Man is always interested in the future. Previously, he had no opportunity to present a convincing forecast on this. Today, such a forecast is possible. Resources systemic information model nature provides it. The author introduced this model in his articles, monographs and Encyclopedia of systemic knowledge. Many of his works can be found in the public domain on the Internet.
It is known that the history of life on the planet includes several dramatic periods of mass death of organisms. Today we have more than a dozen alleged scenarios of this phenomenon. But they do not reveal the internal cause of mass extinction. All scenarios assume the influence of external factors. These include supernova explosions, the fall of large celestial bodies to the Earth, volcanic activity, etc. However, I have found a causal link next mass extinction with the advent of a new generation of organisms.
New information mechanism of each stage of phylogeny dramatically increases the resource potential of the new generation in tectological hostile (by Bogdanov) world. It is believed that life on the planet originated about 3.7 billion years ago as precellular protein forms. The first organisms do not have mutual benefits. Competition for resources is practically absent. Live exhibit unusually high creativity at this stage. However, systemic content of these organisms remained constant. They were all of the same protein forms. But increased chemical diversity and physical structure complicated.
In the second stage of phylogeny in the interval 2.5 – 1.65 billion years ago there were new forms of living, which have received a new basic the information mechanism – a genetic. Organisms with a genetic apparatus got more degrees of freedom. This gave significant advantages over the living forms of the previous stage of phylogeny, which stayed with their capabilities. At this stage, new forms of living the first time began to show an active competition for resources between themselves. Both of these circumstances are the cause of the first mass extinction of life on Earth. In the same period there was a so-called "oxygen catastrophe", when the oxygen level in the atmosphere has increased dramatically. Hard times started for anaerobes. However, some of them were able to fully or partially preserve self. They were included in the structure of organisms which capable to photosynthesis of oxygen. At the same time they received a number of preferences, including a higher level of security[1].
The third stage of phylogeny of living has come in between 570 – 440 million years ago. During this period there appeared organisms which have received a new basic informational mechanism in the form of neuron networks and ganglia. Under these conditions, competition for resources has escalated again. It was the second cause of mass extinction.
The fourth stage of phylogeny of the living came in the range of 200 – 150 million years ago. At this period there appeared organisms which have received a new basic informational mechanism – advanced brain. Competition for resources has increased sharply again. This caused a third mass extinction of living.
The most numerous species diversity there was in the first stage of phylogeny. Genuine species were not present from the modern view at this stage; they appear in subsequent stages development of living. It is interesting, that number of species of new systemic of organization that appearing at each subsequent stage of phylogeny, decreases exponentially.
It is believed that at the fifth stage of phylogeny there is only one species – modern man[2] (Homo sapiens L.). He received a new basic systemic quality – advanced consciousness, which provides the maximum for live number of degrees of freedom. This quality of man has given rise to serious danger for the whole of the biosphere and for him, too.
Formally mankind had monopolized all resources of the planet which before were available for all alive organisms. But really, these resources are in property of a relatively small people group. The exponential growth of the victims of armed conflict and endless ecocidal practice indicate the beginning of the fourth mass extinction of living. The scale of human resources for the destruction of all life on the planet is so big that there are no grounds for optimism. Different speculation about the anthropic principle in any form is only a manifestation of the anthropic chauvinism.
It is believed that modern man appeared not earlier than 3 million years ago. However, this date is incorrect for several reasons. Firstly, the different methods of dates calculation give different results. Secondly, we are not valid criteria that offer to carry out dating and level of development. Sentinelese tribe, the wild tribes of Amazonia or New Guinea have household items which no different from things, which used our ancestors at the turn of the Cretaceous and Eocene, i.e. 65-35 million years ago. Our ancestors were not much different in appearance from our indigenous contemporaries. Since that time we can start counting the fourth mass extinction.
We can to mark, that each next mass extinction was a more extended on the time process. It had continued from tens of thousands to tens of millions of years. This demonstrates the intrinsic nature of this phenomenon. Some crises of this kind took place in several stages and had several peaks. The reasons for deceleration and acceleration are different.
Today we are at the third peak of the last mass extinction. It began in the XVI century with the development of natural sciences. Today this resource is able to destroy on the planet all living things. Only ethical imperative would help a person manage this process for the benefit of all living things. For that society should to request this tool. But for that mankind must to have an Ethical imperative. It's a vicious circle.
Now we see that the process is going to the imminent disaster. What a pity that no one will be able to observe and describe Yellowstone eruption of the caldera, a huge transgression of the sea and a number of other enchanting events that will occur in the near future.
