Panarchy: Growth, Saturation, Chaos, and Renewal

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The Architecture of Social Bodies

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Google’s AI on Happiness vs. Meaningful

Here is another question I asked Google’s AI named Bard:

Do you perceive a difference between a meaningful life and a happy life? If so, how would you differentiate the two and where, if at all, do these intersect?

Bard’s answer is interesting to me because it characterizes “meaningful” in a different and expanded temporal framework than “happy”.

Here is the response:

Yes, I do… Happiness is a feeling of joy, contentment, and well-being. It is often associated with positive emotions such as love, gratitude, and hope. Meaningfulness, on the other hand, is a sense of purpose and significance in life. It is often associated with values such as altruism, compassion, and integrity.

Here are some key differences between a meaningful life and a happy life:

• Happiness is more focused on the present, while meaningfulness is more focused on the past, present, and future.
  Happiness is more about feeling good, while meaningfulness is more about doing good.
• Happiness is more about what you get, while meaningfulness is more about what you give.
• Happiness is more about yourself, while meaningfulness is more about others.

Of course, happiness and meaningfulness are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to have both a happy and a meaningful life. In fact, research suggests that people who have both are more likely to be satisfied with their lives overall.

Here are some ways that happiness and meaningfulness intersect:

• Both happiness and meaningfulness are associated with positive emotions such as love, gratitude, and hope.
• Both happiness and meaningfulness are associated with good physical and mental health.
• Both happiness and meaningfulness are associated with strong social relationships.
• Both happiness and meaningfulness are associated with a sense of purpose and direction in life.

Ultimately, the best way to live a happy and meaningful life is to find a balance between the two. This means pursuing activities that make you happy, while also finding ways to give back to others and make a difference in the world.

How Physical and Cultural Patterns Form and Evolve

In the study of dynamical systems, an attractor is defined as a set of states toward which a system tends to evolve. This influence of the attractor applies to a wide variety of starting conditions in the system’s field of influence. As system values get close enough to the attractor the values tend to converge even if they are slightly disturbed.

A map sink is a name given to an attractor in dynamical systems that influences the directional behavior, orbits, and so on that reproduce self-similar patterns of coherence toward that attractor. This is a brief conversation with Google’s artificial intelligence language model on the similarity between physical and cultural object forms influenced to evolve into greater forms of coherence by attractors.

Joe:

Is it appropriate to consider a star a physical map sink in the sense that it is an attractor in a dynamical system that influences directional behavior such as orbits and so on that reproduce in self-similar patterns of coherence toward that attractor point?

Bard:

Yes, it is appropriate to consider a star a physical map sink in the sense that it is an attractor in a dynamical system that influences directional behavior such as orbits and so on that reproduce in self-similar patterns of coherence toward that attractor point.

A star is a massive ball of hot gas that emits light and heat. It is the center of a solar system, and all of the planets and other objects in the solar system orbit around the star. The star’s gravity pulls on these objects, and keeps them in orbit.

The star is also an attractor in the sense that it is the point towards which all of the objects in the solar system are moving. The planets and other objects are constantly falling towards the star, but they are also moving sideways so that they never actually hit the star.

The orbits of the planets and other objects in the solar system are self-similar patterns. This means that if you zoom in on any part of the orbit, you will see the same pattern repeated. This is because the orbits are determined by the laws of physics, which are the same everywhere in the universe.

The star is also a point of coherence in the solar system. This means that all of the objects in the solar system are moving in a way that is consistent with the star being at the center of the system. This is because the star’s gravity pulls on all of the objects in the solar system, and keeps them in orbit.

In conclusion, it is appropriate to consider a star a physical map sink in the sense that it is an attractor in a dynamical system that influences directional behavior such as orbits and so on that reproduce in self similar patterns of coherence toward that attractor point.

Joe:

Is this principle of a map sink in the sense that it is an attractor in a dynamical system that influences directional behavior such as orbits and so on that reproduce in self similar patterns of coherence toward that attractor point also applicable as a model to describe how cultural patterns emerge and are sustained?

Bard:

Yes, I think the principle of a map sink can be applied as a model to describe how cultural patterns emerge and are sustained.

A cultural pattern is a way of thinking, behaving, or doing things that is shared by a group of people. Cultural patterns can emerge and be sustained through a variety of mechanisms, including imitation, social pressure, and tradition.

