Cultural evolution, the postbiological universe and SETI

2003 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Dick
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Biological Evolution ◽  
General Nature ◽  
Extraterrestrial Life ◽  
Cosmic Evolution ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Biological Universe

The Biological Universe (Dick 1996) analysed the history of the extraterrestrial life debate, documenting how scientists have assessed the chances of life beyond Earth during the 20th century. Here I propose another option – that we may in fact live in a postbiological universe, one that has evolved beyond flesh and blood intelligence to artificial intelligence that is a product of cultural rather than biological evolution. MacGowan & Ordway (1966), Davies (1995) and Shostak (1998), among others, have broached the subject, but the argument has not been given the attention it is due, nor has it been carried to its logical conclusion. This paper argues for the necessity of long-term thinking when contemplating the problem of intelligence in the universe. It provides arguments for a postbiological universe, based on the likely age and lifetimes of technological civilizations and the overriding importance of cultural evolution as an element of cosmic evolution. And it describes the general nature of a postbiological universe and its implications for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

The Long-Term Regulation of Safety Standards: The Case of the Electricity Industry in Australia and New Zealand

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-332
Author(s):  
Malcolm Abbott
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Electricity Industry ◽  
Political Context ◽  
Safety Standards ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Organizational Approach

Throughout much of the history of the electricity industry in Australia and New Zealand the industry has been the subject of safety regulations. Although this regulation has been a constant throughout the life of the industry the organizational approach to regulation has changed over the years. Periodically in Australia and New Zealand history these questions have been raised in a political context, although notably the structure of safety regulators does not get much attention in the standard histories of the industry. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to discuss some of the general issues that have arisen in the reform of regulation in the case of electricity safety over the longer term and how it relates overall to the development of the electricity industry.

Glorious Apollo: Poetic and Political Themes in the First Opera

1979 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 485-513 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Russano Hanning
Keyword(s):  
Art Form ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Universe ◽  
Early Opera

Historians of early opera have occasionally noted the appropriateness of Orpheus’ appearance as artistic spokesman for the new art form. Poet-singer par excellence of antiquity, whose music shook the very depths of the universe as he retrieved Eurydice from the Underworld, Orpheus surely appealed to the early opera composers and their humanist program—to recreate the moving power of an entirely sung drama by forging a new union of poetry, music, and gesture.In the history of opera, however, primacy of place must be given to the god Apollo, for the legend of Apollo and Daphne was the subject of the first favola per musica, La Dafne, written by Ottavio Rinuccini, with music composed by Jacopo Corsi and Jacopo Peri, and first performed in 1598 at Corsi's home in Florence.

General Relativity and Cosmology

2020 ◽  
pp. 227-360
Author(s):  
P. J. E. Peebles
Keyword(s):  
Constant Velocity ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Reference Frames ◽  
Physical Sciences ◽  
Inertial Frames ◽  
Moving Body ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Freely Moving ◽  
The Universe

This chapter discusses the development of physical sciences in seemingly chaotic ways, by paths that are at best dimly seen at the time. It refers to the history of ideas as an important part of any science, and particularly worth examining in cosmology, where the subject has evolved over several generations. It also examines the puzzle of inertia, which traces the connection to Albert Einstein's bold idea that the universe is homogeneous in the large-scale average called “cosmological principle.” The chapter cites Newtonian mechanics that defines a set of preferred motions in space, the inertial reference frames, by the condition that a freely moving body has a constant velocity. It talks about Ernst Mach, who argued that inertial frames are determined relative to the motion of the rest of the matter in the universe.

Paleolimnology in Deep Time: The Evolution of Lacustrine Ecosystems

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
World Ocean ◽  
Biological Evolution ◽  
Body Distribution ◽  
Freshwater Organisms ◽  
History Of ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Lake Basins ◽  
Lake Beds

