Evolutionary Developmental Mechanism: The Principle that Nurtures the Forest of Life and Knowledge
I believe the essence of the processing done by intelligence consists of pattern recognition and simulation. Pattern recognition learns patterns, and simulation learns mechanisms, both of which are applied in intellectual work.
In this article, we will delve into this mechanism. In the process, we will analyze the conditions of the mechanism that causes phenomena to evolve and develop, like life and knowledge.
Through this analysis, we will clarify the properties of this evolutionary developmental mechanism. Furthermore, we will demonstrate that the evolutionary developmental mechanism can also be seen in the process of chemical evolution at the origin of life and the development of society.
Moreover, from the perspective of the evolutionary developmental mechanism, we can see that there is a significant commonality between genes that hold the key to the evolution and development of life, and language that holds the key to the evolution and development of knowledge. From this viewpoint, coming up with new knowledge is an evolution of knowledge, and it can be understood as a significant event contrasted with the birth of a new species.
Let’s look into it in more detail.
Basic Structure of the Mechanism
Mechanisms are defined by static elements, namely containers, states, and laws, and they are dynamically deployed based on these static elements.
A container is a vessel for a state. Laws act on the state of the container during deployment and change it. Additionally, some laws act on the container itself during deployment and change it.
For example, imagine a pendulum hanging from the ceiling by a string. In this case, the pendulum is the container that holds the state, and it has states like being still, being lifted, or moving.
A lifted pendulum has a law that it will fall if released. However, since it is attached to a string, it doesn’t fall straight down but passes through the point directly below the string’s perspective, following an arc. Then, when it reaches the other side, it begins to describe an arc in the opposite direction.
Broadly speaking, the pendulum has such a mechanism.
It should be noted that the laws themselves may be affected by the container or state. This can be interpreted as the laws changing due to changes in the container or state, or that the laws have prerequisites and remain unchanged, but may conform or not conform to those prerequisites due to changes in the container or state.
There is no strict right or wrong in this relationship; it’s essential to grasp the more straightforward interpretation when interpreting or imagining a mechanism.
Systematic Mechanism Comprising Multiple Containers and Laws
Both containers and laws may exist in multiples.
Multiple containers can exist individually and separately, in which case it is a mere collection of containers. On the other hand, containers may be structurally connected; this case will be referred to as structured containers.
Multiple laws may each act independently and concurrently on the state of the container. This case will be called universal laws. Alternatively, laws may be chain-connected; this will be called chain laws.
In the case of physical laws, the laws are not connected and always act universally on the state of the container. Therefore, they are universal laws. Also, the objects to which physical laws are applied can usually be interpreted as existing independently and separately, so they can be called a collection of containers.
On the other hand, there may be cases like a program where laws are replaced one after another during deployment. This differs from universal laws, as the applicable laws are replaced depending on the situation or deployment order. Therefore, it’s chain laws. Also, the data and its containers targeted by a program often have various semantic connections, so it can be called a structured container.
These structured containers and chain laws are generally referred to as a system. Therefore, a mechanism with these properties will be called a systematic mechanism.
Evolutionary Developmental Mechanism
Based on the static aspects of the mechanism, such as containers and laws, the mechanism dynamically unfolds, and the state changes.
If there is a medium that can hold the static aspect of the mechanism, the dynamic mechanism can be deployed again and again. This can be called a regenerative mechanism.
Moreover, during the unfolding of the dynamic mechanism, it may act on the medium holding the static mechanism. As a result, elements of the static mechanism within the medium may be changed, destroyed, copied, or newly created. This can be called a self-modifying mechanism. Furthermore, it may also act on the medium itself.
Thus, a mechanism that holds the static mechanism in a medium, and the dynamic mechanism deployed from there, acts on that medium is performing regeneration and self-modification.
This regenerative and self-modifying mechanism may be placed in an environment where it is selectively culled. Then, the mechanism will flow against the direction of selective culling, as if redeeming itself from a force that tries to erase its existence, changing as if sneaking through the net of selection. This is evolution.
Moreover, this evolution often cannot be achieved by merely one container or law within the mechanism. Therefore, the number and types of containers are increased, and the structure between the containers is changed. The number of chained laws is also increased, and their types are diversified. In this way, various containers and laws evolve together with structure and chaining, and the whole mechanism expands as a systematic mechanism. This is development.
We will call the mechanism that evolves and develops in this selective culling, an evolutionary developmental mechanism.
Example 1: Organic Matter
Organic matter falls under the evolutionary development mechanism. Organic matter becomes the medium for retaining elements of the static aspect of the mechanism.
By structuring and bonding with each other, organic matter becomes a structured container. Additionally, chain-like organic substances can realize the law of linkage.
Organic matter can serve as a medium for repeatedly unfolding dynamic mechanisms. During the unfolding, organic matter is synthesized and decomposed, undergoing self-modification. These organic substances are selectively eliminated, evolving in what is called chemical evolution. With numerous and diverse organic substances evolving with structure and linkage, the whole develops.