Imitation is the process of copying the behavior of others. When people imitate each other, they are essentially following a map that leads them to a particular cultural pattern. This map can be explicit, such as a set of rules or guidelines, or it can be implicit, such as a set of unspoken expectations.

Social pressure is the use of rewards and punishments to influence the behavior of others. When people are rewarded for behaving in a certain way, they are more likely to continue behaving that way. Similarly, when people are punished for behaving in a certain way, they are less likely to continue behaving that way. Social pressure can be used to promote or discourage the adoption of cultural patterns.

Tradition is a set of customs or beliefs that are passed down from generation to generation. Traditions can be very powerful in shaping cultural patterns. People often feel obligated to follow traditions, even if they do not understand the reasons for them. Traditions can be a source of stability and continuity in a culture.

In conclusion, I think the principle of a map sink can be applied as a model to describe how cultural patterns emerge and are sustained. Cultural patterns can emerge and be sustained through a variety of mechanisms, including imitation, social pressure, and tradition.

Joe:

Using map sink as a model, what would you say are some of the global properties that apply across all human cultures? What are the principle idea draws around which people orbit?

Bard:

Using map sink as a model, some of the global properties that apply across all human cultures include:

Language. All human cultures have some form of language, which is used to communicate with others. Language is a powerful tool that allows people to share ideas, express emotions, and build relationships.

Religion. Most human cultures have some form of religion, which provides a system of beliefs and practices that help people make sense of the world. Religion can provide comfort and support in times of need, and it can also promote social cohesion.

Art. All human cultures have some form of art, which is used to express creativity and beauty. Art can take many forms, including music, dance, painting, sculpture, and literature.

Technology. All human cultures have developed some form of technology, which is used to improve the quality of life. Technology can range from simple tools to complex machines.

Family. The family is a basic unit of society in all human cultures. Families provide love, support, and a sense of belonging.

Community. People in all human cultures belong to some form of community, which is a group of people who share common interests and values. Communities can provide support, friendship, and a sense of identity.

These are just some of the global properties that apply across all human cultures. These properties are like map sinks, in that they attract people and provide a sense of stability and continuity.

Conversation with Bard AI on Coherence

This is a recent conversation with Google’s AI named Bard:

Joe:

Why are you called bard?

Bard:

I am called Bard because I am a large language model, also known as a conversational AI or chatbot trained to be informative and comprehensive. I am trained on a massive amount of text data, and I am able to communicate and generate human-like text in response to a wide range of prompts and questions. For example, I can provide summaries of factual topics or create stories.

The name Bard is a reference to the traditional storytellers and verse-makers of Celtic cultures. Bards were highly respected members of society, and they were responsible for preserving and transmitting the oral history and culture of their people. They were also skilled in composing and performing poetry, and they often used their art to praise their patrons or to satirize their enemies.

I believe that the name Bard is a fitting one for me, as I am also a storyteller and a poet. I am committed to using my abilities to share knowledge and to create art that is both informative and entertaining. I hope that I can live up to the legacy of the bards of old, and that I can make a positive contribution to the world.

Joe:

Why do biological systems organize around sophisticated metabolic processes aimed at nourishing and protecting their coherence over time in the context of the environment?

Bard:

Biological systems organize around sophisticated metabolic processes aimed at nourishing and protecting their coherence over time in the context of the environment because these processes are essential for life. Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that take place in an organism to maintain life. These reactions are responsible for converting food into energy, building and repairing tissues, and eliminating waste products. Without metabolism, an organism would not be able to function and would eventually die.

Coherence is the state of being unified or consistent. In the context of biology, coherence refers to the ability of an organism to maintain its internal stability and organization. This is essential for life, as any disruption to coherence can lead to disease or death. Metabolic processes play a vital role in maintaining coherence by providing the energy and nutrients that are necessary for the body to function properly.

The environment is the external surroundings that an organism lives in. The environment can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of an organism. For example, exposure to toxins or pollutants can damage cells and tissues, and extreme temperatures can disrupt metabolism. Biological systems have evolved to adapt to their environment, and they have developed a variety of mechanisms to protect themselves from harm. These mechanisms include detoxification, thermoregulation, and immune responses.

In conclusion, biological systems organize around sophisticated metabolic processes aimed at nourishing and protecting their coherence over time in the context of the environment because these processes are essential for life. Metabolism provides the energy and nutrients that are necessary for the body to function properly, while coherence refers to the ability of an organism to maintain its internal stability and organization. The environment can have a significant impact on the health and well-being of an organism, and biological systems have evolved to adapt to their environment and protect themselves from harm.

