KIRK.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA (08/07/84)
From: Kirk Kelley <KIRK.TYM@OFFICE-2.ARPA> How long would a simulation of its own lifetime survive? What would be the features of the most viable such simulation feasible in the next year or so? For example, would it be a collaboration on a model of THAT collaboration process done in order to gain some insight into its most viable forms? Would it be a computer simulation? Would it aim to encourage anyone (with a modem?) to play with it? How would those who contribute to the model or provide simulation services be compensated? How would proposed changes to the model be moderated? What would be its measure of its aliveness? The self reference makes this question somewhat tricky to answer, though we usually manage to do it in one fashion or another with respect to our own lifetimes. The trickiness comes when playing with some portion of the model central to its own self definition. We must make sure that after we are done playing, the measures of its aliveness are still valid. Changing the measures can in turn affect a central part of the model ... What would be the features of the language in which the model is written? -- kirk