First,
there was the Geosphere, then the Biosphere and now the Noosphere.
This sequence is the time-line of evolution.
Initially,
on Earth, chemical, geological, geochemical evolution emerged. The
biological evolution followed. It leads to the progressive
development of cell, body systems and body-mind systems. Offspring of
the latter were mind-culture systems that formed societies. All these
systems together are information processors and communicators. So
far, a conceptual, general frame. However, what is the storyline
behind this frame?
Well, To Start Off Simple...
…
10
billion years ago, stars formed out of hydrogen. Hydrogen is the
simplest chemical element. It combines a single proton and a single
electron. The first stars fused hydrogen in their cores to form more
complex chemical elements, such as deuterium, lithium and also carbon
or iron. These chemical elements are the ashes of stars burning away.
Once stars reach the end of their lifetime, they 'explode to
implode', i.e. forming what we call a supernova. This explosion
blasts the ashes, i.e. the newly fused chemical elements into space. New stars form, fuse and explode; more and more heavier elements are formed Now, from these ashes minerals could develop, combining different chemical elements
into more complex structures. From these structures, further more
complex structures can be made, like planets.
When
these minerals had aggregated into forming planets, like Earth had
several billion years ago, they evolve in a new fashion. Chemical
processes transform original minerals into other minerals, be they
simple too but different or be they more convoluted. Various chemical
processes combine into process-loops, and so, the Geosphere is
forming. Eventually, geochemistry of planets developed as well as
their particular geology. Different pools of matter form in the
Geosphere, be it in the deeper layers of the planets, or close to the
surface, taking on solid, liquid or gaseous forms. Matter exchanges
between these pools and flows in closed pathways repetitively,
exhibiting geochemical cycles.
...from astrophysics to geology.
After
an elapse of time, increasingly repetitive chemical processes
developed. These processes are more complex than the simple
transformation of minerals in geochemical cycles. Often, particular
processes take place on the surface of minerals because these
surfaces provide geometrical shapes that ease the development of
complex chemical structures, including their replication. In time,
some billion years ago, replication of complex chemical structures
had reached a state of abundance on Earth, and there were polymers
everywhere. As more different stuff, such as minerals and polymers
were around, as more and more intricate process could appear. At
that moment, Earth's chemical processes had evolved into a phase
where 'living beings' could emerge.
Replication
of structures is an essential, primary key feature of life. With
time, the different replication processes combined and reproduction
could appear. This new feature could emerge once the replication
processes had stabilised and diversified so that an abundance of
'more of about the same' could be produced.
Take A Bit Of Evolution...
At
first, the simplest 'living beings' consisted of a boundary layer of
polymers that formed an enclosed surface around some particular
substances and segregated them from other surrounding matter. When
this boundary layer also surrounded the specific substances that are
needed for the replication processes, then the 'closed boundary
layer' gets a promising future. Suppose that raw material (i.e. food
and energy) is available then more of the enclosing boundary can be
produced. Consequently, growth is possible, both in size and numbers.
Particularly interesting would be to attain a further skill, namely
also to replicate the specific substances that handle the replication
process for the boundary layer. When that is happening, then
self-replication may happen and 'more of about the same' may grow,
i. e.
more enclosed boundary layers. We would be tempted to call this 'a
cell'.
The
primary function of boundary layers is to segregate lumps of matter
from each other and other matter. Boundary layers are a fundamental,
key feature of 'living beings'. Boundary layers are the interface
that controls interaction with other 'living beings' and between a
'living being' and its environment. These interactions take the form
of selected fluxes of matter, energy and information across the
boundary layer that limits the 'living being'.
The
emergence of 'self-replicating enclosed boundary layers for selected
cross-boundary fluxes of matter, energy and information' mark the
onset of the biological evolution. When the biological evolution
feeds back into the chemical-geological evolution of a planet, i.e.
the Earth then a Biosphere is forming.
...making stuff, more and more.
