Prosthetic Hand Design

The aging Tityas

Natural forces and laws

Natural forces control all the material operations of the eco systems, Gaia. They also control the operations of the systems installed in civilization, Tityas, at the whim of Homo sapiens. Natural laws determine what happens even though our scientists have identified only some of these laws. This is the most fundamental principle and should be taken into consideration in examining proposals for the installation, operation and maintenance of systems in Tityas. This principle should be taken into consideration, but it is not. Human decisions do not affect that principle. They often determine what is initiated but never what subsequently happens.

Natural forces have determined the nature of evolution of the materialistic world over eons. This evolution has not been smooth as various factors have caused some forces to exert a greater influence that others. However, it is quite clear that these natural forces have produced a degree of self-organization and self-regulation of the evolutionary process. That is why humans develop to a roughly predictable size, as do whales and microbes. Sustainable eco systems have slowly evolved under the impetus of these controlling factors. Tityas has rapidly developed, largely under the stimulus of money, by ravishing its life support system.

A critical factor is that information flow leads to decisions about what physical processes are implemented but do not affect what actually happens during the ensuring process over time with the associated dissipation of energy. The simplest example is that animals, including humans, decide when and what to eat but their metabolism (natural forces) determine what then happens. Humans make many decisions in the design, construction, operation and maintenance of a cruise liner. However, natural forces determine that it floats and that the materials used resist the stresses and strains expected in rough seas. The designers used safety factors for those circumstances where they were unsure of how the natural forces would behave. We now know that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms. The instructions generated by humans are not generally as soundly based as those natural ones that have been proven over eons.

Natural forces occasionally cause traumas like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions but others ensure that there is an eventual recovery. Selective breeding is one well-known example of how humans have been able to harness natural forces to their advantage. However, it has also conveyed the false impression that humans are in control. They are only using their prosthetic tools to make use of some natural forces.

‘biomimicry’ is a word that has emerged in recent years to describe what people do in learning from the way nature behaves in order to innovate improved processes for the use of society. It is a modern term for the formulating and adapting processes that humans have used for centuries. It conveys the impression that advances are being made and that emerging problems can be overcome. The fact remains, however, that any process we implement is limited to what is possible by harnessing natural forces. Technology harnesses natural forces: it does not create them

It is ironic that there are instances where humans have made decisions about how to alter the operation of a range in natural forces without understanding what the consequences may be. Using fossil fuels to provide the energy to power the systems of civilization has the unintended consequence of precipitating climate change that we do not have the power to control. Adapting plants by artificial means to feed humans has contributed to the explosive but unsustainable growth in the global population. Vast amounts of raw materials have been used up in building the cities that characterize Tityas so there is not enough left to maintain them for long.

Limitations of human knowledge

We know a fair bit about the elements that make up all the material in the world and the universe. Physicists know about the atoms and their components, the protons in the nucleus and the electrons and the bond energy involved. Chemists know about the possible reactions between molecules of two substances to yield others with an exchange in energy. They know some reactions are exothermic while others are endothermic. They know that catalysts can enable reactions. They know how to initiate the reactions but natural laws determine the outcome. They often decide innovative measures without realizing what can happen. Many chemical products are belatedly found to harm human health. Some countries are now putting the responsibility on the manufacturers to prove their products will not harm people. Humans have been aware of toxic plants for millennia but they are now learning the hard way that many of their chemical products are just as bad.

Flight in emulation of birds was an objective of many clever people from da Vinci on. The failing experiments with flapping wings led to understanding of aerodynamics, which covers the flow of air around bodies. Airfoils were devised to provide lift whilst reducing the ever-present drag became one of the main design objectives. That required understanding of viscous flows over surfaces. Developments led to being able to forecast when flows would transit from laminar to turbulent and some understanding of why this happens. Later on, it became necessary to understand how compressibility affected the flow at high speeds. This knowledge of how some natural forces invariably operated enabled the design of the modern airliner. It emulates birds in its ability to fly though it would seem to have a different means of obtaining lift. That, however, is not so. It just employs the same natural forces by using a different mechanism.

This understanding of the part played by natural forces in enabling flight provides an illustration of the unexpected result of human attempts at emulation. There were many attempts up to the beginning of the Twentieth Century to emulate birds by using flapping wings. They failed to effectively combine lift and thrust. It was not until these requirements were separated into fixed wings for the lift and propellers for the thrust that humans were able to produce a machine that could fly. Helicopters combine lift and thrust in a rotor and they came later. Humans now have the short-term ability to fly hither and thither in machines that feast on limited natural capital.

