PG&E signs deal for first space-based solar farm

On Monday 20 April 2009 19:05, Jonathan wrote:
The idea is to start a problem solving system which follows natural
evolutionary processes.
The idea...then...is once such a problem solving system is set in motion
(self organizes), the system will....like Nature...settle on the most
elegant solution possible at every turn. It's what complex adaptive
systems do best, first and every chance they get.....problem solve and
settle on the best practical solution.

Humanity has discovered many problems with such local optimization
searches. First, the solution may get stuck in a "local minimum".
Consider the cheetah: very fast, but the species' lack of genetic
diversity suggests that the species will be extinct "soon".

Second and more importantly, what problem or problems will be solved?
If the problem is man-made pollution, the simplest solution is to do
away with all mankind! Few people would advocate such a solution.
Instead the problems to be solved may not admit a satisfactory
solution. Some people want free power (without the waste heat hurting
the environment). Some people want little capital demands. Some
people want quick solutions. Some people just want power.

Its not clear to me that "The most competitive solution will rise to
the top." Consider Betamax vs VHS. Or 110 V 60 Hz vs. 220 V 50 Hz
electricity.

-paul-