Einstein would be ecstatic…Darwin, maybe, not quite so

Each one of us is a miraculous and immeasurably complex system formed, according to a genetic code so vast and complex that it has taken us until recently to “understand” something that, according to some, happened “by accident” and without any apparent purpose! We are robust, with “redundancy” (two lungs, eyes, etc.) built-in. Nature has endowed us with the ability to adapt and to survive.

But that is only part of the story.

“Life is a self-replicating hierarchy of levels. Biology is the study of the levels that compose the hierarchy. No phenomenon at any level can be wholly characterized without incorporating other phenomena that arise at all levels. Genes prescribe proteins, proteins self-assemble into cells, cells multiply and aggregate to form organs, organs arise as parts of organisms, and organisms gather sequentially into societies, populations and ecosystems. Natural selection that targets a trait at any of these levels ripples in effect across all the others.”

E.O.Wilson and Bert Holldubler in “The Superorganism”

Complex systems are, by definition, “Robust yet fragile” and none moreso than is shown in this superb, short, video (from IBM). It may provide some useful insight:

If you are unable to view the IBM video from here (they keep blocking it!) you will find it on-line

May I just point out that, there was more to this post but it was lost somewhere between creating and,,,me going to the Pub! I cannot tell you how disappointed I am, because the only reason I went was that I was very happy with this piece! My only consolation is that regular (even occasional) readers know that I tend to end most blogs on the subject with a plea for open-mindedness toward Ontonix…so just the usual then, “didn’t miss much”!

But it was good. It was relevant. It was current. It clarified EVERYTHING! Honest!

I am really going off Live Writer, keeps crashing.

THIS is a pale imitation of the original but the “Machiavelli blog”, somewhat, develops things from this point. Sorry about that.

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