So did our whole planetary biosphere. Eons and eons ago, the primeval Earth - itself a highly complex celestial body - was barrren of all Life. And then the first ephemeral bit of Life began to stir the oceans of the world. Although as primitive as could be, it was an immensely more complex affair than the relatively simple chemicals it arose out of. From these very modest and extremely simple beginnings, and over endlessly slow eons, Life has grown and evolved to the staggering complexity of a biosphere teeming with all manner of Life - including our kind and selves. And although we, our selves have grown, and are still in the process of growth - if not physically anymore, then at least psychologically - we have very little, and in fact nothing to do with this. These thing 'just happen'. It is what Nature does; it is in the nature of things, as they say.
But there is far more to it than this. As we shall see, growth, and it's intrinsic progressive complexity, are fundamental universal laws; they operate anywhere and everywhere in this universe. What we perceive here as the growth of a dandelion, for instance, or of a kitten, of our selves, or of our children - is a fundamental universal law at work. A law as vast and as abiding as the mind-boggling immensity of our universe itself.
When we look farther afield, beyond the confines of the Earth and our time, we also find progressive complexity at work everywhere we look. The high complexity of our solar system was born out of the elementary simplicity of an inter-galactic cloud which consisted mostly of hydrogen, the simplest element of the universe, and a smattering, by galactic standards, of a few, more complex elements. These somewhat more complex elements were fused in stars - also out of the basic simplicity of hydrogen. Our own sun is fusing its hydrogen into the two-fold greater complexity of helium right now. Like all stars in the universe, it is a blazing factory of the progressive complexity of the elements. Last, but by no means least, the astronomical complexity of our universe had its origin in its big bang birth out of the ultimate simplicity of pure energy.
Consequently, and as eminent theoretical physicist Paul Davies states;
"So there exists something like a law of increasing complexity."
("The Cosmic Blueprint", 1988). And indeed there is.
As one may fully expect, it is a breath-takingly beautiful law. It is also a very, very simple law - so simple that my 14 year-old daughter could easily understand it, at least in principle. And although everything that follows here is scientific in nature, there is no need to start quivering at the prospect of a lot of science. It is all very, very simple, and also very beautiful. While this theory has been accepted with great enthusiasm by some (it has been unilaterally 'adopted' by an interdisciplinary group of scientists at the University of Zurich), with much fascination by others, and simply as a matter of fact by many others, it also has its critics. Their only criticism is that this theory is too simple, and too general.
I find this perplexing. The first and second laws of thermodynamics - which could not be any simpler - are revered in science for their "intellectual elegance and explanatory strength" (Hans Christian von Baeyer, in his article in SCIENCE, "On the Cold Front", July/August, 1989). These two fundamental laws are also generality itself; they could not be any more general. This is absolutely necessary. In order to govern everything in this universe, the fundamental laws of our universe have to be very simple and general to the extreme. Like most scientists, Leon Lederman, Director of Fermi Laboratory, fully expects the ultimate law of the universe to be so simple, "that one can wear it on a T-shirt". And as famous quantum physicist Werner Heisenberg observed "...the almost frightening simplicity and wholeness of the relationships which nature suddenly opens up before us." He could not have said it any better, and particularly, regarding the wholeness of this theory. Its wholeness, and vast explanatory power is dazzling - as we shall see anon.
Besides, this theory arises out of the first law of thermodynamics and is, therefore, as extremely simple and as general as the first law itself. As it turns out, this great simplicity is an entirely a good thing. For the understanding of these principles is required knowledge of Homo nobilis, stellaris - the next phase of the evolution of our kind, which is currently well underway already.
The evidence that our universe had its big bang birth out of an infinitesimal singularity of pure energy is now overwhelming. Consequently, everything that exists in this universe must have its ultimate origin in the nature of energy. There is no way around this. Since the first law of thermodynamics describes the nature of energy, we now turn to the 1st law to see what it contains.
The 1st law of thermodynamics states:
Since energy cannot be created nor destroyed, it follows logically that energy exists forever; in other words, the Stability of energy is infinite (the law of the Conservation of Energy). Here then, we have the root-cause and ultimate origin of all Stability - as so clearly and explicitly stated in the 1st. law of thermodynamics (TD).
