Re: virus: Rationality

jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com
Thu, 27 Feb 97 14:36:41 GMT


Tony wrote:

> jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com writes
> Drakir wrote
> >In fact, one could model it as an OS, drawing on a database. The database
> >contains
> >the information (memes), and the OS runs on small commands (also memes) to
> >interpret the infomation in the database! Wow, I like that analogy.
>
> I like it too.

Thanks :)

> It lets me see that rationality is a special
> kind of meme (or meme-complex, I see the two as the same).

Similar, but not identicle. A meme is singular, whilst a meme-complex
is many interacting memes.

> Extending the notion of rationality to include all of science (the
> most highly evolved meme-complex I can think of) and developing
> your analogy further, would you agree that science is a constantly
> evolving operating system.

That would make sense, but I think we have to be careful. Science is
the art of describing the Operating System of the universe, and
quite probably not the OS itself.

> Although today science models that the earth goes round the
> sun and has done for millions or years, it did not always have this
> usefull model (meme). The most evolved meme-complex in pre-
> copernican days lacked this meme. In western science this meme has
> reached fixation to the extent that it is "part of discovered
> reality".

Hmmm ... interesting point. Do you think that when something becomes
a "part of discovered reality" is ceases to be a meme?

Drakir