Example 2: Cells, Organisms, and Ecosystems
Organisms also fall under the evolutionary development mechanism. Genes are the medium for holding elements of the static aspect of the mechanism.
Genes create life forms as the dynamic aspect during unfolding. Life forms grow as they dynamically unfold according to the genes, eventually producing offspring’s genes. This leads to the repeated regeneration of life forms from the same type of genes. Sometimes mutations may occur in the offspring’s genes, leading to self-modification.
Genes evolve through natural selection. With numerous and diverse genes evolving together, the entire ecosystem woven by genes develops.
Example 3: Knowledge
Knowledge also falls under the evolutionary development mechanism.
Knowledge is held in intelligence as elements of the static aspect of the mechanism. Intelligence is the medium. Thoughts are then unfolded from knowledge. Thoughts can be repeatedly regenerated from knowledge, and as a result, knowledge may be corrected or new knowledge may be born.
Knowledge is selectively eliminated based on logical consistency, compatibility with reality, or resonance with human sensibility. Through this, knowledge evolves, and with many diverse pieces of knowledge evolving in harmony, the entire system of knowledge develops.
Example 4: Humans, Organizations, Communities, and Society
Societies formed by human gatherings in organizations and communities also fall under the evolutionary development mechanism.
Documents such as explicit policies, roadmaps, business procedures, and organizational charts held by organizations and communities are the medium for retaining elements of the static aspect of the mechanism. Implicit rules, customs, and know-how, held and taught mutually among members, exist as well. In this case, members’ memories are the medium.
Based on the organization’s information, rules, and know-how in these media, organizational and community activities unfold. Organizations and communities self-modify in these activities and evolve through selection based on economic rationality or community needs. The totality of numerous and diverse organizations and communities, society itself, develops.
Genes and Explicit Knowledge
Reading the relationship between organic matter and organisms, and knowledge and society, similar structures are found.
Organic matter constitutes organisms, and knowledge creates society. Mediums that hold important mechanisms for the evolution of organisms and society exist: genes and explicit knowledge.
Interestingly, genes are a type of organic matter, and explicit knowledge is a type of knowledge.
On closer inspection, these two have many commonalities, including ease of replication, accuracy, error inclusion, and the capability of entirely new innovations through blending. Both are composed of simple rules and hold a form of information.
One cannot overlook the fact that both were created through the evolution of organic matter and knowledge, respectively, and since their creation, they have drastically transformed the world, building vast ecosystems and advanced societies.
The creation of genes from organic matter would have required a considerably complex and long period of chemical evolution. However, once genes appeared, it is conceivable that they were copied across the Earth in an instant.
Likely, the same is true for explicit knowledge. A prime example is language. It may have taken a significant amount of time for language to establish beyond ambiguous communication like voice volume, tone, or expression. Then, writing was created, and language further developed.
Genes are not only statically maintaining structure within cells but also dynamically acting. Inside cells, genes are partially used to produce RNA, generating proteins, thereby becoming the command center. While genes have been described as creating the dynamic mechanism of an organism, at a micro-level, they create a dynamic mechanism within the cell.
Similarly, explicit knowledge is not only statically memorized in human minds but also dynamically active. Among the overall knowledge inside the head, a part is used for thought. It can also be said that knowledge becomes the command center for thought.
Intelligence and Mechanisms, Simulation Capability
We have explained in our brains, that is, in intelligence, how knowledge evolves and develops as an evolving developmental mechanism.
This means that intelligence has the property of being able to move mechanisms within it. When we see or hear something accompanied by a mechanism, we can learn its static aspects such as containers, laws, and states. Then, we can unfold them in our minds.
When reading a novel written in letters, the lively portrayal of the interactions of the characters in the story inside our heads is thanks to this brain’s ability to deploy mechanisms. Furthermore, when interrupting reading a novel partway through, you can also imagine what happens next in the story. It’s not just unfolding the story written in sentences, but using the characters (containers), their personalities (laws), and the situations they are placed in (states) to unfold mechanisms inside your head. This is a simulation of mechanisms.
Not only in novels but also in everyday life, we perform various simulations. Furthermore, in academics and work, we make new discoveries or solve problems through simulations in our heads.
In this way, advanced intelligence can learn the static aspects of various mechanisms or newly devise them and simulate them.
In Conclusion
In this article, we have considered the mechanisms to explain the chemical evolution of organic matter, the ecosystem, knowledge, and the evolution and development of society, focusing on mechanisms.
The nature of regeneration where mechanisms dynamically unfold from a medium that retains static elements, and the nature of self-modification where dynamic mechanisms alter static elements. These two properties were able to organize the evolution and development of these mechanisms.
Also, it was made clear that genes and formal knowledge (language) play an important role and have many common properties.
Thinking in this way, an image is formed of thoughts unfolded from formal knowledge in our heads, creating a rich forest. In that forest, the birth of new knowledge is inspiration. It’s the same as the birth of a new species within an ecosystem, evolution. By repeating this, the forest continues to grow larger and more complex.
