The Theory
in a Nutshell
The Expansionary Theory posits that the
human species is a unique entity that can and will play a special role in the
greater cosmological framework. According to this theory, over the eons, humankind
will apply its ingenuity to overcoming the forces of entropy. The theory synthesizes
ideas from astronomy, cosmology, anthropology, physics, sociology, and other
fields, and borrows from Kaku, Dyson, Darwin, Teilhard de Chardin, Gribbins,
Rees, Moravec, Kurzweil, the Russian Cosmism school, and others. This theoretic
synthesis incorporates ideas such as the Anthropic principle, complexity theory,
and the Big Bang theory, and reflects recent discoveries in physics, astronomy,
and astrobiology. Our current and future breakthroughs in biotechnology, aerospace,
and computers will hasten humankind's achievement of its destiny.
This section
will be expanded over the coming weeks and months.
THE EXPANSIONARY
VISION OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Humanity
is on a quest to improve the species, marshal the forces of nature, and reshape
the universe. Through such processes as biogenesis, cybergenesis, species
coalescence, and dominionization, our species has prepared itself
for the achievement of its ultimate destiny, vitalization.
The question that still remains unanswered is,
of course, why? What motivates humankind to feverishly prepare itself for what
seems to be a grand mission? Humankind, a species residing on an infinitesimal
island in a corner of the universe, dares to believe that the fate and future
of the universe lie in its hands. What act of pride do we commit, what hubris
do we exhibit to entertain the notion that we even have a destiny, let alone
such a lofty one? And who are we to believe that we not only possess such a magnificent
destiny, but also are capable of mastering the skills and knowledge necessary
to fulfill such a mandate.
THE EMERGING SENSE
OF DESTINY (From Zey, The Future
Factor, pg169-170)
Throughout this century, many thinkers, philosophers, scientists, and writers
have offered visions of the future which as a whole signal the emergence of a
brand new cosmology. These novel theories have a few aspects in common. First,
each focuses on the unique qualities and abilities of the human species, especially
our extraordinary gift of consciousness. These new theories also concentrate
on humanity's ability to master the environment and perfect nature. More importantly,
this revolutionary new cosmology endeavors to conclusively establish the special
role that humanity plays in the universe.
The
Impact of Russian Cosmism (From
Zey, The Future Factor, pgs. 171-3)
Many are surprised to discover that as Wells, Verne, and Edward Bellamy spun
their imaginative tales, other thinkers were adopting a considerably more disciplined
approach to the study of the future. This field, Cosmism, flourished in
the late 19th and early 20th century. Alternatively labeled Cosmism Philosophy
or Space Philosophy, in deference to its national origins the field is generally
labeled Russian Cosmism. Its practitioners used both theoretic inquiry
and empirical research to explore the history and philosophy of the origin, evolution,
and future existence of the universe and humankind. Cosmism drew from both Eastern
and Western philosophic traditions. The eclectic nature of the movement's "membership" --
philosophers, physical scientists, artists, religious thinkers, and poets --
insured that it would maintain a rich and varied knowledge base. Their contributions
to science, and to what I label the expansionary vision, are immense.
Vladimir Vernadsky, geologist, was a leading light
of the Russian Cosmism school. He invented the concept of the biosphere in 1917,
and in 1924 introduced the notion of the Noosphere, both of which have become
staples of the futurist literature.Other contributors to Russian Cosmism parallel
expansionary thinking. Vladimir Odoevsky, for instance, predicted that humankind
would travel to the moon to mine lunar mineral resources for the benefit of Earth's
population. One late 19th century proponent of Cosmism, Nicholai Federov, developed
a theory that humans, as beings of the highest consciousness, had an obligation
to introduce design and purpose into the chaotic workings of the natural world.
Visions
for the 21st Century
Nobel laureate Freeman Dyson certainly fits into the expansionary mode as defined
in this book. In fact, many of his scientific and philosophical ideas reflect
the spirit of the Russian Cosmism school.
Ironically, his most optimistic forecast
about the fate of the human species, lies not in the near term but at least 1
million years from now. In his 1997 book Imagined Worlds, Dyson predicted that
by that time, the human species, whatever physical form it now assumes, will
begin to meet the mandate discussed and envisioned in this book.
"A million years from now, our descendents
and their neighbors in the galaxies will perhaps be preparing for the intelligent
intervention of life in the evolution of the universe as a whole."
THE UNIVERSE BECKONS:
The Coming Dominance of
Anthropic Cosmology. (From Zey, The
Future Factor, pgs 177-183.)
One condition which bolsters the notion
of that humankind has a special destiny is the growing evidence gathered over
the last few decades that the emergence of life was facilitated by the existence
of a unique set of physical conditions existing throughout the universe. If the
calibrations for these physical forces, including gravity and electromagnetism,
were even slightly different, the human species could not have emerged.