The second part of the 1st. law of TD goes on to say: "energy can only change in form". Here then, and obviously, we have the root-cause and ultimate origin of all Change - as so clearly and explicitly stated in the 1st law of TD.
We now find that Change and Stability have their common origin in the nature of energy. Consequently, Change and Stability are the bi-polar complements of the fundamental unity of energy, are inextricably interlocked, are relative to each other, and are inversely proportional. It follows that there is no Change without Stability; and there is no Stability without Change. The familiar teeter-totter of our childhood days provides a vivid illustration:
This is rather beautiful; Change without an element of Stability would be pure chaos; nothing could ever exist for more than a split-nano-second. And Stability without any Change would be pure inertia, or stasis; nothing could ever happen. But put the two together, and everything becomes possible; to whit - the awesome splendour of our universe, of Life, and of our kind and selves. Here then, in the unification of Change & Stability, we also encounter the first example of the awesome beauty of the cosmic wholeness of all things. Many more will follow anon. Another vivid illustration of the wholeness of Change and Stability is the familiar yin-yang symbol. The ancients had it right all along.
The unified law of Change & Stability also gives us the fundamental driving forces of the evolution of Life. Life evolved from simple bacteria to the immense complexity of our planetary biosphere, including our kind and selves. But although everything else evolved from them (Carl Woese; "The Bacterial Origin of All Higher Forms of Life"; 1984), bacteria are still very much with us. And so are all the other major stages of the evolution of Life - sponges, worms, fish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, monkeys, apes, and our kind. The evolution of Life is a pure process of (energy-driven) Change & Stability. So is every life of every living thing. Change dominates the dynamics of Growth, and later of Decay and Death; whereas the dynamics of Stability dominate the Mature phase.
The law of Change & Stability also gives us the ultimate origin of male- and femaleness. Male spermatozoa contribute only genetic change to the female ovum; whereas the female ovum provides the genetic, morphological, metabolic and physiological stability of all living things. Without insemination, reproduction would result in an exact replica, or clone, of the maternal organism. Maleness, therefore, embodies the universal law of Change, whereas femaleness embodies universal law of Stability. And as Change and Stability are the bi-polar complements of an indivisible whole, so are male- and femaleness. So, it now turns out that our male- or femaleness is deeply embedded in the root-core laws of our universe itself. The beauty, and the wholeness of our universe - of its laws, and of our existence - is awesome to behold.
The dynamics of Change & Stability constitute a broad, impeccably structured, and immensely rich domain in their own right. Since the dynamics of Change & Stability have their origin in the nature of energy, they are fundamentally quantum in nature. However, Change & Stability dynamics also contain a natural and seamless transition from quantum- to Newtonian dynamics. Consequently, the laws of Change & Stability hold true for both domains. Since it would take about 30 pages, we will not go into the dynamics of Change & Stability here. Instead we will only mention a few highlights. Due to the intrinsic Stability factors inherent in the nature of energy (constants, quanta, for instance), there are 'Strata of Stability'. This is very, very important; Strata of Stability play a powerfully vital role in every aspect of our existence - from our own personal health to our climates, to the Stability of social systems, and the existence of our planetary biosphere.
One of the most familiar examples of 'Strata of Stability' are the three phases of water-ice, fluid water, and water vapour. The typical and specific Stratum of Stability of (water) ice ranges from absolute zero to O degrees Celsius. The Stratum of Stability of fluid water ranges from 0 degrees C. to 100 degrees C. And the Stratum of Stability of water vapour ranges from 100 degrees C. to the influx of ionizing energy. The sudden transitions from one Stratum of Stability to the other are energy-driven, and are caused by either an influx, or a loss of energy.
Therefore then, we find two kinds of Change; energy-driven fluctuations within each Stratum of Stability; and sudden energy-driven transitions from one Stratum of Stability to another. This point is crucially important; our planetary biosphere also has its own intrinsic and specific Stratum of Stability, which we have driven close to a catastrophic phase-transitions.