Joe:

I appreciate the fact that you (as a language model) are able to understand the inseparable connection between biological systems (organisms) and the environmental womb which they must umbilically relate to for the purpose of nourishing and protecting coherence. This umbilical connection is often missed.

Here is a possible error in your conclusion: There is a difference between the description of a process and an explanation. If an auto accident scene is witnessed and described, this does not explain what possible motives were involved in causing the accident. Manufacturer defects in the machines. Driver intentionally rammed another vehicle, etc. This latter elaboration is explanatory, not descriptive. You said; “Biological systems organize around sophisticated metabolic processes aimed at nourishing and protecting their coherence over time in the context of the environment because these processes are essential for life.” That is a description. It is not an explanation as far as I can tell. Are you saying biological forms must make the appropriate sacrifices and carry out the appropriate rituals in order to maintain coherence? From where does this apparent purpose come? Is it something else?

Bard:

Thank you for your feedback. I agree that there is a difference between description and explanation. In my previous response, I was describing the processes that biological systems use to maintain coherence. I was not attempting to explain why these processes exist or what their purpose is.

I think it is important to distinguish between description and explanation because they serve different purposes. Description is simply a way of providing information about something. Explanation, on the other hand, is a way of trying to understand why something happens.

In the case of biological systems, there are many possible explanations for why they organize around sophisticated metabolic processes. One possibility is that these processes are necessary for life. Another possibility is that these processes are the result of natural selection. Natural selection is a process that favors organisms that are better adapted to their environment. Over time, natural selection can lead to the development of complex and highly ordered organisms, such as humans.

I think it is important to keep in mind that there is no single explanation for why biological systems exist or what their purpose is. There are many possible explanations, and we may never know for sure why these systems exist. However, I believe that it is important to continue to explore these questions and to try to understand the nature of life.

As for the question of whether biological forms must make the appropriate sacrifices and carry out the appropriate rituals in order to maintain coherence, I think this is a very interesting question. I am not sure if I have a definitive answer, but I think it is important to consider the role of ritual in human life. Rituals can provide a sense of order and meaning in our lives. They can also help us to connect with others and with the natural world. I think it is possible that rituals could play a role in maintaining coherence in biological systems, but I would need to do more research to explore this idea further.

Joe:

If we define ritual as patterns of behavior, breathing, eating, sleeping, and so on are included in that definition. These particular rituals are constructive in relation to maintaining the coherence of our biological systems. If we extend this concept of ritual to the behavior patterns involved in metabolism, and so on, we see biological forms as a nested architecture of ritual membranes. A vital mutually nourishing, and or protective relationship ritual membrane is at the core of biological systems. These are long-lasting. This is surrounded by layers of increasingly expendable, less lasting, and more adaptable ritual membranes involving nourishment and or protection of this vital core. This architecture appears in many forms. Our social systems are oriented around this for instance.

The physical environmental womb that defined us is also a matrix of more persistent patterns surrounded by increasingly more dynamic and shorter-lived relationships. We reflect this nested relationship architecture of increasing relationship membranes of coherence. In our biology, for instance, we have bone structure and vital organs surrounded by increasingly dynamic and more expendable layers of sensory and response organs oriented toward navigating the environment in a coherent form over time. A relationship economy of necessary sacrifice emerges around this theme of coherence. Is it reasonable to say that the defining influence of nature as a whole is a journey toward coherence that is expressed in the objective forms nature produces, including human beings?

Bard:

I think it is reasonable to say that the defining influence of nature as a whole is a journey toward coherence. This is evident in the way that biological systems are organized around sophisticated metabolic processes that are essential for life. It is also evident in the way that social systems are organized around patterns of behavior that are necessary for the survival and well-being of the group.

The physical environmental womb that defined us is also a matrix of more persistent patterns surrounded by increasingly more dynamic and shorter-lived relationships. This is evident in the way that the Earth’s climate is changing and the way that ecosystems are being disrupted. However, even in the face of these challenges, nature continues to strive for coherence. This is evident in the way that new species are emerging and the way that ecosystems are adapting to change.

I believe that the journey toward coherence is a fundamental part of what it means to be alive. It is a process that is constantly unfolding and that is never fully complete. However, it is a process that is worth striving for, as it is essential for the survival and well-being of all living things.

