Wherefor the species?
A poem by John Kineman
There once was a species with unstable genes
which could not reproduce no matter the means.
Now this, now that, through various form
to a fit population none would conform.
Cloning as well was without success
for once they were cloned they'd immediately regress.
There was nothing for it but to abandon the genes
and resort instead to reproduction by memes.
Now if thoughts are things this notion appears
for genes are things and memes are ideas.
Their reasoning was, that with form unreliable
their thoughts themselves might instead be viable.
Each set about with due concentration
to design their offspring from pure cogitation.
But the quality of thought bode ill for the species
and their new mental life forms resembled, well....feces.
No luck with genes and with no form for their memes
they decided now to put their minds in machines.
Which removed all concern about how to bed,
but unpleasantly led to a much greater dread!
were power removed -- they would all be dead!!
This condition required a quick resolution
so they formed a committee to find a solution.
Their plan concluded in long written articles
that salvation lie only as quantum particles.
Now this situation was much more acceptable
reduced to quanta their status at least was respectable.
Though their fortunes might still occasionally reverse
they were now, in fact, the foundation of the universe!
The universe, they reasoned was in the long run stable
so to persist in the future they would surely be able.
But one poor buggar who was quite good at math
proved their future might resemble an unpleasant past.
If, as he resoned, they began in a bang
their end as well might similarly hang!
Alas, the end of the story cannot yet be known
for WE are this species, confused of our home.
And if anything from this can at all be shown
it is that our thoughts are uncertain and our future unknown.
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John J. Kineman, Physical Scientist/Ecologist
National Geophysical Data Center
325 Broadway E/GC1 (3100 Marine St. Rm: A-152)
Boulder, Colorado 80303 USA
(303) 497-6900 (phone)
(303) 497-6513 (fax)
jjk@ngdc.noaa.gov (email)