From: Osher Doctorow, Ph.D., [log in to unmask], Thurs. Sept. 21, 2000,
8:22PM
I recently had the idea of a science fiction scenario which has relevance
for evolutionary-computing and for medicine. Imagine that Aliens, who have
put Earth under quarantine until now because of its relatively primitive
state both mentally and physically, visit Earth by mistake and ask their
usual Key Question, which is "Can you take me to your virus?" Top Earth
Politicians and Scientists (in that order on Earth) naturally reply with the
wrong answer, namely, "What virus?" Alternatively, they reply cautiously,
"Please explain." The Aliens immediately realize that they are dealing
with relative idiots and at once depart the planet, not to return for a
long, long time.
The meaning of this scenario is this. Viruses are neither dead nor alive.
We therefore have not merely inorganic, organic, life-organic, and
deceased-organic phases or sub-phases (roughly analogous to solid vs liquid
vs gas phases, but somewhat different), but a virus phase. Why not then
search for additional phases? Maybe viruses have viruses, say virus II,
which attack viruses of the first kind, say virus I. Maybe there is a
phase somewhere between virus and life, call it Heavy or Rap Metal Entity (I
use this name slightly with tongue in cheek). Instead of waiting for our
evolutionary AI life forms to evolve to human beings and then going
somewhere from there, let us start our forms with viruses plus life plus
known viral vaccines and let them evolve from there - possibly with the
addition of some of the ideas of my previous discussion. Viruses are very
small and relatively rare, so they qualify for LBP also. We are talking
here of a long term and large scale project, with funding, not Internet Fun
and Games and Supermarkets. We are talk AIDS, Cancer, and for that matter
Polio and Tuberculosis, whose causes we have not the slightest idea about
despite having a Polio and a Tubercolosis vaccine which eliminate symptoms.
Is it possible that Aliens could regard this as important? Maybe as
important as producing a robot that can play chess or juggle
billiard/snooker balls? The answer, my friends, is yours (well, mine too).
Yours For All Seasons,
Osher
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