Essentially then, Strata of Stability are the familiar 'phases' of matter - the well-known solid, fluid and gaseous phases of matter. However, the principles of Strata of Stability as they arise out of the law of Change & Stability are far more fundamental, as well as far broader. Strata of Stability range all the way from the 'invariants' of wavelengths, to the specific and intrinsic Stability of particles, atoms, molecules, cells, organisms, genetic, metabolic, physiological and morphological Strata of Stability - to Strata of Stability of genera, species and biospheres, and the intrinsic Strata of Stability of social, economic, political and cognitive systems. Moreover, Strata of Stability are tightly integrated with Strata of Complexity - which we will meet in a moment - as new Strata of Complexity are built upon and arise out of the abiding Strata of Stability of preceeding systems (such as multi-cellular organism out of single-celled organisms).
The principle of Strata of Stability applies to all things in this universe - from quanta of energy, to neutrinos, photons, particles, protons, electrons, neutrons, atoms, molecules, compounds, cells, organisms, biological systems, biospheres, social systems, political systems, planets, stars, stellar systems, galaxies and black holes. Every phenomenon has its own specific and intrinsic Stratum of Stability - and the Strata of Stability of all compound systems, like atoms, molecules, cells, and so forth, are composites of the Strata of Stability of their components.
Among many other things, Strata of Stability explain particles (loci of 'congealed' energy), particle decay, and quantum tunnelling. Strata of Stability contain a constant flux and flow of energy, which is essentially chaotic in nature (thermal noise). When a component of a Stratum of Stability encounters a 'spike' in this chaotic flux and flow of energy, the combination of the chaotic spike of thermal noise and the 'eigen-energy' of this component can be sufficient to propel this component over the energy barrier - in what appears to us to be 'quantum tunnelling'. Particle decay occurs when a low-energy particle encounters a 'valley' in the thermal noise within the Stratum of Stability it inhabits. Thus, both quantum tunnelling and particle decay are entirely deterministic, but due to the chaotic nature of thermal noise, essentially unpredictable and only statistically predictable. (see "Stochastic Resonance"; SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, Aug. 1995).
When the influx or loss of energy does not exceed the specific Stratum of Stability of any system,
the system remains stable.
When the influx or loss of energy exceeds the Stratum of Stability of any system by far,
the system collapses.
Strata of Stability also apply to black holes. This means that when the influx or loss of energy exceeds the intrinsic and specific Stratum of Stability of a black hole, the black hole must change. This, by the way, is an entirely different mechanisms of the collapse of black holes than that proposed by Stephen Hawking. And the most likely change for a black hole is a phase-shift to the stupendous out-pouring of energy of a 'white hole', or quasar. For those unfamiliar with the term, black holes are stupendous gravity wells that result from the gravitational collapse of super-giant stars. This powerful gravity-well then pulls everything else within its reach into its core, and becomes more powerful with any additional mass captured. Eventually, this gravity-well becomes so stupendous that it will swallow millions and millions of stars and planets, growing ever more powerful along the way, until not even light can escape it. Hence the term 'black hole'.
One would think that black holes are cosmic evil incarnate by pulling everything in their vast reach into the bottomless black of their insatiable core. But this is not so. The laws of Change & Stability demand that black holes must eventually give up and pour out the stupendous energy they have captured. In this light then, black holes are, almost literally, cosmic vacuum cleaners, and perform a powerful fundamentally function within the structure and dynamics of our universe.
In somewhat more lyrical terms, the function of black holes is to gather what has been lost, to concentrate was has been dissipated, to turn cold into heat, to turn darkness into light, to bring forth life out of death - in eternal cycles of birth, death and re-birth. Moreover, and according to the laws of Change & Stability, the birth of our universe may well have been caused - to paraphrase a recently popular colloquialism - by the inevitable collapse of "The Mother of All Black Holes".
All this is very beautiful; it now turns out that the birth and death of stars, of black holes, of universes - are all governed by the same law and dynamics, differing only in the scale of the mass and energy involved. This would also move the birth of our universe firmly into the realm of the first law of thermodynamics - which is, since the Stability of energy is infinite, entirely logical.
The law of Change & Stability - and the law of the Conservation of Energy - yield a permanently oscillating universe - from Big Bang to Big Crunch in an infinite cycle of birth, expansion, contraction, death and re-birth. Moreover, the context of the law of Change & Stability contains the strong probability that energy and matter undergo a polarity-shift at each Big Crunch - Big Bang oscillation, yielding successive 'energy' and 'matter' - and 'anti-energy' and 'anti-matter' universes at each oscillation. The immediately preceding universe to our present universe would then have been the 'anti-universe' of our present universe. Not that this matters in any way whatsoever; unless one compares the polarity of energy of two successive universes, one could not tell one universe from the other.
