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formation and operation of groups. Grouping mechanisms, or perhaps a bit more formally stated, social orders form a central theme of this book. We will observe that the evolutionary progression of social order is very much an application of the process of metaphor development and subsequent redefinition. This is how our Prologue started. Later in the book we will further consider the premise that a salient feature of modern humans is that of metaphoric comprehension. Hence, the reader must also be a bit wary of the commonly held definitions of the metaphors we address. We will attempt to make our specific understanding clear and in some instances we may deviate a bit from convention.

Our trip is of necessity interdisciplinary. Traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles on old Route 66 involved traversing a great variety of terrain. So it is with our journey. The prairies of the upper Midwest are far removed from the rugged vistas of Death Valley. Likewise, human physiology and computer programming are similarly displaced along our route of travel. In due course, we will introduce our perceptions of the many disciplines that we will encounter. For those with reading tastes and experiences consistent with our own, some of this detail may seem a bit redundant. However, for those more comfortable in only certain of the domains, which we expect to be the greater number, the detail is necessary. Where the trail meanders into slog, we’ll suggest an appropriate detour over the high ground. Our intent is to provide context and nuance. Our goal is a work that provides a prism through which is displayed the rainbow hidden in the light emanating from the fog.

Our first step is the assertion that human social orders are a direct manifestation of the species. They derive as much from explicit anatomical and physiological characteristics as from cognitive impulse. In fact, we suggest that the cognitive impulses aimed at establishing social order are themselves anatomical and physiological manifestations. Anatomy establishes our means and model of thought. Physiology guides how we think and what we think about. Subsequently, we observe that computers are tools of the species. Interconnections of these tools form computer networks that are best exemplified as direct extensions of social orders. Thus, based on an assumption that we may be traveling to common destinations from similar points of departure, we anticipate a parallel between organic evolutionary mechanisms and the mechanisms of technological design of complex systems. Starting from the physical world that establishes the foundation of the metaphors through which we express and understand the social world, we will attempt to use the well known characteristics of each domain to better understand the lesser known characteristics of the other. Prayer is a well investigated subject in theology, whereas trust is a well formalized concept of computer networks. The reverse is not yet true, which we will see creates the opportunity to better appreciate each of theology and computers from a new perspective.

Our plan for proceeding is somewhat historical, somewhat physiological and somewhat sociological in nature. First, we want to draw parallels of the evolution of computers and computer systems over the last half-century to the evolution of major biological species. The comparisons that we will make are not always intended to be literal. Often, they are simply indicative that similar evolutionary processes are at work. The overarching framework for selection within the computer world is akin to the biological selection mechanisms of living organisms. Species of computers and computer systems are successful in adapting to the changing world around them, or not; but, the framework within which adaptation must occur is formed by processes of virtually biological qualities.

We begin our journey by considering the means of design, construction, change and evaluation within the domains of social orders and computer networks. This illustration of the foundational

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