[1] See in my works, for example: "The fourth biosemiotics law".
[2] We have good reason to believe the existence of several species and subspecies of modern man.
It is known that the history of life on the planet includes several dramatic periods of mass death of organisms. Today we have more than a dozen alleged scenarios of this phenomenon. But they do not reveal the internal cause of mass extinction. All scenarios assume the influence of external factors. These include supernova explosions, the fall of large celestial bodies to the Earth, volcanic activity, etc. However, I have found a causal link next mass extinction with the advent of a new generation of organisms.
New information mechanism of each stage of phylogeny dramatically increases the resource potential of the new generation in tectological hostile (by Bogdanov) world. It is believed that life on the planet originated about 3.7 billion years ago as precellular protein forms. The first organisms do not have mutual benefits. Competition for resources is practically absent. Live exhibit unusually high creativity at this stage. However, systemic content of these organisms remained constant. They were all of the same protein forms. But increased chemical diversity and physical structure complicated.
In the second stage of phylogeny in the interval 2.5 – 1.65 billion years ago there were new forms of living, which have received a new basic the information mechanism – a genetic. Organisms with a genetic apparatus got more degrees of freedom. This gave significant advantages over the living forms of the previous stage of phylogeny, which stayed with their capabilities. At this stage, new forms of living the first time began to show an active competition for resources between themselves. Both of these circumstances are the cause of the first mass extinction of life on Earth. In the same period there was a so-called "oxygen catastrophe", when the oxygen level in the atmosphere has increased dramatically. Hard times started for anaerobes. However, some of them were able to fully or partially preserve self. They were included in the structure of organisms which capable to photosynthesis of oxygen. At the same time they received a number of preferences, including a higher level of security[1].
The third stage of phylogeny of living has come in between 570 – 440 million years ago. During this period there appeared organisms which have received a new basic informational mechanism in the form of neuron networks and ganglia. Under these conditions, competition for resources has escalated again. It was the second cause of mass extinction.
The fourth stage of phylogeny of the living came in the range of 200 – 150 million years ago. At this period there appeared organisms which have received a new basic informational mechanism – advanced brain. Competition for resources has increased sharply again. This caused a third mass extinction of living.
The most numerous species diversity there was in the first stage of phylogeny. Genuine species were not present from the modern view at this stage; they appear in subsequent stages development of living. It is interesting, that number of species of new systemic of organization that appearing at each subsequent stage of phylogeny, decreases exponentially.
It is believed that at the fifth stage of phylogeny there is only one species – modern man[2] (Homo sapiens L.). He received a new basic systemic quality – advanced consciousness, which provides the maximum for live number of degrees of freedom. This quality of man has given rise to serious danger for the whole of the biosphere and for him, too.
Formally mankind had monopolized all resources of the planet which before were available for all alive organisms. But really, these resources are in property of a relatively small people group. The exponential growth of the victims of armed conflict and endless ecocidal practice indicate the beginning of the fourth mass extinction of living. The scale of human resources for the destruction of all life on the planet is so big that there are no grounds for optimism. Different speculation about the anthropic principle in any form is only a manifestation of the anthropic chauvinism.
It is believed that modern man appeared not earlier than 3 million years ago. However, this date is incorrect for several reasons. Firstly, the different methods of dates calculation give different results. Secondly, we are not valid criteria that offer to carry out dating and level of development. Sentinelese tribe, the wild tribes of Amazonia or New Guinea have household items which no different from things, which used our ancestors at the turn of the Cretaceous and Eocene, i.e. 65-35 million years ago. Our ancestors were not much different in appearance from our indigenous contemporaries. Since that time we can start counting the fourth mass extinction.
We can to mark, that each next mass extinction was a more extended on the time process. It had continued from tens of thousands to tens of millions of years. This demonstrates the intrinsic nature of this phenomenon. Some crises of this kind took place in several stages and had several peaks. The reasons for deceleration and acceleration are different.
Today we are at the third peak of the last mass extinction. It began in the XVI century with the development of natural sciences. Today this resource is able to destroy on the planet all living things. Only ethical imperative would help a person manage this process for the benefit of all living things. For that society should to request this tool. But for that mankind must to have an Ethical imperative. It's a vicious circle.
Now we see that the process is going to the imminent disaster. What a pity that no one will be able to observe and describe Yellowstone eruption of the caldera, a huge transgression of the sea and a number of other enchanting events that will occur in the near future.
[1] See in my works, for example: "The fourth biosemiotics law".
[2] We have good reason to believe the existence of several species and subspecies of modern man.