There are many examples like that that contribute to the general, fallacious belief in the inventiveness of humans and the ability of their technology to overcome natural constraints and limits. The fact that they harness natural forces at an appreciable eco cost is almost invariably over-looked. The fact that all the systems of civilization have a limited life is often not taken into account. New York can only continue to operate and be maintained whilst there is sufficient natural capital available.

Many people in various countries contributed to the ‘invention’ of electricity through experiments and generation of understanding. Yet our electrical systems really only harness natural forces involved in atoms. Nature provides us with demonstrations of electricity in the lightning of thunderstorms. The irony is that these natural examples of electricity have been happening for millions of years without entailing an irrevocable cost. The electrical systems that do so much to ease the operation of society require appreciable amounts of energy and material for their construction, operation and maintenance during their limited lifetime.

The eruption of volcanoes and occurrence of earthquakes are reminders of the power of natural forces. However, the natural forces harnessed in the machinery of industrial civilization continuously exert a much greater power and in a manner that the eco system cannot cope with. Climate change is now recognised as being an unintended consequence. Acidification of the oceans due to the carbon dioxide emissions does not receive the same attention, as yet.

But a better example, if we think about it, is the influence of these natural forces on human mortality. There is little doubt that they play a major part in the aging process. We can understand some of the factors that contribute to that process. The pumping of blood through arteries is like the flow through pipes. Friction retards the flow to a small extent but it also tends to wear out the walls. However, what enables the rhythmic beat of the heart for so long is unclear to most people. Our specialists have sufficient knowledge to propose medication and treatment in many cases where the metabolism has broke down but they are only affecting which natural forces are playing the dominating role.

There is a lot of discussion of stem cell research. Belief that it will contribute to easing some medical problems is quite common. It is widely seen as an indicator of the rapid advance in medical science. There is no recognition of the fact that the research is aimed at adapting existing natural forces. Consequently, there is no general understanding of the limits of this research. The researchers do, implicitly, recognise that they are trying to understand the role of some natural forces. Their aim is to advance the frontiers of knowledge, not modify how these forces control what happens. They are implicitly recognizing that there are natural laws that have not yet been described by humans.

So what!

The natural response to this discussion about the eminence of natural forces, the consequential dependence of the systems of civilization on declining natural material capital together with continuing natural material income and the fanciful influence of human decisions is ‘so what’. People are conditioned to believe in the power of money and technology, to accept the policies of governments and to take the structure of society and of civilization for granted. They are enraptured with economic growth. They have not been educated into the reality on how civilization has been built up at the expense of its life support system.

They are most unlikely to change their way of life because of some novel arguments that suggest that people are not in control of what happens. Most people will find these arguments hard to understand because they do not embrace the logic they have been conditioned to believe. The rich and powerful will tend to ignore these three assertions about reality because they will feel immune to the consequences, even when they subsequently acquire more acceptability. And, of course, the majority of people will follow their leadership until the stark reality hits home by way of the hip pocket. The rich have acquired wealth by stealing from the bank of natural capital so they should pay a back tax, but they will not. The material wealth that is the infrastructure of civilization will decline due to wear and tear of natural forces as the natural capital for maintenance becomes scarce. Society will have to learn to make do for ‘needs’ rather than splurging on ‘wants’.

Humans have invented means to make use of some of these natural forces and are continuing to advance the frontiers of knowledge in that regard. They would say that this is progress within the bounds of what is naturally possible. Humans have made many decisions that have been beneficial to communities. And that is so when looking at the situation realistically. Society does not always do that, however, and the misunderstanding of the role of human conceptions in the operation of civilization has led to the self-destruction mode that is now beginning having a horrendous impact, even in the developed countries.

The question then is what do you personally stand to gain by thinking through and understanding this irrevocable dependence on natural forces and capital, and on chaotic human decisions? This perception does provide fascinating insight. Society has fallaciously presumed the right to depreciate natural capital and it will now have to pay for what was regarded as a free lunch. The dependence on the forces is not unexpected to those prepared to think in view of the fact that the eco system has evolved over eons under the control of these natural forces without human help, or hindrance, until recent times. These natural forces have led to organisms and systems with a degree of self-organization and self-regulation that humans have not been able to emulate in their systems. The decisions made by humans have tended to be driven by monetary ‘forces’. There are many discussions about how economics function. Reference is often made to the ‘laws’ of economics and their similarity to some natural laws, particularly the laws of thermodynamics. The critical point that is missing from these considerations is that a multitude of natural laws apply in providing the proven self-regulation and self-organization that characterizes natural systems. The complex interaction between the natural forces is generally beyond our ken.

