> At 11:15 05/02/97 -1000, Peter wrote:
>
> >May someone new join the fray?
>
> Yup.
>
> >Being a Heuristically evolved autocataclytic memetic-algorithm complex
> >myself I'd like to suggest that the research being done on computer genetic
> >algorithms is a model we might use to find a naturally occuring
> >memetic-algorithms.
>
> The problem I'd see with a memetic algorithm is this business of memes
> giving rise to metasystems OF MEMES which give rise to metasystems OF
> MEMES... I've seen computer models of human tasks like typing and word
> recognition which have very dull-looking "word nodes" and "letter nodes" and
> "feature nodes", but... how close are we to cracking an algorithm that
> builds new computers for itself? New systems for itself to compute in? Or is
> it just a problem of Van Neumann processing time?
This is a request for a spiritual algorithm. Do I hear anyone declaring
themselves as a contender for the position of God, Version 2.0? [or
maybe 0.1....]
[CLIP]
> >In time
> >these jungle reflected memetic-algorithms began to breakup, so to speak, and
> >reform into non-linear forms that resulted into ideas as we experience
> >them. One character in this jungle is the character of self. Currently, the
> >self character is playing out scenarios having to do with consciousness and
> >free will. These particular scenarios have proved themselves very
> >successful, but they are misleading in the extreme. The illusion of
> >consciousness creates an adaptability factor probably equal to the
> >flexibility "zero" gave mathematics, but it simultaneously diverts us from
> >objective inquiry into self.
>
> CONSCIOUSNESS IS AN ILLUSION! DID YOU HEAR THAT EVERYONE?
>
> I certainly don't profess to know what's going on with consciousness... I
> think that all I'm aware of is memes about memes about perceptions... I'm
> sure my height of consciousness buckets up and down on all timescales
> throughout my day and my life, but... can you give a few back-ups for this one?
>
> Generally I love the idea that most of what we hold dear about ourselves is
> only there because it gets us by, and that the history of science has been
> one of rude awakenings.
*Sneer*
The existence of consciousness is a subjective nonillusion, even if it
has zero grounding in objective reality.
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/ Towards the conversion of data into information....
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/ Kenneth Boyd
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