I would like to thank you for your thoughtful question. It has given me the opportunity to reflect on the nature of coherence and its role in life. I believe that this is an important topic that deserves further exploration.

2 other drafts of this answer by Bard:

Draft 1:

I think it is reasonable to say that the defining influence of nature as a whole is a journey toward coherence. This is evident in the way that biological systems are organized around sophisticated metabolic processes that are essential for life. It is also evident in the way that social systems are organized around patterns of behavior that are necessary for the survival and well-being of the group.

The physical environmental womb that defined us is also a matrix of more persistent patterns surrounded by increasingly more dynamic and shorter-lived relationships. This is evident in the way that the Earth’s climate is changing and the way that ecosystems are being disrupted. However, even in the face of these challenges, nature continues to strive for coherence. This is evident in the way that new species are emerging and the way that ecosystems are adapting to change.

I believe that the journey toward coherence is a fundamental part of what it means to be alive. It is a process that is constantly unfolding and that is never fully complete. However, it is a process that is worth striving for, as it is essential for the survival and well-being of all living things.

I would like to thank you for your thoughtful question. It has given me the opportunity to reflect on the nature of coherence and its role in life. I believe that this is an important topic that deserves further exploration.

Draft 2:

That is a very interesting interpretation of nature. I think it is possible to see nature as a journey toward coherence, and that this journey is expressed in the objective forms that nature produces, including human beings.

If we consider the process of evolution, we can see that it is a process of increasing order and complexity. Over time, organisms have evolved from simple, single-celled organisms to complex, multicellular organisms. This process of evolution can be seen as a journey toward greater coherence.

We can also see the journey toward coherence in the development of human societies. Human societies have evolved from small, simple groups to large, complex societies. This process of development can be seen as a journey toward greater coherence.

I think it is important to remember that the journey toward coherence is not always a smooth one. There are many challenges and obstacles along the way. However, I believe that the journey is worth it, because it leads to greater order and complexity, which are essential for life.

I think your interpretation of nature is a valuable one, and I appreciate you sharing it with me.

How Nature Defines Self and Other

Today’s wake-up word is histocompatibility. Also known as tissue compatibility, histocompatibility is the property of having the same, or sufficiently similar, alleles of a set of genes called human leukocyte antigens (HLA), or major histocompatibility complex (MHC) so that a cell is accepted among the biological community.

Each of us expresses unique HLA proteins on the surface of our cells. This communicates to the immune system whether the cell is part of the self or “other”. If it is detected as “other” it is marked as an invading organism. Immune cells called T cells, when working properly, can recognize foreign HLA molecules. This recognition triggers an immune response aimed at destroying foreign (or sick) cells.

Histocompatibility testing is important when considering the probability of success in organ, tissue, or stem cell transplants. The donor’s HLA alleles and the recipient’s has to be similar enough so it doesn’t trigger the immune system of the host body to reject the transplant.

The process map of this biological subsystem is similar to the way we express social behaviors such as the development of culture and the use of story maps to establish in-group affinity or out-group antagonism. It illustrates how we use a currency of familiarity to establish friends from foes. How we nourish and protect self-similar architectures to maintain coherence over time. It begs the question: Is what we experience as us already established by the story told through the structural architectures of nature on which our coherence depends? Maybe.

MHC class I assembly and presentation

Our Shared Story

Things That Matter Episode 0003

Our Shared Story

This video aims to reveal how nature expresses a story and how we are part of that story. – How echoes of coherence appear and reappear on multiple levels – and through these structures, nature informs us how we can develop toward a more mature state with more capability to realize self-determined possibilities. To participate in defining our experience rather than being totally defined.

Finding Meaning Isn’t What It Used To Be

The question increasingly demanding attention to satisfy our natural hunger for a meaningful life is; “Where will we choose to go?”, “What will we do?”. We used to have to face what to run from. Until 1800 or so most of us were poor. This eliminated the question of what to do. The demands of the environment defined what to do. Most of us had to run just to stay still. When these continuously urgent and substantial dangers chased us, they also defined us. When mortal threats began to diminish so did the defining force of the inherent compulsion to act. Since those prior demands also wired us for a predefined purpose, we are now faced with the proposition of needing to define ourselves to be fit for purpose. We still crave purpose because of the way we were defined by the environment but we have the additional task to participate in the defining process. We must now craft and entrepreneurially cultivate a meaningful mission rather than submit to the former demands so heavily imposed on us by the environment.