The unification of Change & Stability results in the 1st theorem of the law of Change & Stability.
- Infinite Change within Stable Parameters -
It is a breath-takingly beautiful theorem; and it applies to everything in this universe.
To most of us, snowflakes are the most familiar example of 'Infinite Change within Stable Parameters'. Each snowflake is individually unique, yet is cast in the basic form common to all snowflakes. And while there is not one snowflake on the Earth exactly like any other - nor in the entire universe - nor ever was and never will be, each snowflake is invariably true to the form common to all. The same holds true of stars, of galaxies, of planets, moons, trees, cats and dogs, every leaf on every tree, every blade of grass; and even individual bacteria behave, as Lewis Thomas observed, "as if they have names". Each is individually unique, yet all conform to the typical phenotype of their kind. The same holds true for our selves. Every one of us is individually unique, yet we are all cast in the typical human form common to all of us. Here then, we have the origin, dynamics and function of individuality, in the infinity of Change within Stable parameters - and the essence of a Chaos that never repeats itself, but is contained within a fixed frame - and thus, the origin, foundation and wellspring of all creation.
We now come to the most significant part of this theory - the universal law of Progressive Complexity. This is very, very important. Because of the laws of Decay and Entropy, and also because of the chaotic nature of this universe, the traditional and still deeply ingrained view of science is that our universe has no meaning or purpose, and that the immense complexity of our biosphere, of Life and of our selves is an "astronomically unlikely accident in a chaotic universe" - and therefore also without any meaning or purpose whatsoever.
In this dismal view of science, all the breathtaking beauty and teeming complexity of Life - of bumblebees and butterflies, the riot of flowers, colours and scents in spring, of mountain meadows and verdant forests, of birds, mice, tigers, gnus, whales and elephants, of our kind and selves, the awesome splendour of the firmament, of innumerable stars and majestic galaxies, even the universe itself - are all for nothing and for naught.
All the awesome splendour of the cosmos and of Life is inexorably fated to grow cold and decay, to leave no trace whatsoever in the abysmal dark and eternal desolation of a universe dead and decayed to a bitterly cold 'soup' of stagnant particles. Consequently, we, and all the other awesome complexities of our universe are nothing more than a brief and meaningless flash in the unimaginable immensity of cosmic time.
And while this is partially true, our scientists could not have been any more wrong. They should have known. Every star in the universe is, after all, a blazing factory of the Progressive Complexity of the elements from simple hydrogen to the 92-fold complexity of uranium. It follows that the progressive complexity of the cosmos and of Life must be deeply rooted in the fundamental laws and nature of our universe. And rather than the universe being in flagrant violation of our 2nd law of thermodynamics, it is far more likely that this law of ours is only partially true.
And indeed it is. The law of Progressive Complexity 'pops' out, very simply, very naturally, and very beautifully, out of the unified dynamics of Change & Stability. To illustrate:
These images are just a few of the infinity of images of "The Mandelbrot set". The infinitely intricate complexity of these hauntingly beautiful images is generated by a very simple iterative (repeating) algorithm which, in its simplest and most basic form, is written like this:
Z^2 + C = Z1
Here 'Z' stands for any complex number which is squared. 'C' also stands for any complex number which remains constant (hence 'C') throughout. These two factors are then added together, yielding the product Z1. Then, Z1 takes the place of Z, and the procedure is repeated. Written down it looks like this:
Z^2 + C = Z1
Z1^2 + C = Z2
Z2^2 + C = Z3
Z3^2 + C = Z4
Z4^2 + C = Z5
....... + .......
and so forth, and so forth, ad infinitum. In practice, the procedure is a bit more complex, but this is the basic principle. When the product of each iteration is plotted on an x-y co-ordinate grid on a computer, the infinite complexity of the haunting beauty of the Mandelbrot set emerges, point by point, on the computer screen.
The secret of the creation of Progressive Complexity is simplicity itself. 'Z' is a continuously changing factor, whereas the constant C is a stable factor. Together, and in this manner, the unified law, and dynamics of Change & Stability creates Progressive Complexity. It could not be any more simple and straightforward. We now have the fundamental universal law of Progressive Complexity - as contained in the 1st law of thermodynamics, and intrinsic to the nature of energy.
