Re: The evolution of knowledge

Ritsjoena wrote:
On Jul 4, 6:07 am, Stephen Trapani <fahgetabou...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Evolution is a much bigger concept than just Biology.

Evolution actually is a fundamental building block of our very
existence. In a free society, the competition and selection of ideas and
products has fueled the advancement of mankind in many areas, including
technology, the advancement of Science and the progress of morality, to
name a few.

Two brilliant works have described this evolution: The Fabric of
Reality, by David Deutsch, and Conjectures and Refutations, by Karl
Popper. Popper explains how knowledge grows through conjectures and
refutations and Deutsch describes Evolution and one strand of the Theory
of Everything.

Denying the truth inherent in the evolution of knowledge, whether
genetic or otherwise is more ridiculous than denying a round earth.

Stephen

I think you have to distinguish between the theory of evolution and
the concept of evolution.

The concept of evolution is a process/algorithm without an inherent
application.
The theory of evolution is the application of this concept in the
biology of the development of species.

It is the concept that can be applied to a lot of things.

In most cases when the word "evolution" is used in this newsgroup it
means the concept of evolution as applied in the biology of species.

So generally speaking you are right, but sometimes the words are used
a bit more specific.

I am saying that the same process of evolution underlies the foundation of our existence whether it is biological or otherwise. The competition in biological systems is just one example. The competition of ideas works the same way.

The process of evolution is the same in all areas where information (knowledge) is allowed to compete. This is the same process in world of human knowledge as it is in the ecosystem. Evolution is the random production of information which is then selected based upon it's robustness compared to the information that already exists.

The point is that those who deny evolution are not just denying biological evolution. They claim it is far fetched for ape-like ancestors to evolve into humans. They might as well also claim it is far fetched for grass huts to evolve into sky-scrapers, or for kingdoms to evolve into free societies. The theory of evolution is responsible for all of it. Read "Evolutionary Epistemology" by Radnitzky and Bartley.

Stephen

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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Natural selection and favorable traits how were they measured ?
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    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Is technology part of evolution?
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  • Re: bio-evolution lacks both a dynamic and an object
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  • Re: Natural selection and favorable traits how were they measured ?
    ... direct or indirect product of Darwinian natural selection. ... Design cannot precede evolution and therefore cannot ... and typical alleles. ... You said evolutionary biology could not make quantitative predictions. ...
    (talk.origins)
  • Re: Natural selection and favorable traits how were they measured ?
    ... direct or indirect product of Darwinian natural selection. ... Design cannot precede evolution and therefore cannot ... and typical alleles. ... You said evolutionary biology could not make quantitative predictions. ...
    (talk.origins)