Most lakes are geologically ephemeral; even the longest-lived individual lakes persist only for tens of millions of years. However there is a continuity to lake systems that transcends the geologically short history of individual lake basins. This continuity comes from the long-term biological evolution of life in freshwater, and fittingly, forms the final subject of this treatment of paleolimnology. Like the oceans, lakes have provided habitats for living organisms for most of the earth’s history. Yet the patterns of aquatic ecosystem evolution in rivers and lakes have differed dramatically from those of the oceans. In large part this can be traced to the fundamentally ephemeral nature of most continental aquatic habitats and the ‘‘disconnectedness’’ in both time and space that exists between individual lakes and rivers compared with the world ocean. This pattern of temporal and spatial patchiness in water body distribution on the continents has shaped the evolution of lacustrine species and communities. Some understanding of this history can be gleaned from the study of modern ecology and molecular genetics of living freshwater organisms. But to understand long-term trends in lacustrine biodiversity and their relationship to the history of the lacustrine environment we must turn to the pre- Quaternary fossil record. Understanding this history, the timing and tempo of major species diversification and extinction events, and the evolution of key ecological innovations is critical for correctly interpreting ancient lake deposits. The fossil record of pre-Quaternary lakes is more difficult to interpret than that of more recent lake basins. Robust phylogenies are largely unavailable for clades of ancient lacustrine fossils, hindering our ability to test hypotheses of evolutionary ecology, although that situation hopefully will improve in coming years. Many major clades of fossil lacustrine organisms are extinct, and ecologies must be inferred from their depositional context. Even for organisms that have close-living relatives, our certainty in making inferences about habitat and relationship with other species weakens as we go back in time. Also the record we have to work with deteriorates with age, the result of (a) a declining volume of lake beds available for study with increasing age, (b) difficulties associated with processing lithified lake beds for their fossil content, and (c) an increasing likelihood of destruction by diagenesis with increasing age.

scholarly journals Andrei Bely's Concept of the “Self-Conscious Soul”: Synthesis of his Early Reception of Kant with Steiner's Teachings and Esoteric Practice

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-218
Author(s):  
A. Schmitt
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
The Self ◽  
Critical Philosophy ◽  
Rudolf Steiner ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
History Of ◽  
Cognitive Principles ◽  
The Universe

This article deals with the connection between the anthroposophical practice of meditation and the concept of self-conscious soul, which is developed in the main theoretical work of Andrei Bely, “The History of the Becoming of Self-conscious Soul.” After a brief review of the esoteric practice, in which Bely was introduced by Rudolf Steiner in the years 1912-1914, it examines the topography of the meditative space, according to the descriptions given by Bely in the “Krizisy”. Relevant sources of Steiner on the higher stages of knowledge are involved, from which the concept of Bely differs in a few points. It is considered, how the inner experience of Bely is reflected in the cognitive principles of the self-conscious soul, which he understands as a reflection of the higher cognitive abilities at the lower level of the soul. It is shown, that the cognitive principles of the self-conscious soul, which Bely names “composition of space”, “theme in the variations of time” and “symbol”, are a synthesis of the esoteric practice of Bely with his early reception of the critical philosophy of Kant. He fuses them into a gradational model of multi-stage deepening of knowledge into the construction of the universe and the human cultural evolution. This process is carried out with the creative participation of the cognizing subject and culminates in his deification.

scholarly journals Polish books production in exile in the years 19391950: statistical and geographical perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 273-289
Author(s):  
Oskar Stanisław Czarnik
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
External Factors ◽  
Cultural Tradition ◽  
World War ◽  
Polish People ◽  
The World ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Post War

The subject of this article is an overview of Polish publishing in the exile during the World War II and first post-war years. The literary activity was mostly linked to the cultural tradition of the Second Polish Republic. The author describes this phenomenon quantitatively and presents the number of books published in the respective years. He also tries to explain which external factors, not only political and military, but also financial and organizational, affected publications of Polish books around the world. The subject of the debate is also geography of the Polish publishing. It is connected with a long term migration of different groups of people living in exile. The author not only points out the areas where Polish editorial activity was just temporary, but also the areas where it was long-lasting. The book output was a great assistance to Polish people living in diasporas, as well as to readers living in Poland. The following text is an excerpt of the book which is currently being prepared by the author. The book is devoted to the history of Polish publishing in exile.

scholarly journals Commission 51: Search for Extraterrestrial Life

1985 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 713-723
Author(s):  
M. D. Papagiannis ◽  
F. D. Drake ◽  
N. S. Kardashev ◽  
R. D. Brown ◽  
P. Connes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Techniques ◽  
Extraterrestrial Life ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Cosmic Evolution ◽  
Lay People ◽  
The Universe

The possibility that life, primitive or advanced, might exist in other places of the Universe has occupied the minds of scientists and lay-people for thousands of years. It is only in the last 25 years, however, that we have finally begun to search for answers to this profound question using experimental techniques. The goal of Astronomy is to understand the origin and evolution of planets, stars, galaxies and of the Universe as a whole. The appearance of life is an integral part of this whole process and our picture of the Universe will never be complete until we will comprehend also the significance of life in the process of Cosmic Evolution.

