[FRIAM] On old question

[Nick Thompson]

Thanks, Eric, 

 

Interesting. 

 

When I saw your message, I was excited because I thought you might comment on the role of serendipity in evolution.  There are three ideas rattling around in my head right now chafing against one another: Serendipity <https://www.google.com/search?ei=S3vSW8PPF46HjwSvm72gAQ&q=define+serendipity&oq=define+serendipity&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l7j0i22i30l3.93078.147504..152136...0.0..0.124.1823.10j8....2..0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j35i39j0i131j0i67j0i131i20i264j0i131i67j0i10j0i20i264.VDBSf3ELx5s> , Spandrel <https://www.google.com/search?ei=KHvSW7bsFqrEjwT4zqiYAQ&q=spandrel+%28biology%29&oq=spandrel+%28biology%29&gs_l=psy-ab.3.1.0i22i30l2.26180.33029..33723...0.0..0.115.1009.3j7......0....1..gws-wiz.......0j0i71j0i20i264j0i67j0i22i10i30.U-x5bcygWno> , and Scaffolding <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_proximal_development#Scaffolding> .  All of which seem to describe ways in which one form of organization can affect a subsequent one.  Any thoughts?  

 

I will not say more lest I overly … um … structure <https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=snzSW8T8O8zXjwS9zYPoCw&q=define+structure+%28verb&btnK=Google+Search&oq=define+structure+%28verb&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i22i30.2628.11840..24994...9.0..0.133.3340.10j22....2..0....1..gws-wiz.....6..0j35i39j0i67j0i131j0i20i264j0i131i20i264j0i131i67j0i10j0i20i263j0i22i10i30._IT0yNPtViI>  your response. 

 

Nick 

 

Scaffolding.

 

 

Nicholas S. Thompson

Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Biology

Clark University

http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Friam [mailto:friam-bounces at redfish.com] On Behalf Of Eric Smith
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2018 5:30 PM
To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group <friam at redfish.com>
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] On old question

 

> I am not at all sure where this leaves us with “natural programming.”  As you point out, my concept of natural may be complete at odds with yours.  Mine grows out of the following analogy:  Artificial selection : natural selection : : artificial design  : natural design.  If artificial design – the appropriateness of a domestic species to the needs of the breeder -- is what is explained by artificial selection, what is explained by natural selection?  What precisely is natural design?  In the absence of a God to tell us what s/he wants, how do we read off of nature itself the demands to which her/his  creatures are adapted?  

 

In reading Dave’s note it seemed to me that his distinction of natural from artificial was much like the one meant by Simon in Sciences of the Artificial, somewhat like — with respect to any particular discussion frame — some things can be “organic” in the sense of inherited by that conversation, while others are “built” within the frame of the conversation.

 

 <https://www.amazon.co.jp/Sciences-Artificial-MIT-Press/dp/0262691914> https://www.amazon.co.jp/Sciences-Artificial-MIT-Press/dp/0262691914

 

 

 

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