Nature operates in a very similar way.
The Progressive Complexity of the elements is an additive 'iteration' of protons and their electrons. One proton and one electron make up hydrogen, the simplest and original element of the universe. Two protons (plus two neutrons) and two electrons make up helium, a more complex element. Three protons (plus 3 neutrons) and three electrons make up lithium, the next more complex element........and so forth, and so forth, to the 92-fold complexity of uranium. "The Periodic Table of the Elements" is a beautiful illustration of the laws of Change & Stability, and of Progressive Complexity.
Similarly, and in the sphere of Life, all gestation and growth begins with a single fertile ovum, which is the morphological, physiological and metabolic Stability factor. The ovum divides itself into two, and now we have an embryo consisting of two cells. The doubling process is the Change factor, and we now have an embryo of greater Complexity. The two cells then divide themselves again, resulting in a 4-celled embryo, and a higher level of Complexity. Meanwhile, each cell remains an identical copy, or clone, of the initial ovum, a clear and indisputable Stability factor, while the multiplication of the cells is an obvious changing factor. Together, and in this manner, the law of Change & Stability creates the Progressive Complexity of the growing embryo. The only difference between the (two-dimensional) Mandelbrot algorithm, and Nature's (three-dimensional) gestation and growth algorithm is that the former is exponential, and the latter is geometric. Since, as we have seen, the dynamics of Change & Stability are clearly and explicitly contained in the 1st law of thermodynamics, it is well worth noting here that we are still fully within the domain of the 1st law of thermodynamics.
We can now attempt the first approximation of the law of Progressive Complexity, (and I realize that it needs a lot of work):
In the presence of a negative energy gradient (a loss of energy out of the system),
the bi-polar dynamics of Change and Stability generate Decay
When we now summarize these dynamics in this simple little diagram, we obtain further, and very powerful insights.
The Universal Law of Progressive Complexity
We can now see that the X (Change ) and Y (Stability) axes contain the 1st law of thermodynamics; that the negative side of the diagonal line contains the law of Decay (2nd law of thermodynamics); that the positive side of the diagonal line contains the law of Progressive Complexity, and.that the 3rd law of thermodynamics is bounded by and lies between the X and Y axes.
To summarize; as this diagram shows, we have derived (or recovered) the 2nd and 3rd laws of TD from the 1st law. We have unified Change and Stability into the universal law of Change & Stability; we have unified Chaos and Order into the universal law of Chaos & Order (a subset of Change & Stability dynamics - the Order in Chaos is a Stability factor, whereas Chaos is extreme Change); we have unified Anentropy and Entropy into the universal law of Anentropy & Entropy; we have obtained the law of Progressive Complexity; and we have also obtained the new and complete 2nd law of thermodynamics.
Thus, the 2nd and 3rd laws of thermodynamics arise out of, and are inherent in the 1st law. This is as it must be. This also shows us that the traditional 2nd law, while absolutely correct, is incomplete. Our pre-occupation with the old traditional 2nd law has blinded us to the fact that Progressive Complexity is 'the other side of the same coin' of Decay (as in growth and decay) - and the until now missing half of the 'old' 2nd law of thermodynamics. The cohesion is now total, as it must be.
Moreover, and with a cohesion which is absolute, we have unified all of the above into the fundamental nature and unity of energy - as also shown in this little diagram. And we have done this without violating any of the known laws, and without introducing any new, unknown, or ad hoc factors. It comes down to nothing more than a complete integration and profound unification of the most basic and long familiar laws and dynamics of our universe. In keeping with 'GUT' (Grand Unification Theory) and 'TOE' (Theory Of Everything), this theory could well be called the "Basic Unification Theory" - or BUT, for short.
Here, then, is the first approximation of the new and complete 2nd law of thermodynamics:
In all other forms, energy seeks its lowest available state
and emits and dissipates energy and matter.
The attractive and emissive forces of energy are inversely proportional.
And the same is true of the 2nd law of thermodynamics; the dissipation of energy is dependent upon the pre-existence of concentrated energy, and can only occur in the presence of a pre-existing state of a higher concentration of energy. Consequently, the concentration of energy is primary, and the dissipation of energy is secondary And exactly as entropy, the dissipation of energy can never exceed the concentration of energy; this is impossible, or 'forbidden'. Consequently, pure logic dictates that the concentration and dissipation of energy are the bi-polar complements of the fundamental unity of energy, co-exist simultaneously, are relative to each other, and are inversely proportional.