Introduction

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Payam Ghalehdar
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Regime Change ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Target State ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Empirical Analysis ◽  
The Universe

The Introduction identifies US regime change as the subject of inquiry and outlines the book’s emotion-based argument. It observes that US regime change decisions remain puzzling because studies show that their effects are typically detrimental to both regime changer and target state. After canvassing existing explanations and their shortcomings, the chapter turns to the book’s core claim: when US presidents experience emotional frustration, that is, when the combination of hegemonic expectations, target state obstructions perceived as stemming from hatred, and negative affect is present, regime change becomes an attractive tool to them for emotional amelioration. After defining five key attributes of regime change and specifying the universe of cases, the chapter then discusses the book’s methodological approach and its use of primary sources for the empirical analysis of five regime change episodes in the history of US foreign policy. The Introduction closes with a brief outline of subsequent chapters.

The Beauty and the Erotic Binding of the Beast

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 95-106
Author(s):  
Andrei Oisteanu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
The Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Zero Moment ◽  
The Universe ◽  
The Erotic

I came to the subject by attempting to reinterpret the well-known legend of the labyrinth and the status of its main characters: Theseus, Ariadne, Dedalus and the Minotaur. The conflict between the two invincible entities is a reminiscence, degraded by literaturisation of the first conflict - in the 'zero moment' of the mythical history of the Universe - between the principle of the Cosmos (which is the supreme god) and the principle of the Chaos (the primordial Monster). From a hermeneutical perspective, the god's overcoming of the monster is an act of ordering the Chaos, and thus of cosmogenesis. The ordered Chaos becomes Cosmos.

scholarly journals Editorial: A British Philosophical Association?

Philosophy ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-482
Keyword(s):  
Primary Schools ◽  
Short Term ◽  
European Philosophy ◽  
Umbrella Organization ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Hearts And Minds

There are, it seems, 30 or more philosophical societies in Britain. Some, such as the Aristotelian Society or the Mind Association, are mostly for professional philosophers, but of all stripes. Others, such as the Royal Institute of Philosophy, are for anyone interested in philosophy, whether professional or, in the best sense, amateur—that is, not paid for their philosophy. Then there are those smaller, but by no means unworthy bodies, which cater for interest in some special branch of philosophy, such as phenomenology or philosophy of religion or of science. There are societies for European philosophy, for the history of philosophy, for applied philosophy, for women in philosophy, and for much else besides.If not exactly chaos, it all testifies to a real and possibly fruitful diversity in the British philosophical world. But in the last year or so, leading figures in many of the societies have been meeting to discuss forming an umbrella organization to encompass the whole lot. Whether this umbrella is to provide shelter for philosophers from squalls raining down on us from above, or whether it is for some other purpose, is not entirely clear.That there are squalls, at least for those teaching the subject in universities and elsewhere is clear. Teachers everywhere, from universities to primary schools, suffer from a deluge of managerial irrelevance, much of it apparently predicated on the latest managerial nostrum. According to the Government's own guru of ‘delivery’, managers no longer need to ‘win hearts and minds’, but should rather push through short term measures for long term gains, come what may. We have little idea what this means, but it sounds unpleasant. There may well be a case for an Association to speak with one voice on behalf of a profession which needs a degree of freedom from management in which to teach and to think, and which is increasingly called on to respond as a profession to managerial initiatives.But not, we would hope, to speak with one voice on anything else. A one voice philosophy is a contradiction in terms, even were there only one philosopher. Nor does philosophy need a slate of people to speak to the media and the general public. It would be too much like a list of officially licensed authorities where there should be no authority. And it will not work anyway. Good producers and editors will continue to consult the philosophers they know and like, just as they always have.

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