Appreciate it, and always love to discuss evolution :-) I too find looking at aspects of intelligence, consciousness, etc. as in some way fundamentally caused by information-processing (i.e., non-random information about the universe that was been acquired via evolutionary process in response to knowable environmental stimuli). This appears, at least to me, to be fundamental and very important. I'll have to do some deeper reading of Information Theory. My ideas have been largely informed by building with evolutionary and systems theory. I think what is useful about using a rock as an example is that it may contain information (as everything in the universe does), but that information is random. It tells us nothing. The rock can solve no problems. It is merely subject physical law (entropy). I am deeply interested in crystals. What is different between the "behaviour" of a crystal and the behaviour of a very simple organism? Are crystal anti-entropic? Any perspective would help me immensely. I am certainly leaning towards humans causing a meta-system transition. If it occurs such a transition would see the emergence of some higher-level order. I would suspect this higher-level order to be more complex than the brain and to possess its own consciousness. I suspect that we are the first stage of "evolution waking up" in this sense. I am really not quite sure how our consciousness will interact with or influence the higher-consciosness produced. Of course, I think our consciousness will be largely based on technological substrate during this transition so we will already be profoundly different and able to experience things that we currently cannot fathom. What the higher-consciousness does or how it perceives us is really beyond what we can know... I would argue. I guess that is why the technological singularity is still a prudent and useful concept.I read many of your articles and have thought similarly about many of the issues you write about.
I have often thought of consciousness in a similar scope, but from an information-processing approach.
For each option that is available to a self-aware individual, there must have been some foundation of learning and information processing to make that option available
even the rock contains some information about the universe
A crystal, for example, contains information about chemical structures
how should we categorize this meta-concious? Is it simply another tool or extension of ourselves, or could it even be listed as a higher-level conscious on the spectrum of information processing?
Correct, a rock does not solve problems so it doesn't fit into the paradigm of consciousness in the scope we are talking about. I am just considering the fact that there is some inherent informational quality to it in a minimal sense. As for crystals, check out these:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entropy_(statistical_thermodyna...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091209134633.ht...
Very simply, the lattice structure that spontaneously arises from high pressure and temperature can reach a zero-entropic state. You may be able to consider this one of the simplest and earliest forms of spontaneous order. What do you think of this? Just as with all systems, if you pump it with enough energy, it will lead to higher levels of complexity and order. As for the singularity, I think it makes sense to use the concept as the jumping point for the next "breakthrough" in the evolution of life, but as something more powerful than speciation. The new order created by the meta-system transition (or phase transition) will result in (whether we know it or not) giving up some of our more primitive freedoms so that we may reach a higher level of order and complexity as a whole species, not unlike the development of the first multi-cellular organisms. Humanity went through a similar transition when we started to coalesce into cities. We suddenly became subject to a larger set of social laws which guided our behavior. This was essential for the new order and higher living standards we now benefit from.
In the ScienceDaily article: The authors go on to say that: This is quite puzzling to me. How can intricate order be produced non-randomly, just through entropy? Is it just as you say, because of certain temperatures and pressure? So in that case are crystals simply the product of the right chemical elements being aggregated in an environment with certain temperature and pressure present? I agree, although I have had my questions about whether the term singularity is useful. I think as long as we stick to a very clear definition of what we mean by singularity, we should continue using it... but it is still problematic and not a metaphorically consistent with a physical singularity. I see the technological singularity and the global brain as mutually consistent concepts that should develop in tandem for the next metasystem transition. I struggle to understand how one could happen without the other also happening. I have yet think about the sacrifice of certain freedoms in such a context before, but I really think you're right. Great point. Whenever a higher-level of order is achieved, previous freedoms are sacrificed for the collective. It is interesting to see how they interact and perhaps some further insight could be achieved by researching the relationship between individual and collective freedoms over time in human civilization.This is the first result showing such a complicated self-arrangement of hard particles without help from attractive interactions such as chemical bonds
We knew that entropy on its own could produce order, but we didn't expect it to produce such intricate order. What else might be possible just due to entropy?
As for the singularity, I think it makes sense to use the concept as the jumping point for the next "breakthrough" in the evolution of life, but as something more powerful than speciation.
The new order created by the meta-system transition (or phase transition) will result in (whether we know it or not) giving up some of our more primitive freedoms so that we may reach a higher level of order and complexity as a whole species, not unlike the development of the first multi-cellular organisms. Humanity went through a similar transition when we started to coalesce into cities. We suddenly became subject to a larger set of social laws which guided our behavior. This was essential for the new order and higher living standards we now benefit from.