Further notes about the morphostasis concept – split files

(23) Evolution (and emergence)

When we think of evolution, we tend to conjure up metaphorical "trees" of somewhat related organisms, plants and animals. We imagine how a primitive ape diverged into chimpanzees, gorillas, orang-utans and humans. We imagine how primitive fish started to occupy a partially terrestrial habitat. We imagine how various insects emerged from some segmented predecessor (and that in turn from an unsegmented ancestor). And we imagine how these various forms have intermediates that show a gradual and incremental divergence such that the evolutionary steps required are sufficiently incremental to occur within the available timeframe.

However, step back a little and think instead of how evolution is a tendency to an increasing complexity that is then edited by a process of survivor concentration. So, this can go right back to molecules and atoms. Galaxy formations are evolvent structures. Complex organic molecules are emergent structures. The universe is constructed out of a boiling turmoil of "virtual" particles that occasionally hit upon a sufficient complexity of interaction that leaves some parts more persistent. (Indeed, the very fabric of our atomic anatomy relies on a quantum generation of virtual particles with which our own "real" particles are "exchanged" in a sort of standing wave fashion.) This complexity slowly emerges into gas clouds, suns, planets, primitive organic matter and, ultimately, intelligent machines (biological or otherwise). The whole process is a demonstration of how entropy (and borrowing more energy than "you" are prepared to repay) can be encouraged to accelerate part of our environment into a faster homogenisation so that the other part is able to indulge in this complexity and establish, at least briefly, an increasing order. This complexity does not, automatically, dictate, more and more "cogs and wheels"; redundant "complexities" can be lost as well as gained if these chancy loss events prove viable. However, even these add to the overall complexity of variety and the complexity of the ecosystem.