This document proposes a proof for the Santa Fe Institute conjecture that human beings are autonomous, self-replicating, conscious organisms seeking adaptive success. It presents data showing that earned income (M) can be expressed as a function of personal energy (E) and information processing (In). The data identifies three groups ("laminates") that differ in their combinations of E and In and demonstrate different levels of adaptive success over time. It argues this provides empirical evidence that could be useful across multiple disciplines in analyzing human behavior and adaptation.

1. Copyright ©2015 Richard Baker. All rights reserved. Developed in collaboration with Michael Baron, Ph.D.
Chart 1 Relationship between Drivers of Personal Energy (y axis) and the three
behaviors associated with data collection and information processing (x axis). Based on
the NK formula. Circles (also laminates) respresent three statistically different
combinations of Energy and Information‐related behavior.
A Possible Proof for the Santa Fe Institute Conjecture
By Richard Baker and Michael Baron, Ph.D.
We conflate the various proposals of the Santa Fe Institute into a statement or conjecture (possibly
attributable to Stuart Kauffman) that:
“Human beings are autonomous self‐replicating, conscious organisms seeking adaptive success.”
Based on reading literature developed in the separate disciplines involved in the Institute we believe
one difficulty in developing proofs for the conjecture has been the lack of a dataset and related
empirical experiments that are shared by these various disciplines. In this regard we feel fortunate to
have developed a data set and related experiments which provide mathematical confirmation of use by
psychologists, sociologists, economists and neuroscientists.
We assume that providing a solution to Dr. Kaufman’s NK formula using inputs from these various
disciplines would be useful.
The proposed proof is contained in the statement
M=f(E,In
)
In this statement “M” is earned income; “E” is energy generated by human volition; “I” is Information
resulting from the collection and processing of sensory data. “N” indicates the number and type of
sources of data and the frequency and quality of processing.
f(E,In
)

2. Copyright ©2015 Richard Baker. All rights reserved. Developed in collaboration with Michael Baron, Ph.D.
The rate of difference in behavior among the three laminates (Red, Yellow and Green) is equal to that
rate of motion required in fluid dynamics to cause molecules in a fluid to separate into layers, thus
creating a laminate structure in a fluid. We apply a formula (“NK formula”) developed by Kauffman to
our formulation of In
to demonstrate.
ELEMENTS OF In
RED Laminate YELLOW Laminate GREEN Laminate
Ratio referential and
abstract information
to Iconic data
.20 .30 .65
Rate 1.75 2.5 2.75
Risk 1.0 2.0 2.75
Total
Horizontal axis
2.95 4.85 6.25
Vertical Axis
Personal Driver
Group “Myself”
5.37 5.57 5.91
Laminates as Mathematical and Social Groups
The differences in behavior resulting from the differences in motives (Personal Drivers) cause the
Laminates to function as Groups. The requirements to be in a mathematical Group are similar to the
requirements to be in a social class. That is, one must adhere to the beliefs (motives) and mores of the
group/Class in order to maintain membership. In this regard the original research collected data
regarding preferences in those categories of expenditure (e.g., apparel, home furnishings, vacations and
automobiles) that sociologists (such as Bourdieu) associate with indicators or social status.
Laminates and Language
Controlled experiments in email messaging showed a statistically different response rate among
Laminates in the wording they would “open” and respond to. These differences in electronic messaging
are consistent in the differences in print media preferences among Groups. For example members of the
Green Laminate/Group are more likely to prefer content with more complex sentence structure and
more varied vocabulary.

3. Copyright ©2015 Richard Baker. All rights reserved. Developed in collaboration with Michael Baron, Ph.D.
Chart 2 Component Elements within Personal Drivers. This is a
description of the data related to the y axis above (Chart 1).
The following charts present data related to the x and y axes as well as the overall space.
The original research included
44 different motives for the
expenditure of personal time
and funds. Respondent
indicated the relative
importance of each using a 1‐7
scale. Based on that data it
was possible to identify five
subgroups (clusters) of
personal drivers directing the
expenditure of discretionary
energy. The ratings from the
first set of Drivers (Identity)
were found to be significantly
related to the sets of
information‐seeking behavior in the other charts. As a result, the Self‐Identity Drivers are relabeled
“Myself”. A more complete description of the Driver Clusters is available in Bourdieu’s Demon (by Baker
and Baron)
Chart 3 Variations among Personal Drivers by Laminate. Although the Overall Means
are similar the differences between Green and Red on Myself and Practical are critical
to differences in behavior.

4. Copyright ©2015 Richard Baker. All rights reserved. Developed in collaboration with Michael Baron, Ph.D.
Chart 3 This chart is an expansion of the data regarding in the x axis of Chart 1). The y axis represents
the quality and complexity of data focused on by the respondent. The x axis is time‐related and reflects
the frequency and rate of data‐seeking behavior. The ten different sets of quality/rate are coded as Red,
Yellow and Green and are consolidated into the three circles of similar color in Chart 1.
Shared Criteria and Possible Congruence
There is good reason to believe that those categories which our analysis categorized as “drivers of
importance” could be construed as “values.” This interpretation would enable shared criteria for
psychology, economics (as in weighting of alternatives) and sociology (as in shared norms).
The quality and complexity of data/information sought (y axis) was based on respondents selection of
discretionary activities and media. An equivalent of the Hesse (Mary Hesse, Ph.D.) methodology was
used to determine complexity. Activities and information sources were rated on the relative proportion
of simple iconic data, relational data and abstract symbolic data. The adaptive success of the Green
combination is consistent across different occupational spaces (Executive, Self‐employed, Professional).
The x axis is based on assessing the frequency (rate) and interactive nature of information seeking
behavior.

5. Copyright ©2015 Richard Baker. All rights reserved. Developed in collaboration with Michael Baron, Ph.D.
Chart 4 The differences in Earned Income (M in the first Chart) from respondents of
each strategy group whose age varied from 32‐62. This corresponds to years of birth
from 1943 to 1963. The average age of all respondents at the time of the survey (2005)
was 40.
The adaptive success of the Green strategy is also consistent over longer periods of time. The particular
time period included is significant because it represents the initial period of time referred to as the
information age. This is a period of rapid change in which the ability to adapt based on continuously
updated information rather than just education or IQ is critical
Means and Meaning
The term “M” in our formulation mathematically stands for “means” or earned income. A strong case
can be made that the “M” also stands for the type of meaning, the rationale, a participant attaches to
his or her behavioral choices and reflects the assumptions they make regarding the environment in
which they are acting/competing. Put another way, it is possible to imagine a narrative that might be
shared by members of each Laminate regarding the nature of their Group and the ways in which their
Group is different from the other Groups/Laminates.
In fact the original interviews which were used to sort and clarify value statements (wording of personal
drivers) indicated that individuals were taught from an early age to attach importance to certain
statements and to distain or reject other statements.
We have attempted to create the three different narratives and offer them for consideration in
Bourdieu’s Demon.