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From: bwk@mbunix.mitre.org (Barry W. Kort)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Discovering What Nature Wants
Summary: Getting to Omega, and Enjoying the Journey.
Keywords: Fixed Point Theory, Entropy, Order and Chaos
Message-ID: <76548@linus.UUCP>
Date: 29 Oct 89 14:16:53 GMT
References: <357@massey.ac.nz> <2376@munnari.oz.au> <2394@uceng.UC.EDU> <1087@oravax.UUCP> <2450@munnari.oz.au> <74519@linus.UUCP> <1989Oct25.023703.13346@chinet.chi.il.us>
Sender: news@linus.UUCP
Reply-To: bwk@mbunix (Barry Kort)
Organization: The Ferchachta Corporation, Bedford, Mass.
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In article <1989Oct25.023703.13346@chinet.chi.il.us>
dsueme@chinet.chi.il.us (Dave Sueme) writes:

 > ...nature tends toward some pre-defined end.

Nature, being a System in which "the Outputs are shorted to the Inputs,"
tends toward a Fixed Point (which we may call Omega).  The Omega point
is the limit point of a succession of semi-stable points.  

This view is consonant with the Post-Darwinian notion of
Punctuated Equilibrium.  The final state (if we ever reach it)
will be indefinitely stable.  Most likely the Omega Point will
be the heat death of the Universe.  Life may find a way to
postpone that fate as long as possible.  Or not.

--Barry Kort