Dr. Bruce Damer, an infinitely curious psychonaut of natural order, recently published a paper presenting a theory of the Origins of Life on Earth. The origin of his interest in the topic goes back to his childhood, in which he lovingly explored the fields of his homeland and while exploring nature came to the question “How did a seed become a plant?”, and then deeper, before a question that would become a life-long engagement, “How did biological-life begin in the first place?”. He had known of Albert Einstein’s famous “thought experiment” in which Albert uncovered knowledge about his “Theory of Relativity” by traveling along-side a beam of light in his mind’s-eye. Bruce innocent and 12-years-young, believed, perhaps correctly, that anyone could derive insight in this manner, and in the behemoth presence of the Origin-of-Life question, he began to use this method of deriving answers. Tirelessly, he was led through schools, science labs, jobs, states of deep-inquiry, and project sites, until a half-century later, a hot-spring, where he successfully documented and orchestrated RNA creation in a repeatable fashion.
The finding shows that biological life was created as ascending orders of complexing non biological material was entrained along the edge of a hot-spring with the natural rhythms of wet to dry. Patterns begin to emerge, coagulate, and differentiate until the groupings begin to act as if they were responding to certain occurrences, and gradually they begin to appear as if they were a living cell fulfilling functions, until seeming and being merge.
What’s so unique about this theory is that it shows how life could be perceived as having no individuals, being essentially “one thing”, a vector of ascending complexity.
The theory gives evidence for a collective dimension to evolutionary theory. It suggests that “survival of the fittest” is just one side of the coin, and the other being the collective drive to produce and ensure higher orders of complexity.
This here is a talk by him that unfurls his vision, the full implications of which, are yet realized. The findings will greatly influence the advent of artificial intelligence since Evolutionary-Theory and AI are deeply intertwined.
Bruce’s unique depth of inquiry, his methods, his love for nature, are part of what make him a hero of mine, and I believe this video compiles him very well. You’re welcome!
so no argument with him there. I had numerous revelations, new insights into particular experiences I’ve had that resonate with some of what was presented here. So 75 minutes well-spent!