Controlled
interaction of 'living beings' ends when they die. At that time, the
protecting boundary layers break up. Therefore to secure sustained
existence of life, 'living beings' have to replicate before they die.
Thus for survival, a self-replicating 'living being' has to do this
sufficiently often before ceasing to exist, at least once but better
more often.
A
'living being' may survive if the self-replication or reproduction
process produces copies of it in sufficient quantity and quality.
These copies do not have to be perfect and many; just
'a-bit-more-of-about-the-same' will do it. The replicates may vary
when compared to the original. However, for the reproduction process
to be sustainable, they have to fit into the environment they find
themselves in, into the fluxes of matter, energy and information
across the enclosing boundary functions.
Reproduction
is a process of 'copy-and-paste-me into the environment' that
produces 'a bit more of about the same'. The slight variation of the
replicated 'living being', when compared to its forebear, is
essential for survival. It is a means to open chances to cope with
changes that are occurring in its environment. There is a small
probability that some of the variants fit reasonably well, by chance
to the varied environment, by chance. This fit will ease their
replication. Any misfit will hinder replication. In case that
resources are few, then the least-fit may not replicate.
Variation
is intrinsic to most replication processes because they are faulty,
i.e. they produce "just about the same". Fully accurate,
faithful replication would hinder survival because of a likely misfit
with the environment that has changed. On the other hand, a severe
faulty replication would hinder survival because of losing
functionality of the 'living being'. The trick for survival is to
replicate in a suitable quantity and quality, each replication being
a peculiar but slight variation of the forebear. Biological evolution
has to follow this approach, and throughout the billion years, it has
traced a path muddling through a wide range of possible
changes.
...making sense off, at least a bit.
Awareness
about one's environment is the key strategy to finding a development
path; a very successful strategy indeed, as evolution has shown. It
has led to the development of receptors, sensors, signalling systems,
nervous systems, and eventually brains, minds and finally culture,
society and (digital) technology. What all these different features
have in common is that they are means of capturing and processing
information about the environment they are belonging, with the
purpose of better managing the exchange processes with it. In the
end, this leads to a better control of the various exchange processes
in support of survival through reproduction.
To Add A Bit Of Complexity...
Evolved
brains, thus very complex nervous systems, are carriers of minds or
intelligence - initially very simple, with limited skills. Minds have
emerged as a new feature in the course of the evolution of 'living
beings', once the complexity of their nervous systems had
sufficiently developed. Beyond exhibiting other features, minds are
internal, virtual representations of the outer world, the environment
around the 'living beings'. The brain holds these virtual
representations; thus, it is the carrier of the mind.
The
information about the external environment that is part of the mind
results from inputs that were captured by the receptors and
interpreted by sensors. These inputs trigger signals. The nervous
system transmits and aggregated these signals. The brain processes
these signals in complex manners. It may be, or not that a previous
representation of the outer world is modified, and the mind
represents the external environment in a different manner. Any of
these representations, which we may call 'perceptions', are internal
to the 'living being', and they are virtual in the same sense of the
word as it is used in information technology. These virtual
representations form a kind of 'mental objects' that are created from
heavily processed signals. These internal, virtual mental objects
represent a somewhat distorted image of the external world; the
distortion may vary. In many cases, the representations that are part
of by human mind is quite faithful and can be used to guide our
actions, .i.e. to drive a car. Some are crap, and other may be fancy
and fashionable but without match outside the mind, e.g. souls,
ghosts and gods. Thus, the mental object may evolve further due to
internal processes of the brain and finally the object may get
disparate from any faithful representation of the external
environment. Be these virtual representations as they may, these
virtual and mental objects represent significant drivers for the
'living beings'; e.g. people are guided by their dreams and visions
for the better or the worth of their survival, i.e.
reproduction.
...getting virtual, getting viral.
Some
hundred million years ago, these internal, virtual drivers were a
new, emerging feature produced by the evolution of bodies, i.e.
nervous systems. The evolution was slow. Finally, mind-setting for
survival and reproduction was the new game to play, possibly emerging
fully to the level that we witness in our close ancestors little time
ago.
