AM de Lange writes:
> The last couple of centuries humankind is not assisting nature in the
> emergence of new spcecies, but actually causes the immergence (extinction)
> of species at an increasing rate. I think that the same sort of thing is
> happening in culture. We merely have to look at natural languages. In
> Southern Africa there are approximately 1500 Banthu languages. Rather than
> each developing to reflect the world of its speakers, they are gradually
> eroded into trivialities. Whereas it was the business of the universe to
> create more diversity in nature and culture since the beginning of time,
> humankind is succeeding the past couple of centuries to reverse this
> process.
I wonder... a local part of the universe smashed into the earth not long ago
(in geologic time) with a resulting dramatic reduction in the diversity of
life for a time. Is it possible that the larger rhythm becoming is an
alternation of diversification followed by a sort of consolidation
(inevitably causing local immergences) that sets the stage for the next wave
of diversification? On the level of mind, could this be a characterization
of the progress of learning?
Regards,
--Don Dwiggins "Solvitur Ambulando" SEI Information Technology d.l.dwiggins@computer.org
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>