It remains to be said that the laws of Change & Stability, and of Progressive Complexity apply to all physical, chemical, biological, instinctual, social, psychological, technological, economic, political, and cognitive systems. This is in complete accord with the late Nobel Laureate (for his "Growth Dynamics") Ludwig von Bertalanffy's intuitive foundation for his "General Systems Theory", (George Braziller, 1968):
This is the end of this bare-bones sketch of the unification theory, and of the new universal law of Progressive Complexity. And while this may be a simple little theory, the implications are myriad, vast and, as you will see, truly stunning. We will now consider a few of these vast implications.
First of all, the laws of Change & Stability, and of Progressive Complexity generate and govern the evolution of the universe, of Life, and of consciousness alike. The evolution of the universe, of Life, and of consciousness is one single, inseparable, continuous and seamless process.
We are, after all, made of atoms - of protons, neutrons, and electrons - even quarks when one comes right down to it. And we are animated - body and mind - by the energy of our universe. As Carl Sagan put it in the concluding paragraph of his bestseller "Cosmos";
Since male- and femaleness arise out of the universal law of Change & Stability, Life anywhere in this universe will also know male- and femaleness - in one form or another. In a universe subject to Decay, replication and reproduction are the only means to maintain continuity (Stability) - be this of stars and planets, galaxies, black holes, or of Life. And since femaleness is sufficient to reproduce life - there are many thriving purely female species here on the Earth (see; "Courtship in Unisexual Lizards; ..." SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, Dec. 1987) - there will be, undoubtedly, a few purely female races out there. But most by far will know gender, and in far more permutations than we can now imagine.
This brings us to another point.
Nature has hardwired the instincts and basic psyche of the genders according to function - otherwise it simply would not work. Consequently, the psyche - and the perceptions and motivations - of the genders differ fundamentally, and almost diametrically. We now also have the beginnings of a 'cosmic' psychology in our hands here.
Consequently, if we should ever meet an extra-terrestrial race, we will basically understand each other. Although our languages will be all but incomprehensible to each other ("Star Treck" has woven an episode arond this), the females of all species will basically understand each other; pro-creation will always be understood by all females, anywhere in this universe. And so will the males; conquest will always be understood by all males - anywhere in this universe.
And given the fact that the evolution of the universe, and of Life and consciousness is a single and inseparable process, we can now state that the universe exists for the sole and express function and purpose of evolving Life and consciousness. To whit, and among billions of other highly conscious races, our kind and selves.
Many scholars will maintain that the emergence and evolution of our kind is the result of many accidentally twists and turns in the fabric of Life on this Earth. This is true. To whit, the extinction of the dinosaurs, which made the emergence of the mammals, and eventually of our kind, possible. There have been, and there will be many more such unpredictable twists and turns, here as elsewhere. However, the universe does not care what form conscious Life takes. The universal laws of Change & Stability, and of Progressive Complexity establish a broad and abiding base of Life, and if one species or another, even many others, should be wiped out accidentally, others will emerge and continue to evolve. If the dinosaurs had not been wiped out by some terrestrial cataclysm, there may well have been a race of highly conscious dinosaur- descendant 'people' on this Earth by now. And if we should wipe our kind and selves off the face of this Earth - which we are well along the way of achieving - evolution will continue to raise another species to our level of consciousness, and beyond.
Since the law of Progressive Complexity is fundamental to our universe, this completely changes the nature of our universe from the old mistaken notion of 'chaotic' and 'accidental', to a teleological universe
And this is the most stunning, conclusion of all. A teleological universe is a designed universe - a universe which embodies a vast plan and supreme purpose. Consequently, there exists a Designer - a Supreme Cosmic Consciousness - of this universe, after all (more at "The True Nature of our Selves.").
