RE: virus: (un)selfishness

Robin Faichney (r.j.faichney@stir.ac.uk)
Mon, 28 Apr 1997 11:32:00 +0100

Reed wrote:
>Unfortunately the concept of "self" is as non-falsifiable as the
>concept of "god". If you prove it isn't in one location or of
>one structure people will propose others. It is, in the end,
>a question of faith.

I think a lot more can be said about the concept of self
than this, and I think that memetics has a lot to contribute
to the discussion. On the other hand, I don't claim to
have all the answers, myself, as yet... :-)

>"The self is an illusion" does not alone determine the answer to
>questions like "Do people behave in a primarily self-interested
>manner" or "SHOULD people behave in a primarily
>self-interested manner". You have to add value judgements which,
>of course, are difficult to agree on.

Agreed.

Robin