A map is not the territory it describes. No description or model (mathematical or not, precise or not) includes all features of what is described. Whether a description includes *essential* features is entirely down to an observer's perception of what matters, and whether a use or test of the description (mathematical or not, precise or not) turns out to (near enough) produce results or effects desired by those observers.
Sit like a turtle, sleep like a dog, walk spritely like a pigeon. This is some sort of Chinese monk proverb that resonated with me before, but sits closer to me when I think on the idea that: the total number of heart beats across all animals is approximately the same...
10 minutes into trying to describe / define ‘life’…. Simple 3 word answer: Life pursues advantage. That’s the dominant behavior. Physics cannot account for advantage.
Advantage is subjective such as the experiences leading to take the actions Life is might have been a simpler answer But it’s not quite what people want to hear They think there should be meaning and there is, but just like a fractal everywhere meaning is you can expect depth and breadth. In your example the dominant behavior of life being opportunistic; I think it shows that there is depth to meaning but not to life, life it just is, it just survives, it just metabolizes energy. It doesn’t moralize or philosophize or value anything only novelty and entropy exist to shape those values
Ever since I read Scale, I've been looking for West's spoken content. Such a pleasure to discover your interview, and such a shame not more people have seen it!
I read the book and watch this interview to review and comprehend more in-depth about the Scale. Also, listen to the author present his idea in person in video is quite different experience than just reading his words from the book, it conveys the information and idea in a more dynamic and colorful way!
