might be a real possibility only after we have reached singularity. No?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03113103322464783385noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8398797088391606752.post-47882796210601225252010-08-29T07:37:59.017-07:002010-08-29T07:37:59.017-07:00Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure what to call her. ...Yeah, I wasn't exactly sure what to call her. I guess psychologist makes sense. But I think cultural evolution is a legitimate discipline, regardless of whether one believes in the meme approach. So in my view it's possible to be an "evolutionary theorist" without being a biologist.Ben Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15594823641514744644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8398797088391606752.post-38996287726348583542010-08-25T11:07:39.499-07:002010-08-25T11:07:39.499-07:00"Evolutionary theorist"? Maybe in the se..."Evolutionary theorist"? Maybe in the sense of having a theory on memes. Meme evolution is non-darwinian (no inheritance), so not "[biological] evolution".<br /><br /><a href="http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2009/06/stephen_jay_gould_and_the_poli.php#comment-1710123" rel="nofollow">Richard Dawkins calls Susan (Sue) Blackmore a psychologist</a> (confirmed by Wikipedia):<br /><br />"Here's a heartwarming little anecdote to illustrate Stephen Gould's gentle courtesy. The BBC has a Monday morning radio program called Start the Week, in which a panel of four intellectuals, or authors with new books to promote, gather in a studio and have a civilised conversation with a chairman. The psychologist Sue Blackmore was on the panel one week, and so was Stephen Gould. They hadn't met before, but Dr Blackmore recognized him in the lobby of the BBC as they waited to go in, and she thought she ought to go up and introduce herself. Hand outstretched and with her usual bright smile, she approached him. "How do you do, Dr Gould, I believe we are on Start the Week together." Gould uttered not a word, but turned on his heel and faced the other way, presenting her with his back."<br /><br />Evidently neither Dawkins nor Gould thinks highly of her and her accomplishments in biology.Torbjörn Larssonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13304729731231255545noreply@blogger.com