RE: virus: nudge nudge wink wink

Brett Lane Robertson (unameit@tctc.com)
Fri, 26 Sep 1997 11:50:21 -0500


How about this, then: items of behaviour are a subset of items
of information. Depending on whether "meme" is taken to
mean only those items of behaviour that actually progagate,
or all behavioural items, while those that don't propagate are
considered unsuccessful memes, memes are either a subset
or the full set of behavioural items.

Robin

Translated: Meme= "I think; therefore I am" (memes are a set of information
[I think] whose subset consists of behaviors [I am]). This could also be
stated "I am therefore I think"; or, memes are a set of behaviors whose
subset is information. It is also questionable if thinking is a behavior or
the processing of information (set one or set two). Similarly, is being (I
am) information or behavior.

The traditional solution to this riddle is that it takes *both* existence (I
am) and being (I do--whether "I do thoughts", or "I do work", etc.) to
determine "I". In the above terminology, then, a meme is a superset of
items of behavior and items of information.

A meme *does* propegate, by definition--"unsuccessful memes" are cheesecake.
I think with this further modification of your input, however, you are ready
to draw a meme. The structure of a meme is dichotomous--it is split in half
with a behavioral component and an informational component. If these two
components are balanced, then the meme will propegate...it has continuence
(like the 'I'ness continues if thought and behavior balance).

For a picture of a meme chain see
http://members.tripod.com/~Drahcir/memes/chainjpg2.jpg

Brett

At 11:16 AM 9/26/97 +0100, you wrote:
>> From: Brett Lane Robertson[SMTP:unameit@tctc.com]

>> Robin,

>> Even a theoretical construct has to have characteristics which
>> distinguish
>> it from another construct. A meme at the level of behavior should be
>> discernable from "information", "behavior", "environment"...as well as
>> from
>> host, thought, imitation, idea, trait, etc.

>How about this, then: items of behaviour are a subset of items
>of information. Depending on whether "meme" is taken to
>mean only those items of behaviour that actually progagate,
>or all behavioural items, while those that don't propagate are
>considered unsuccessful memes, memes are either a subset
>or the full set of behavioural items.
>\
>Robin

Returning,
rBERTS%n
Rabble Sonnet Retort
According to the latest official figures,
43% of all statistics are totally worthless.