"Michael Ragland"  wrote in message
news:btaau3$2kb9$1{at}darwin.ediacara.org...
>
>
> I found this on the internet. The URL is
> http://www.isd.atr.co.jp/~ray/pubs/oji/ojihtml.html
> Apparently this was from the Sante Fe Institute and is
based on a
> computer program. I don't know the validity or
signifigance of the data
> or the methods used to arrive at data. Nevertheless, I
found it
> interesting the program
> indicated a drop in entropy whenever the appearance of
highly successful
> new genotypes whose populations come to dominate large
portions of
> memory, pushing other genotypes out, and generating major
extinction
> events. Thus, ecological entropy drops appear to
correspond to the
> chance discovery of significant innovations. I don't know
what the basis
> for this is but I found it interesting.
>
> There has been alot of debate as to the relationship
between entropy and
> evolution. Is it possible entropy has fluctuated in our
> evolution...dropping whenever there is the appearance of
new successful
> genotypes and then this process generally restores the
community to the
> equilibrium entropy about as rapidly as the entropy was
lost in the
> extinction episode?

Interesting reference--will hafta find time to think 'bout
this all. I must admit that the association of entropy with
evolution is still (and will probably remain) a totally
confusing issue for me. :)

> The human species will soon be entering into an extinction
period. This
> can take two possible forms: (a) we kill ourselves off the
planet or (b)
> we genetically engineer ourselves. Either way we become
extinct but I
> find (b) to be preferable since I doubt parasites will be
able to
> explore space

I am not sure I agree with (b). So long as the species
retains the records of the human genome, advanced
genengineering techniques of the future will always be able
to recreate an individual of the species, at will. Homo sap.
may become rare, but never truly extinct I think.

> We're the "top dog" on earth. It's highly unlikely there
will be any
> other species which pushes us out unless it happens to be
some
> genetically engineered virus. So that leaves us in the
unique position
> of pushing ourselves out through genetic engineering. Can
any one
> seriously doubt that once we have the science and
knowledge we will be
> able to create more successful genotypes?

No doubt, but each new species will _mostly_ be for a very
specific niche I think--"recreational" species (really,
individuals) will be around, but only a small minority.
There will be a big demand for a gilled "fishy" species to
live in various planetary oceans, and lotsa species designed
for heavier gravity and exotic atmosphere planets having all
sorts of ecosysytems (and possibly their own exotic alien
lifeforms)--major terraforming of most planets will be too
difficult and expensive for the future
intersteller "human" diaspora in comparison to gene
tinkering. :)         ...tonyC

[snip]

> Thomas S.Ray
> Thu Aug 3 13:06:00 JST 1995
>
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