Newsgroups: alt.philosophy.objectivism,alt.sci.physics.new-theories,sci.physics,comp.ai,comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.meta,alt.memetics,alt.extropians
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!bb3.andrew.cmu.edu!newsfeed.pitt.edu!scramble.lm.com!news.math.psu.edu!chi-news.cic.net!nntp.coast.net!howland.reston.ans.net!ix.netcom.com!netcom.com!jqb
From: jqb@netcom.com (Jim Balter)
Subject: Re: Randomness and free will
Message-ID: <jqbDMoH2D.4pp@netcom.com>
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 261-4700 guest)
References: <823175308.29461@ray.division.co.uk> <jimgmDM7s8D.DM0@netcom.com> <4faqfs$6br@hammer.msfc.nasa.gov> <4fd4u0$rug@longwood.cs.ucf.edu>
Distribution: inet
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 19:35:00 GMT
Lines: 24
Sender: jqb@netcom15.netcom.com
Xref: glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu sci.physics:170850 comp.ai:36965 comp.ai.philosophy:37663 sci.philosophy.meta:24627

In article <4fd4u0$rug@longwood.cs.ucf.edu>,
Tom Clarke <clarke@longwood.cs.ucf.edu> wrote:

>The phase transition or paradigm shift in which some animal tapped
>into this potential to enhance its survival, I would place at the
>origin of mammals.  Mammals are night creatures, their forte is 
>sneaking around at night.  To accomplish this a detailed internal
>model of the environment is needed since in the dark it cannot
>be constantly referred to by just looking at it.  

What a hoot!  (You know, sharp beak, big eyes ....)

>I haven't gone much further than this in my thinking,

Perhaps it is time to start.

>but I do
>realize the important of providing an evolutionary account.  

A more effective approach is to go from data to theory, rather inventing
fanciful ideas and playing Procrustes with the data.
-- 
<J Q B>

