I’m interested in the nature of ideas. I have a theory that ideas can be modelled as organisms and evolve according to the process of survival of the fittest. — Roy Davies
That’s an interesting point. Though I don’t know about ideas being ‘true’ or not. Some very destructive ideas can exist in a society and thus keep it going, at least for a while. — Roy Davies
I agree. The concept of conjecture and refutation means that an idea is only as good as its ability to stand up to being refuted. A good idea also has to be refutable in its design. — Roy Davies
Ideas might contribute to the successful existence of the entity thinking it, and thus be a positive influence on the entity and idea together, but there are many ideas that can be thought that won't have a noticeable effect on the entity's survival, but may themselves survive or not depending on the environment they find themselves in. An example would be ideas related to a religious cult that self reinforce each other inside the cult, but that outside, would seem ludicrous. From the outside, we would think these are 'bad' ideas and ultimately, the environment they exist in will come to an end. Like an evolutionary enclave — Roy Davies
So, how can we ensure a fitness function that evolves ideas in a positive direction? — Roy Davies
A good idea also has to be refutable in its design. — Roy Davies
Could be. Like any good theory, it is only useful if it allows one to make testable predictions. — Roy Davies
So, if we consider human minds to be the environment in which ideas breed and grow, then I wonder what the measure of fitness is for an idea? — Roy Davies
The measure of fitness is survival. — unenlightened
Philosophy is like a cow that eats ideas and shits all over them and also enriches the soil. — unenlightened
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