The doctrine that there is no God. Atheists believe that there is insufficient evidence for God and/or that the concept of God is incoherent so its existence is logically impossible.
The doctrine that the existence of God is unknown and probably unknowable.
Information in the form of a temporal pattern.
To believe a statement or proposition P is to act as if P is held to be true. It is not necessary that the belief be conscious nor certain. For example it is accurate to say that a spider believes it is imperative to ensure the safety of her eggs even though "safety" as a concept is too abstract for her tiny brain.
The relation between an event (cause) and its meaning (effect).
A region in phase space between order and chaos. Complex systems are characterized by unpredictable behaviour.
The causal environment which determines the actual effect of an action or event.
To control a system is to be able to predict and influence its future state.
A system which can predict and influence another.
The study of the origin and nature of the universe.
The doctrine that mental processes are caused by brain processes.
A secondary phenomenon caused by another.
The study of infectious knowledge. [from epistem(ology + epid)emiology] See memetics. (neologism due to Duane Hewitt.)
An entity possessing omniscience, omnipotence and perfect morality.
A region on the spectrum of complexity beginning somewhere around viruses and extending to intelligence and beyond.
A system designed for a purpose.
1. Actual or objective effect. Meaning is dependent on context; the same thing can have different meanings in different contexts because the context determines the effect. The meaning of an event is the effect it has on future events. The meaning of a spoken or written word is the effect it has on its audience. 2. Intended effect. The intended effect of a written word or speech act is usually to induce a specific cognitive state in the mind of the audience.
A division of philosophy that includes ontology and cosmology. Virus metaphysics adds semantics to the list.
A theory postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power .
A game in which it is possible for all the players to win or lose. e.g. the Prisoners' Dilemma, war, and life.
The study of the nature of being or the kinds of existence
A nonjustificationist epistemology in which every statement is subject to criticism. See Bartley.
PCR
A discipline comprising logic, aesthetics, ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology.
1. Any meme-complex that competes with a traditional religion, e.g. Roman Catholicism. Two meme-complexes compete to the extent that it is impossible to consistently both to be true.
1. The branch of semiotics dealing with the study of meaning. 2. In Virus, the branch of metaphysics dealing with the study of effect.
Information in the form of a physical pattern.
A collection of causally related objects. All systems (except perhaps the universe) are part of a supersystem. All systems (except perhaps quarks) are composed of subsystems. The behaviour of a system is an epiphenomenon of the collective behaviours of its component subsystems. Systems are essentially patterns.
Accurate with respect to objective reality. Since accuracy is not a discrete attribute, truth is necessarily a fuzzy concept.
The sum total of all effects from the event to the end of time.
To understand a system is to possess a conceptual model that can be used to accurately predict the behaviour of the system. A deep understanding entails understanding the components of the system.
Of or relating to the Church of Virus.
1. The infectious unit of a virus. 2. (capitalized) A carrier of the Virus meme-complex. (neologism due to Duane Hewitt.)
A game in which there is a loser for every winner. e.g. chess, football, Monopoly.