The laws of economics are manifestations of human thought with haphazard degrees of self-organization and self-regulation. Humans have devised economic laws and, as recent events have illustrated, they lack sufficient self-regulation and self-organization to cope with the manipulations of greedy banksters sponsoring risky investments. Financial markets are supposed to balance demand and supply for goods and services but they cannot work effectively when the signs are corrupted by the impact of the money games. Many people are well paid though they make no contribution to the operation of the real economy. On the other hand, those that contribute to the production of needed goods and the provision of essential services are often not well paid.

This knowledge of the reality of the operation of civilization is a salutary lesson that Homo sapiens have not been as clever as they would like to make out but there more to this matter. Firstly, it gets rid of the delusion that our technology and know how can create materials to replace those that we have depleted. We have been clever enough to change the breeding of some animals to better meet our needs. We were clever enough to devise the means to extract the fossil fuels to provide energy without understanding the consequences. We were clever enough to install means to improve food production and distribution without having the means to sustain that process. We were clever enough to build up the vast infrastructure of our civilization without having the means to continue to operate and maintain its components during their limited lives. We have been clever enough to encourage social diversity without sustaining the capability to meet the basic demands. We have been clever enough increase the complexity of the operations of civilization without retaining the resilience to cope with events unexpected by our leaders. There is no turning back the clock. The civilization monster exists and it is rapacious and its inhabitants have a surfeit of information but a lacking in wisdom.

The point is that this dependence on natural forces is a fundamental fact about how natural systems and the systems of civilization operate. It is as fundamental as our need to breathe, eat and drink. Understanding the implications of that fact encourages an ecological point of view. Normally discussions are dominated by confusing anthropocentric points of view focused on using money. It is like the crew on the bridge of the Titanic discussing how fast the ship might go if the engine room staff can coax more steam whilst ignoring the yells from the bow lookouts that an iceberg is looming out of the fog. A few smart passengers are heeding the warning and heading for the lifeboats.

The decisions made in all levels of society are tainted by the role played by the flow of money combined with this lack of understanding of materialistic reality. It is almost certain that the leverage of money will continue to be the dominating force behind many decisions in the near future. The vast majority of people have little influence on what happens because they are poor. The response of the middle classes will be inhibited by incomprehension. Even the Earthly Revolution fostered by aware people will have little influence. The powerful, elite countries, communities and people will continue to use their monetary leverage, with deleterious influence. They have the tools to lessen the impact of the senescence of civilization on their life styles. They are like the aging person who uses their wealth blatantly while ignoring the declining health of a neighbor.

Civilization is aging rapidly, even if the vast majority of people cannot appreciate that fact because spurious symbols still sprout. The question that immediately comes to the minds of concerned people is what can be done to ease the situation. There is a huge population of humans and their systems consume irreplaceable natural capital, particularly those supplying energy, food and water, at a high rate. These systems also produce wastes that are irrevocably degrading the environment. That is the current situation. It cannot slow down rapidly as there is a major commitment, which is largely unavoidable, to keep civilization operating at this injurious speed. However, business as usual cannot continue so market forces will ensure only those providing worthwhile goods and services will manage in the contracting economy.

Financial markets can crash because they are based on intangible money created out of thin air and which can evaporate at the stroke of a pen. However, most people will still use money to run their lives. They will gradually respond to the developing circumstances even though bewildered by the decline in their material standard of living. They will slowly adapt to a frugal lifestyle but the quality of living will improve for some with the rebirth of communalism. Many will want to know why they cannot look forward to the progress enjoyed by the previous generation. Young people will be likely to revolt at the dire legacy from their forebears. Some observant people will want to know why it took scientists so long to recognise that natural forces always determine what happens. Many will want to know why governments have failed in their responsibility to provide sound leadership rather than being besotted with economic growth and to hell with the consequences.

Conclusion

Homo sapiens have used their prosthetic tools to build up a vast civilization without taking into account the ecological cost. Now they have to devise means to ease the decline of their edifice as the foundations crumble. Their balm, money, will ease the pain for very few of the declining population.

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