Rule of Thumb Pattern

We exist in a very complex context. One way we have found to manage this complexity is by making  rules of thumb. Religions, philosophies are replete with these rules of thumb. There are some side effects to these rules of thumb:

• context is left out. Does the rule apply in this context? A rule is a generalization that may or may not apply in a given context. The generalization leaves out the dynamic nature of existence.
• the rule hides the complexity. In some sense, it creates a veil, a wall, beyond which we do not look. Just like a causal chain - we stop it at some point and don't look past that point. Some causal chain stopping points:
• the big bang
• god
• who is to blame - a group, an ethnicity, a culture, a philosophy, a gender, a  function, ...
• ...
These stopping points help us manage an infinite regression since we exist in infinity, where the causal chain starts is totally unclear to finite beings with limited capacity.
• allows us to deal with great complexity in some manner. Sometimes a useful one and sometimes not.
• ...

Halting Problem

In simple terms, will a program halt or not? Does the universe / existence (as we know it) stop? If we are existing in infinity, there is no end to infinity. This trajectory is covered in an earlier post. Do we just keep discovering that the universe / existence is so deeply fractal that we keep discovering the same pattern(s) over and over.

Presuppositions and Their Discontent

In a recent conversation with a friend, he remarked that he has not yet come to a policy on who to give to gifts to at year end. We talked about how a single policy tries to simplify the context to an unchanging background. However, the context is dynamic. One policy does not do justice to all the variations that are present - more organic is to respond to the complexity by adjusting the action to the situation.

Tragedy and its discontent

These ideas arose from the context of reading the tragedy Antigone in French by Jean Anouilh.

The gist of the tragic structure is that Creon the king has a niece Antigone. Antigone's brother Polynice revolts against the king and is killed. Creon orders that Polynice is not to be buried. And hence in the mythology of the times his soul can not find any rest. Antigone feels duty bound to bury her brother so he can find rest. She disobeys Creon's edict and is caught. Creon is duty bound to uphold the law and kill her no matter who she is as she refuses to hide the fact that she was burying Polynice and will continue that attempt. Hence the tragedy - as long as Creon and Antigone follow their perceived duty, Creon will have to kill Antigone.

The structure of this tragedy is a frequent occurence in human affairs. As long as people, within the structure of their culture and society, follow the norms of their context, tragedy may result.

Trajectories of Intelligence

Came across a book review of Superintelligence. There have been several mentions recently of a fear of our species being superceded by various possible trajectories: artificial intelligence, genetic modifications, ? It seems to that there is an issue of perspective here. What is this life we have about? Is this form, state of being we want for the rest of the foreseeable future? The universe is changing constantly, creating more complex forms. Our is simply part of that trajectory. It is not the best, not the worst. It is simply a point in the journey. If we don't trust the journey, and are fearful of the paths it may take, does that make it more difficult to embrace the unfolding we are part of and ride the wave better? If we cling to fast to the present and the past, does that impede the journey, or is that too part of the journey?

Money - a different model?

Reading a book review about the autobiography of money led to a lunch time conversation and out of that conversation arose some thoughts on the nature of money. The underlying foundational premise is that the complexity we see arises from simple rules and an evolutionary process / flow in the context of this existence.

We have gravity as a basic relationship among entities. Gravity can be thought of as a relationship between entities with mass. The gross structure of the universe, the shape, distribution of matter  in to galaxies, clusters, solar systems, .... depends in large part on this one simple (?) relationship.

We can extend this notion of relationship to mammals as an "alpha" in a group organizes the structure of the group. In the initial context of this relationship among mammals, the attribute that creates this structure is physical strength. As the complexity of  mammalian societies increase, a different attribute is necessary to manage that complexity in a viable way. Money becomes the attribute which organizes the social structures. He/she/they who has it has the "mass"/ physical power/force to organize/create more complex forms of organization (societies).

A question that arises is what is the next attribute that becomes "mass" to create yet more complex forms of organization - a global society, a solar system society, a galactic society, ...?

And not that the nature of evolutionary process is generally to transcend and include. We still have dictators, bullies who rule based on physical power / force. At the next stage, we'll still have people who'll use money for unhealthy purposes.

Portents of a Looming War

It has been 70+ years since the last world war. And I see portents of a another one coming: