To quote Karl Popper: ‘all life is problem solving.’ Agency is attempted problem solving. A statement not unlike the statement that rationality (attempted problem solving) and intelligence (agency) are the same.
Attempted problem solving comes in many forms. One of them is tradition, one of them is randomness, one of them is violence, etc. They do or don’t solve the problem the agent sets for him or herself. The problem solving method that includes itself—that includes ‘did my solution lead to a solved problem’ as well as ‘did my problem get solved’ - is science. Some things science does very well. Same for tradition, randomness, violence etc.
There are important differences between “ability to efficiently achieve goals” and attempts to efficiently achieve goals. The former excludes all except success, and success is only success until the next success. I side with the latter and say a failed attempt can come from and add to intelligence. It’s the difference between being more right and being less wrong.
To quote Karl Popper: ‘all life is problem solving.’ Agency is attempted problem solving. A statement not unlike the statement that rationality (attempted problem solving) and intelligence (agency) are the same.
Attempted problem solving comes in many forms. One of them is tradition, one of them is randomness, one of them is violence, etc. They do or don’t solve the problem the agent sets for him or herself. The problem solving method that includes itself—that includes ‘did my solution lead to a solved problem’ as well as ‘did my problem get solved’ - is science. Some things science does very well. Same for tradition, randomness, violence etc.
There are important differences between “ability to efficiently achieve goals” and attempts to efficiently achieve goals. The former excludes all except success, and success is only success until the next success. I side with the latter and say a failed attempt can come from and add to intelligence. It’s the difference between being more right and being less wrong.