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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Adrian Tymes<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, December 23, 2013 10:04 AM<br><b>To:</b> ExI chat list<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [ExI] confused trees and bees<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p>On Dec 23, 2013 8:22 AM, "spike" <<a href="mailto:spike66@att.net">spike66@att.net</a>> wrote:<br>><span style='color:#1F497D'>>…</span> With the possibility of low cost instruments and data loggers, we are mechanizing one aspect of science: we can collect observations. But those instruments cannot ponder what they are measuring. We have the possibility of a stunning replication of observational opportunities, but at the same time we may be suffering from a decline in our collective capacity to interpret what we are seeing.<o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='color:#1F497D'>>…</span>Why does this bother you? The solution is obvious: find a way to mechanize the pondering too. Some folk have already been doing this, albeit only with laboratory demonstrators so far<span style='color:#1F497D'>…</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Adrian, this is why I referenced Darwin’s stunning seventh chapter of Origin of Species, and I do hope everyone takes a few minutes to read that chapter, or part of that chapter, or even a few paragraphs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><a href="http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/origin/chapter7.html">http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/origin/chapter7.html</a> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Much of the reason evolution theory is still so misunderstood is that most people read what others wrote about Origin of Species rather than reading Origin of Species. Darwin wrote the very best explanation of evolution I have read to date, and I have read plenty of them. He was a master at turning observation into insight. The language is within reach of typical high school graduates, and the guy just comes off as a super-smart friendly, kindhearted, nineteenth century Anders Sandberg except with a huge beard. You feel like he would be your friend if you met him even once.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Regarding your notion of mechanizing this process of observation to insight, or inductive reasoning, I would argue we are nowhere close to this, not even close, not on the horizon. There have been a few dozen humans in all of history who are stellar at this, Newton, Darwin, Gould, Asimov, Sagan are five examples who come to mind. These are stellar paragons of virtue in explaining scientific observation down to the layman. It feels to me like we need some kind of mechanism for handing scientific observations back up to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I don’t think we are anywhere near software capable of this.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>spike<o:p></o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>