Brandon Carter, an astrophysicist and
cosmologist from Cambridge University, introduced earth-shattering concept known
as Anthropic Cosmology in a paper titled innocently enough, "Large Number Coincidences
and the Anthropic Principle in Cosmology".
The anthropic principle plainly
states that all the seemingly arbitrary and unrelated constants in the physical
and cosmological world have one thing in common: they all have the values that
are needed to produce life. To put it more starkly, from the very beginning
of the universe the myriad laws of physics were compiled or situated in such
a way that life--no, a carbon-based entity like humanity--could emerge. The laws
of physics appear to be expressly designed for the emergence of human beings.
Carter's principle offered an explanation
for one of the most basic mysteries of physics. For decades physicist have been
unable to explain why the value of so-called fundamental constants, such as the
values of the gravitational or electromagnetic forces, are what they are.
Carter claims that these precise values
and ratios were just those values necessary for the universe to be capable of
producing life. Or to rephrase Carter's claim, if the universe wanted to produce
life, these precise values or ratios had to exist. There were just too
many values that had been arranged around the central task of producing us for
the whole scheme to be a set of random events. According to Carter, these facts
suggest that humankind's position in the universe, if not "central", was "privileged".
Without even approaching the reasons why we might be the objects of the universe's
affection, let's look at some of the strange coincidences Carter and others have
cited that have conspired to produce life, and eventually humankind.
HUMAN EVOLUTION
AND PURPOSIVE SELF-DEVELOPMENT
(From Zey, The Future
Factor, pg183-188)
One of the problems we have in comprehending
how species can progress from simple to complex, from chimp to Homo sapiens,
in what many consider unreasonably short times is our understanding of "randomness" and
the role that it plays in this process. In short, we will have to radically reconsider
just how much weight to give "random" actions in evolution's schema if the theory
of evolution is to successfully overcome some of the internal contradictions
modern critics have exposed.
New findings in fields such as physics
and biology may explain more clearly how systems actually evolve in specifically "non-random" ways.
There is mounting evidence that systems evolve from simple to complex with some
degree of "intentionality"; that is, the actors within such systems, whether
they be molecules or animals, act according to some innate inclination to seek
order and growth. To understand such a concept let us first look at the behavior
not of humans but of molecules.
Such discoveries strongly suggest that
when given the opportunity, life will emerge from its surrounding environment
and the materials existing therein. For instance, under the right conditions
even simple molecules will rearrange themselves into an orderly sequence that
will make the emergence of life possible. In his book At Home in the Universe,
Santa Fe Institute biologist Stuart Kauffman argues that the emerging science
of complexity suggests that the order we see around us is not all accidental,
or random. As he says, "Profound order is being discovered in large, complex,
and apparently random systems". He goes on to say that "this emerging order underlies
not only the origin of life itself, but much of the order seen in organisms today." As
he claims, this would lead to a revision of the Darwinian worldview of the emergence
of man: "Not we the accidental, but we the expected."
Increasingly many are beginning to recognize
the tendency of matter to self-organize, demonstrating a powerful inclination
in the universe toward order when the conditions are right. And some noted scientists
are beginning to feel that some inclination or tendency toward order had to be
in existence if man was ever to appear. Christian de Duve states that "Eventually
we will understand that the origin of life was not a highly improbable cosmic
jest but rather an almost obligatory outcome of chemical structures, given the
right conditions." Ian Stewart, a mathematician at the University of Warwick
in the United Kingdom, has suggested that mathematical rule structures inherent
in existence may eventually be shown to operate as if life were their goal, encouraging
the development of animation. "DNA may be just one of the many secrets of life,
secrets we are only beginning to glimpse," Stewart suggests.
A Species with the Best
Intentions
The emerging picture of early Earth is one
of a planet brimming with activity, virtually forcing life into existence. As
soon as the molecules had the chance, they attempted to establish the conditions
for life. This self-organization of molecules made life, and the evolution of
life forms, possible.
It is the contention here that the same inclination
to self-organize, to intentionally evolve oneself from the simple to the complex,
exists on the biological level as well as the molecular. And the human species
is the finest example of this process. Alfred Russell Wallace, a contemporary
of Darwin who concurrently developed a similar theory of natural selection, discussed
a major mystery in human evolution. It seems that between Homo habilis and Homo
erectus the human brain undergoes a gigantic jump in its size. The earlier
hominid has a brain only slightly larger than that of an ape. Homo erectus,
which existed for a million years starting around 1.5 million years ago, has
a cortex as large as ours. Wallace contends that the human brain was overdesigned
for its primitive uses and thus could not have been a production of natural selection.
He said that natural selection could only have endowed savage man with a brain
a few degrees superior to that of an ape, whereas he actually possesses one very
little inferior to that of a philosopher. Robert Orenstein, a biologist specializing
in brain research, is similarly curious about why Homo erectus possessed
a brain that he ostensibly had little use for. Our brain expanded to a size for
which there was little functional use at the time. According to Orenstein, (in
his book The Evolution of Consciousness) Homo erectus' brain was
complex enough to invent a microprocessor, even though all that was needed at
the time was a brain that could figure out how to hammer out the first few stone
tools. "Why be able to fly to the moon when no one has even understood how to
make iron?", Orenstein asks.