The test by fire of any new theory is its power of prediction. And the predictive power of this theory is awesome. I had discovered this theory in 1984, and ever since then, I have predicted many things, most of them on public record, only to see them come true one by one. Among my major predictions:
The onset and escalation of severe climatic extremes around the world. (1985)
Also correct; now an almost daily item on the news; this will also continue, and escalate rapidly. This will jeopardize our food supply, beginning in the immediate future. (This can also be fixed easily and quickly)
The discovery that terrestrial - and not marine photosynthesis - is the major generating factor of the free oxygen in our atmosphere. (1988)
Also correct; and now borne out by many large scientific studies. (This cannot be fixed).
The eradication of susceptible nascent organims due to increased UVB radiation. (1985)
Correct again; as evident in the decimation of many frog species and the chironimid larvae. This will also continue, and escalate, as more and more plant and animal species are affected. This will also drastically affect our food supply. (This can also be fixed fairly easily and quickly).
The collapse of Communism, when this was 'unthinkable'. (1985)
Correct again; To whit; the collapse of the USSR and the East Block nations. Cuba and China will follow shortly; this is inevitable. (This cannot be fixed).
The collapse of capitalism. (1985)
This is still a couple of hundred years away; but inevitable; the process has already begun. Russia will reject capitalism and will settle down to a free enterprise and strongly socialist system. (This cannot be fixed).
The continuing splintering of nations into nationettes. (1985)
Also correct, as shown by the many passionate struggles for independence around the world. Many will not, and should not be democracies. This is also inevitable, and will escalate. Meanwhile, the world will be unified by economic unions, language (English) and Western culture. (This cannot be fixed either).
The election, and re-election of Bill Clinton. (1992/1996)
Also correct. Both the U.S. and Canada are headed for free enterprise socialist democracies. This is inevitable. There will be progressively fewer Republican administrations, and only due to back-lash, dissatisfaction and major gaffes by Liberal administrations. (This cannot be fixed).
It is simple, really; once the creative forces of the universe - i.e. 'nature' - are understood, our futures become,
as they are determined by our actions, very much of an open book. Moreover, since we are a product of these creative forces of the universe as well, our actions are also very much predictable.
Knowledge is power.
Einstein's famous equation E=mc^2 has delivered, both for better and for worse, the capacity to use star-fire - the nuclear fire that rages at the heart of every star - into our hands. In exactly the same manner, the laws of Change & Stability, and of Progressive Complexity now deliver the power to use the fundamental creative forces of our universe into our hands, within the domain of our influence.
The applications of these laws are endless.
We can apply these universal laws in all of our international, national, regional, local, social, technical economic, cognitive, interpersonal and personal affairs.
The most basic is the recognition that Change and Stability are inextricably interlocked. By introducing any kind of Change we lose an equal amount of Stability; and great Change causes a great loss of Stability. The collapse of the former USSR is a prime, and vivid example of the latter. Had the leadership of the USSR known the law of Change & Stability, they could have introduced small political and economic changes, resulting in small loss of political and economic stability.
The understanding of the law of Change & Stability allows us to manage the Stability of everything from our personal relationships to the Stability of our planetary biosphere. In this context, it now becomes clear that by introducing massive Changes into our planetary biosphere we are forcing an equally massive loss of Stability. On the other hand, by maintaining Stability factors, we can reduce the pace of Change.
Exactly the same principles apply to all physical, chemical, biological, social, psychological, technical, economic, political, informational and cognitive systems.
Further, the knowledge and understanding of the intrinsic and specific Strata of Stability
of all phenomena gives us the power to either to precipitate, or to avert transitions from one Stratum of Stability to another. Since all phase transitions are triggered by miniscule changes of the energy level, this can be done, or prevented, with minimal expenditures of applied energy.
Let's take cancer, for instance. Since all cancer cells are immature cells still in their Growth phase,
we get the rapid growth typical of the growth phase. It is also clear that a Stability factor has either gone missing, or is being interfered with, preventing the the normal transition of the immature cell to the reproductive Stability of the mature cell. It is a minor factor, and with very high probability, a deficient or missing nutritional element - which can be corrected very easily and very, very cheaply.
Or, let's take locusts, a regular recurrent agricultural plague. Like most organisms,
locusts require very specific conditions for their natural transitions from one phase to another - such as from egg to larva to mature insect. At each transition from one such 'Stratum of Stability' to another, there exists an opportunity where either the influx or loss of a miniscule amount of energy can either precipitate or prevent a transition to the next phase. In other words, the development of the insect is most vulnerable near its transition points from one phase to the other, and a miniscule Change in the level of energy at that point can either prevent, or prematurely trigger the transition to the next phase. Both will effectively interfere with the normal development, and hence, with the viability of the insect.
