CopyRight @ 1996
Part of the problem of writing this book has to do with the
meaning of words. Many times the definitions of technical words
are not precise or they are not used as biological terms.
Consider the terms aggression, altruism, superior, survival,
class or caste. So in
many places in the book, definitions of words are discussed to
clarify particular concepts. Following, are some of these
definitions, presented for use through the book. It is notable
that some differ widely from common perceptions.
Human survival strategies are called moralities. They are
the basis of all human survival strategies. Moralities are far
more complex than behaviors based on instinct and learned
survival strategies may conflict with instincts. These strategies
have been perpetuated by many institutions, especially religions.
Values are based on moralities and values are what we operate
from and understand. If you ask a person what their philosophy
is, you are asking them about their morality and value system.
Caste is a term refering to occupation, but based on tribal
affinity as well. Class refers to occupation, but has more to do
with the economic condition of the group. The farmer brings grain
to the miller. This does not change who the farmer or the miller
is, but as the miller becomes more wealthy than the farmer, they
become different classes.
altruism agg sup.
It can be a problem differentiating beliefs from technology.
Moralities are beliefs that are tools of survival, knowledge
tools, but they are still techniques. Usually in this book,
technology refers to the more mechanical aspects of survival
strategies.
Archetypes----put in defs
This book is written to communicate many complex ideas.
Sometimes it is easier to describe a persons understanding of an
idea than to describe the actual idea. It is easier to remind a
person of their experiences, walking through a forest, than it
would be to describe the actual experience. Most human experience
is rather common and variation of experience and opinion is quite
limited. Archetypes are examples of typical and common
individuals or situations. Since archetypes are easily understood
and recognized, they are used here to facilitate communication.
They may be Classical Greek descriptions of personalities,
economic and political forms
as described by Ayn Rand or an
artifact of speculative fiction such as the Shipstone power
source described by Heinline. Any archetype can aid communication
and so is subject to use, subject to the limitations of the
archetypes. Mostly they are used to describe factors that may
develop. Many of the real factors that make possible futures have
been considered by contemporary and even ancient thinkers.
Will
the resources of the future resemble the archetype of a large
complex centralized power course or a small, simple, cheap power
supply. The isolated consequences of many potential factors have
already been thoughtfully considered or can be estimated.
insert somewhere -- stability. ?? under defs?
The most basic premice of this book is that the last time
that humans were in a relatively stable ecology was the tribal
paleolithic collector, gatherer and small game hunter.
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