"Tim Tyler"  wrote in message
news:cc1bkf$2ldf$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org...
> Perplexed in Peoria  wrote or quoted:
> > Yes, the progressive accumulation of technology does seem to be
> > a "law of nature" in some sense, though it is a
"law" which
> > permits exceptions.
>
> Meteorite strikes and the like.  However these are not common.

There are much more common reasons why technology may be lost.
Any technology that is not used will probably be lost.  This
has happened frequently in the cultural history of technology,
usually because a "better" technology has come along.  But
"better" really means more appropriate to current circumstances,
and circumstances can change, and then change back.  If we need
stone axes or bone fishhooks in the future, we may have to start
from scratch.

Technology is lost less frequently in biological evolution, primarily
because the environment permits a lot more biological diversity
than it permits cultural diversity.  Some niche can always be found
where the old biological technology remains appropriate.

> Similarly, the second "law" of thermodynamics also permits exceptions.
>
> However, such exceptions are on sufficiently small a scale for nobody to
> notice very much.

And, of course, I am going to ignore this.  I REALLY don't want to
reopen that debate.
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