childers@avsd.UUCP (Richard Childers) (03/17/89)
jbn@glacier.UUCP (John B. Nagle) writes: ># ( Gregory Bateson ) ># We can assert that _any_ ongoing ensemble of events and objects which ># has the appropriate complexity of causal circuits and the appropriate ># energy relations will surely show mental characteristics. > Yes, he can definitely assert that. One can assert anything. Well, why not try *testing* this hypothesis, instead of just passing it off as another spurious assertion ? Gregory Bateson did much of his work in relation to very large systems, IE, ecosystems, trying to develop a new theory of Mind. ( He also spent a large chunk of time analyzing schizophrenia and divergent human cultures. But, we all _know_ these topics have _nothing_ to do with the topic at hand ... ) Certainly, the ecology of the planet didn't just appear, it had to evolve. That evolution represents the eons-long learning process of an entity which might very well be conscious, were we to widen our concepts of consciousness a little, out beyond the normal presumption that if it isn't obviously mobile, it must not be a serious candidate for awareness. Gregory Bateson did a lot of basic work upon which Cybernetics and AI rest, today, here, now, in this newsgroup. Wouldn't it be worth your time to allocate some time to exploring ideas which might not be immediately obvious as relevant, but which might form the basis for the next revolution in thought, much as other work of Bateson's formed a basis for current efforts at creating a cybernetically derived awareness ? Especially since current theories aren't proving to be very helpful. Nothing wrong with a little lateral thinking, exploring unevaluated possibilities. > The argument that follows is basically over definitions, not content. >Such arguments are inherently futile. Right. Why waste time talking about what we're talking about, we all know what we're talking about ... so why are you talking about it, if you all know ? Stanford. It's not a university. It's a lifestyle. > John Nagle -- richard -- * Life is a batch - then you multitask ... * * * * ..{amdahl,decwrl,octopus,pyramid,ucbvax}!avsd!childers * * AMPEX Corporation - Video Systems Division, R & D *