Random Intentional Theory

When rain softens the ground under a rock on the side of a mountain, and it goes crashing down onto the road, we generally would not say that "the rock was intending to block the road" or that "the rain pushed the rock onto the road with a purpose". Only "believers" would look for a "reason". Physicists would dismiss any reason given for this action other than the play of powers of nature.

But just as looking at pixels you cannot see the picture, and looking at the molecules individual behavior you cannot realize the thermodynamics of a system, at the macro level, in many cases we DO see intentional behavior. The cat raises its back and hisses at the dog with the intention of scaring it and getting away. We write down ideas in HalfBakery with the intention of getting attention.

IMHO it can be shown that in any random system there is statistically a higher chance for SOME RANDOM order, than for a TOTAL CHAOS. From this we can begin studying the "path of intention" for various organized parts of the system that follow rules.

This halfbaked idea proposes to show how through statistics, intentional behavior can be studied in various aspects, for any random system following rules through time.

In particular, both nature and business can be shown to have elements with various levels of intentionality, and these intentions along with their interaction with the actual system in "real" time, may become a compelling part of study, and give strong insight into how the world "works".

The notion of intention is usually suppressed in scientific theory and especially in Reductionism which shows or explains the world as FOLLOWING rules, rather than POINTING TOWARDS AN END.

Any seeming intention found in the real world, is reduced to an explanation showing the powers preceding it, leading to this PERCEIVED end.

Thus for example evolution, a theory that has been established in almost every field in modern science, is the explanation of how "natural selection", seemingly an act of intention when done artificially by farmers for choosing the "best of the breed" can occur "naturally" with no intention in advance, and the "best of the breed", at least for the adapted behavior in the given environment, is left alive - or in other words "chosen".

The Random Intentional Theory is NOT intended (if that word can be used in this sense) to replace the ideas and science of evolving physics, biology, game theory, or business sciences, and definitely not to deny their findings.

Rather, it is a theory that looks at the same phenomena from a different perspective - Looking forward and then projecting backwards. Augmenting these sciences and giving us a better understanding of the world.

The danger of course is for non-scientists and anti- science movements common in some of the major religions as well as in major anti-religious groups to use this "against" science. At this stage of halfbakerism I leave that discussion, pointing out that my intuition (as well as intention) is that the result of this theory will show that what we call "life" can be scientifically described, as a multi-level phenomena of intention.

Perhaps, for the politics of such a theory to succeed I could get the James Randi society to discuss it.

When we vote, the polls show that it "makes no difference what YOUR decision is" its already been decided. This is frustrating to many thinking people. But then, when somebody inspiring is up for vote, or on the other hand someone who seems threatening to a group, you find that people DO decide and vote according to their decisions - many times "surprising" the poll. The poll makers will then proclaim that they did not take into consideration some factor or the other.

Random Intentional Theory will show that levels of intention can be quantified, their existence can be empirically tested for and proven, and that they may be a major factor in many systems of the world.

And now, for the details please see TheOtherHalf.com of the bakery.