Evolved
minds also included an internal, virtual representation of its
carrier, the 'living being'. Understanding of 'oneself' started to
emerge, possibly very early in the evolution of mental systems. When
mature, then this particular mental object has the purpose to steer,
perceive and plan actions of the carrier of the mental object, i.e.
the body in the external environment. The processing of mental
objects precedes the action of the body, by little for many movements
of our bodies or by extended periods of time for planned activities
of groups of human beings. The latter kind of processing of mental
objects is part of our daily communication by which we describe and
evaluate options 'how to act?'. Going beyond this direct
communication between 'living beings', we have encoded messages in
our culture and related artefacts to guide actions of other humans by
triggering their internal, virtual mental
objects.
Nervous
systems, including the brain and the mind, find an analogy in
computer hardware and computer software. The hardware is the carrier
to run the software. Hardware and software have to match in essential
features. Otherwise, the software cannot function. The brain, the
nervous system and the body are the hardware on which the software,
the mind, runs. The essential characteristics of the brain determine
the manner in which the mind functions. However, beyond the matching
of basic features, a variety of minds can be carried by the same
brain or nervous system. The essential role of the 'body and mind
system' is the same as in earlier stages of evolution, namely: to
replicate the 'living being' in quality and quantity of at least 'a
bit more of about the same'. Thus, to survive, the body and mind have
to evolve jointly.
...bonding once more.
Evolution
of minds opens options for cooperation and bonding between
individuals. Individuals are similar but not identical body-mind
systems that interact with each other. Seen from the perspective of
one particular person, the body-mind systems of the other persons,
individually and collectively, are part of the environment with which
matter, energy and information are exchanged. The evolution of these
'bonded body-mind systems' (i.e. groups of individual 'humans' in our
history) led to sharing of know-how and artefacts among them.
Artefacts are external representations of mental objects. They are
external because they belong to the environment.
Craftsmanship,
arts, culture and technology, etc., all emerge as new features among
'bonded body-mind systems'. These new features partially are internal
to the body-mind system, i.e. having virtual representations and
being related to mental objects. In that form, they mainly are
perceptions that are shared between different 'body-mind systems',
i.e. they are 'memes' shared among individual humans. Likewise, these
new features (craftsmanship, arts, culture and technology, etc.) make
up part of the environment in the form of artefacts that are produced
by the 'body-mind systems', i.e. by humans who give their internal,
virtual mental objects a physical form and add them to the
environment. Consequently, these tangible artefacts and their related
internal, virtual, mental objects in other persons become implicit to
the environments that are external to a given 'living beings', i.e.
person. The individuals act in a coordinated manner, as groups,
networks or societies, shaping the environment in which, to survive,
they have to reproduce, in quality and quantity that is at least "a
bit more of about the same". Consequently, the Noosphere is
emerging from the Bio-Geosphere.
On The Way Out...
Much
has happened since the first stars have formed. Today, the number of
human beings and the manner of our reproduction take such a size that
we squeeze the Biosphere of planet Earth. The combined strength of
us, humans is such that we modulate the Geosphere of planet Earth,
starting the Anthropocene. But where do we go from here? Evolution
will continue its erratic
path, building increasingly complex systems
by means of using simple building blocks. Irritatingly, we will
evolve beyond us and our current state of being. Increasingly complex
technologies that we create will open developmental paths to new,
self-replicating systems that differ from the body-mind systems as we
know them today. These systems will reproduce themselves “about the
same”, will carry internal representations of their own structures
and their environment, will be fused into our culture, and thus these
'artificial beings' will belong to us, be with us, will be part of
us. That's, then the Noosphere.
P.
S....if we do not crash this planet !
(c) pictures Ukko El'hob
Note: This text had been published some years ago on this bog. It got reworked and re-edited for more thoughts and better reading. Thank you LLL!