A prime example is the well documented discovery that the gender of many species of fish and turtles
is determined during their incubation by a very small difference in the ambient temperature of their environment. This knowledge can be employed by commercial fish hatcheries to determine the gender of their product, if so desired. There will also be a critical point within the successive 'Strata of Stability' of their foetal development where such a miniscule change in the temperature of their environment determines the gender. Once this critical point is known, the small change in ambient temperature need be maintained only for a very short period of time.
As these four examples of managing Change and Stability in the domains of politics, environment, health and gender determination show, the applications of these universal laws are myriad, powerful and, essentially, infinite.
The understanding of the universal law of Progressive Complexity delivers just as much power into our hands.
With this understanding, we can now create a poison-free agriculture which becomes richer and more fertile with every season, and which could easily feed 10 times our present numbers. And as the article on agriculture shows, this can be done so cheaply it is almost ridiculous.
The same applies to our individual and collective health. As shown in the article on health, this knowledge will deliver the simple means to our birthright of 120 year life spans in complete freedom from diseases into our hands. This too can be done so cheaply and so quickly that it is almost ridiculous.
But the most powerful consequence of the understanding of the law of Progressive Complexity may well be the creation of man-made life. The only qualification here is that there may well be an immanent factor involved - that all Life is cardinally animated by 'spirit' or 'soul'.
The understanding of these fundamental laws and creative forces will also show us
where we have gone wrong in our ignorance of these inviolable universal laws - where we have undermined the natural Stability factors, and/or sabotaged the Progressive Complexity of the matrix of our existence. Better yet, the understanding of these laws now gives us the capability to avoid such errors in the first place and, hopefully, before we undertake anything.
The greatest power though arises and is given to us through the whole new domain of existence
which the understanding of these fundamental creative forces of the universe opens up to us. While every individual can use these creative forces within their personal domain with unfailing effectiveness, the greatest power is given to us when all of human kind - or at least a sufficient majority - uses and applies these laws in concert.
To illustrate: One photosynthesizing bacterium can absorb carbon dioxide and produce free oxygen; but it cannot change a world alone. All together though, all of the photosynthesizing bacteria of the world have done just that. They have changed the whole atmosphere of our planet from its primeval anoxic to a richly oxygenized atmosphere. Changing the atmosphere of a whole planet is not bad at all for these simple, little bacteria.
In exactly the same way, we can do the very same thing by acting in concert.
We can re-establish a vibrantly vital biosphere and a very stable and even balmy planetary climate by acting in concert - each in their own domain, but all in concert with the universal creative laws and forces which have created and govern our biosphere. One person alone cannot do it, nor can a million. It will take almost all of us.
On the other hand, and if we continue to follow only our own narrow personal interests,
we will destroy our biosphere - and hence, our kind and selves. And this will come in our time. Within ten to fifteen years, at most, the dynamics now well underway will become permanently irreversible, and our planetary biosphere will enter a very rapid spiral to a lifeless desert planet. The horrors, as we fight over the last scraps of food on the Earth will be unimaginable. And it will be all in vain and for nothing anyhow. A few years later, every living thing on this Earth will be whirling dust in the eternal howling winds of a forlorn desert planet.
Yet, by acting together and in concert with the creative forces of our biosphere, we will inherit the staggering immensity of our star-spun future on a richly verdant, vibrantly vital, and very pleasant planet.
And we can even go on, if we so wish, to create other biospheres on other planets, using and employing the same vast universal forces that have created our own biosphere. It is up to us. It's our choice.
The understanding of the fundamental laws and creative forces of our universe
propels our kind and selves into a vast new domain.
It gives us the power to use and apply these forces within the realm of our influence,
and to all of our affairs.
The ability to use and employ these powerful creative forces to all of our affairs marks a vast quantum leap in cognitive consciousness, and is part and parcel of the essence and being of Homo nobilis, stellaris
- the next higher, and currently emergent phase of the continuing evolution of our kind and selves.
The dimensions of our future are staggering,
and far beyond anything we can presently imagine.
The sole purpose of our inborn capacity to understand the laws of the universe is - to use them
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