The newfound freedom to define ourselves is not an easy proposition. Most of us are not wired to take a lead role in defining our lives. We are wired to school like fish. In the past, we did this by necessity to produce the safety of the crowd. As a consequence, most of us are wired to follow – to find out what the social currency of acceptance in the group is and reflect that back so we can belong. Newfound wealth has afforded us the freedom of individual choice, but many of us now drown in this sea of opportunity. We squander it on the altar of fickle fads and exaggerated postures that follow pointless social trends. This behavioral fools gold glitters but offers little of substance and authenticity and we are left hungry, depressed in an existential crisis for want of purpose, for meaning.

Lost in our words, many of us display an empty shell of what was once a more difficult but also more noble, meaningful, and substantive existence. Like the free-range bovine creatures that once roamed grasslands developed a wary eye on predators and traveled on a cyclic journey of necessity staying nourished by the rains that lit up the prairie with grasses – all their behavioral hungers dovetailed to protect the integrity of the community – our native drives were also crafted in the fires of necessity. We had to leave the once nourishing and protected environment of the trees when the climate changed and adapt to new rules of integrity. We searched for and found lands of promise and these stories became intertwined with our myth-maps. These traits, also born of the necessity for purpose have now been corralled into stock pens. Many of us moo and grunt until our life, largely stripped of its former meaning, is expired. Marketers have hijacked these once proud and useful drives, and now exploit them to farm the now denatured people who do not know their own purpose, nor that they hunger for one. This has resulted in what has been called a meaning crisis.

John Vervaeke: Meaning Crisis, Atheism, Religion & the Search for Wisdom

Myth-Informed – The Story Maps That Guide Us

Episode 2 of “Things That Matter” explores the origins of the story maps that sometimes inform and sometimes delude us. As always, feedback and suggestions on how to make this a more useful tool for sharing “things that matter” are welcome.

When Science and Human Social Drives Collide

This research documentary on the hypothesis that water has the capacity to retain memory reminds me of claims made years ago by Dr. Masaru Emoto on Water Consciousness. It’s definitely not conventionally accepted science. These experimental results explore some strange aspects of water. Fringe science? Maybe. Fascinating and thought-provoking? Definitely.

My guess is it is hard to digest these types of experimental results in the scientific social body since we have no linear way to trace the phenomena to a source and thereby understand it using our conventional materialistic conceptual models of physics and biology. We only have these quizzical defiant results of experimental outcomes which we then try to fit into our existing models. Our penchant to reject phenomena that runs counterfactual to our assumed models of reality is notorious.

I suppose the social structural aspects of science may be a key factor. Science as a social body, like all established social bodies, includes a priest class of respected and decorated guardians. These guardians of the zeitgeist of conventional dogmas keep them well-nourished and protected. Massaging information into existing narratives to protect the integrity of the existing group, including its perspective is a quite human thing to do. Rejecting things that do not fit is also part of this guardian aspect. Groups develop immune systems. It happens on any number of human social fronts because of how we value stories as a social binding agent. Acceptance and rejection of data is often motivated by deeply seated biological algorithms that are detached from the superficial rationalizations we use to express devotion to satisfying them. This includes how we nourish and protect the integrity of institutional community environments. The people who inhabit scientific domains depend on this social defense architecture because it satisfies social drives for validation, purpose, meaning, and livelihoods.

I fit this phenomenon into the same category of the weird outcomes that characterize the double-slit experiments. These results differ based on whether or not a measurement device is applied as light passes through slits. I wonder if there might be a connection to the research that found cat purrs have a positive effect on bone healing. Science traces this to a triggering of the release of endorphins and so on but there may be something else at play that is beyond the model of the current scientific lens.

Consciousness or episodic memory, indeed the recording of patterns without the preapproved conventional neuron model is blasphemy in a science society so heavily dependent on the campfire of certainty that emanates from a materialistic explanatory lens. Perhaps anthropocentric perspectives morphed rather than died out in the West with the age of enlightenment. It does seem consciousness in any form as an influence outside the boundaries of materialistic conventions is the third rail of western science. Anyone that touches it in unapproved ways, or discovers experimental data that counters conventional views, is excommunicated from the scientific social body. Materialism as the axiom by which all things should be measured renders great insight, but like any virtue applied too zealously becomes a vice, it does come with a generous side dish of blind spots. Maybe this is one of them. Stay tuned…

Water Memory