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===Observations on the evolutionary process=== | ===Observations on the evolutionary process=== | ||
*It is '''algorithmic''': it is suitable | *It is '''algorithmic''': it is suitable in concept for use by a [[Turing machine]]. | ||
*It is '''profoundly stupid''': It requires no insight, intelligence | *It is '''profoundly stupid''': It requires no insight, intelligence or imagination. ''Also'' ideal for use by a [[Turing machine]]. Therefore: | ||
**No educated guesses based on acquired assumptions about the environment, the prevailing physical laws of the universe etc. | **No educated guesses based on acquired assumptions about the environment, the prevailing physical laws of the universe etc. | ||
**No retrospective correction of successful variations which, on subsequent adaptations, turn out to be constraints or design flaws. | **No retrospective correction of successful variations which, on subsequent adaptations, turn out to be constraints or design flaws. | ||
*It is '''profoundly wasteful''': It requires trial and error, but because it is stupid, it is entirely unsupported by intelligent insight. It | *It is '''profoundly wasteful''': It requires trial and error, but because it is stupid, it is entirely unsupported by intelligent insight. It cannot hypothesise that variation x will be more successful than variation y, and so opt for variation x; | ||
*It is '''profoundly contingent''': | *It is '''profoundly contingent''': what counts as “fitness” depends on a changing environment comprising: | ||
:(a) the organism itself; | |||
:(b) all other (evolving) organisms in the biosphere; and | |||
:(c) changing climate, whether through: | |||
::(i) normal environmental fluctuations (weather, seasonal change, viruses); | |||
::(ii) evolving organisms consuming resources and competing with each other; or | |||
::(iii) extraordinary climactic events (earthquakes, volcanoes, meteorites, invasions of “aliens”). | |||
*It is '''profoundly inefficient''': the iterative | *It is '''profoundly inefficient''': the iterative nature of the evolutionary process is highly unlikely to produce design economy: Each new adaptation depends on, and is layered on top of, all earlier adaptations. The more more recent an adaptation is, the more susceptible it is to successful mutation. Mutations in basic characteristics on which a lot of subsequent bio-engineering depends are likely to be catastrophic. A design flaw that is critical will lead to extinction. A non-critical design-flaw may be that layering work-arounds over earlier design flaws, meaning | ||
*It is [[survivor bias]] writ large | *It is [[survivor bias]] writ large | ||