Re: infinite regresses

Mark R. Chandler (CHANDLER@TCRCA.USBM.GOV)
Tue, 28 Feb 1995 09:39:48 CST

hi. i've been away a week, and maybe someone's already make the
following point after jeff's posting. that is, electronic ecologies
now exist, there's papers and symposia on this topic, and creeping
technology has already gotten us to the point where some (me, for
instance) conclude that AL (artificial life) has been formally
created, conplete with footnotes and references and compressed files
that can be downloaded off the MechEng BBS (or bought at your local
computer/software store, i'd guess) to create said electronic
ecologies on your own personal computer.

>
> There are three possibilities concerning Rosen's theories.
>
> 1. He is wrong.
> 2. His theories are right, but we can only manipulate material
> nature in mechanistic ways; therefore it is impossible for man
> to create life.
> 3. His theories are right, and it is possible for man to manipulate
> material nature to set up a complex relationship that can be
> self continuing and emergent....thus creating life.
>
> Realistically, it will probably have to wait, assuming Rosen is
> right, until someone comes up with an actual complex realization
> (man-made-life), if possible, before Rosen's theories get the
> attention of the scientific community.
>
> Jeff Prideaux
>
yours in research,

mrc

Mark Chandler
U. S. Bureau of Mines
5629 Minnehaha Ave., S.
Minneapolis, MN
55417-3099
USA

office: 612-725-4737
fax: 612-725-4526
chandler@tcrca.usbm.gov