A Universe Desperately
Seeking Intelligence
All indications are that the universe
and physical law in general seem to enabling the existence of life, and more
specifically, an intelligent and efficacious form of life, the human species.
Why should the universe bother? What special role would our species play in the
universe's existence that the cosmos would have to summon forth such a phenomenon?
The only explanation must be that somehow the universe requires for its own survival
and growth the existence of a life form, a creative intelligence.
Deriving
A Mandate While common
wisdom would surmise that we cannot escape the ultimate demise of all life in
the universe, that we are on a forced march to a cosmic Armageddon, perhaps we
should consider an alternative perspective. If there is any force whatsoever
that can muster the sheer energy and will power to overwhelm what seems to be
a foregone conclusion, the demise of the universe, it is the humans species.
To see the feasibility of such a proposition, we must first imagine what the
human species will be like, and what it will have accomplished, even a mere 10,000
years from now, let alone the millions of years in the future that these unsavory
events are predicted to transpire. Even in the last century, a short time span
when compared to the billions of years comprising the universe's existence, we
have through dominionization, marshaled the energy of the atom, broken
the iron grip of Earth's gravity, harnessed electricity, and are on the verge
of controlling our own genes.
Freeman Dyson has made many references
to a time when humanity would be able to exhibit almost god-like powers to manipulate
nature and the universe. In his book Imagined Worlds he speaks of a distant
future when "you can cooperate with your neighbors in large-scale engineering
projects to keep the universe in trim and maintain the optimum conditions for
life". In a seminal 1979 paper in the journal Reviews of Modern Physics,
Dyson was already envisioning a universe in which mankind undermines the forces
of entropy. In the worst possible scenario, the closed universe, humankind still
has the capacity to overcome entropy and destruction. Dyson even provided the
outlines of one method mankind could employ to save the day.
"Supposing that we discover the universe
to be naturally closed and doomed to collapse, is it conceivable that by intelligent
intervention, converting matter into radiation to flow purposefully on a cosmic
scale, we could break open a closed universe and change the topology of space-time
so that only a part of it would collapse and another part would expand forever?"
John Gribbin and Martin Rees, in their
book Cosmic Coincidences have indicated that the human species may be
involved in a mission, which has great significance. In their discussion of the
rareness of life in the universe (they show mathematically the strong probability
that life exists only on our planet), they glimpse the possibility that "living
things may become an important part of the Universe".
Gregory Easterbrook recently stated that
if entropy is a natural agent of decay, life, and especially human life, appears
to be its leading foe. He quotes Stuart Kauffman of the Santa Fe Institute that
Earth-borne biology represents "four billion years of defiance of the second
law". Easterbook sagely remarks that while we no longer believe that humanity
is at the physical center of the universe, we are beginning to awake to the fact
that we are the center of meaning.
Star Struck (From
Zey, The Future Factor, pgs. 198-199.)
Let me take this argument a step further.
There are indications that the universe had an active hand in the creation of
its own salvation, the development of a natural defense against its ultimate
demise. Skeptical? Think it unlikely that the universe was able to summon up
the agent of change which it required to challenge entropy? How could the universe
manage to bring into existence "life" which would lead to an intelligence capable
of rectifying the situation?
Michael Meyer, Astrobiology Discipline
Scientist at NASA Headquarters, offers a summary of the thinking among physicists
about how life first originated on the Earth over 4 billion years ago. Meyer
seems to suggest they that the conditions of life were either directly delivered
via impact on the planet's surface of meteorites, comets, asteroids, etc, or
in organic compounds that "arrived in the vicinity of Earth as it formed".
We the Species (From
Zey, The Future Factor, pg. 200-201)
However, critics may respond, even if
we agree that physical conditions-the universe's constants, the geological evolution
of the earth, the biological conditions on the earth, all conspired to spawn life,
how do they ensure that an intelligent, creative species such as Homo sapiens emerges.
The answer is, although our appearance may be required, our emergence was not
predestined. That, of course, is where a sense of purpose enters the picture.
We pushed ourselves to develop into a being that can master the forces of nature.
No one would argue against the idea that 21st century humankind is involved in
this process of purposive self-development.
Our species is the sole source of light,
creativity, consciousness. Without the presence of the human race, the cosmos
offers nothing but chaos and darkness. We all sit in awe when we view satellite
pictures of the Earth, our pale blue dot. But the night view of Earth
from space is equally breathtaking and majestic -- we see a once-dark planet
now ablaze with billions of lights, man-made lights, shining like a sparkling
beacon of vitality and consciousness, illumination where there was only darkness.
We know that stars systems die. It is a universe bathed in entropy, crying out
for life-giving intelligence and the luminescence inherent in the human species.
|
