Date sent: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 19:26:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Dylan Durst <ddurst@levien.com> To: virus@lucifer.com Subject: Re: virus: Technology (was manifest science) Send reply to: virus@lucifer.com
> > People are not reduceable to things, Brett.
>
> I disagree. I think that a carbon atom is a thing. I think that a
> protein chain is a thing. I think that a cell is a thing. I think that at
> multi-cellular structure is a thing. I think a neural network is a thing.
> I think a brain is a thing. I think our bodies our things. I think people
> are things. I think that our ecosystem is a thing. I think our planet is a
> thing. I think our solar system is a thing. . . To pull people out of that
> list seems to be a bit out of whack. But then again, its just me again.
>
Pattern becomes progressively more important as you climb the
ladder of complexity. With humans, it is all-important.
Disassemble the human brain and you possess the same material,
but the person is irretrieveably lost.
>
> > proper. The difference is that you are using and modifying it
> > according to your intention, and thus redefining it as an object
> > manufactured according to a preconceived design, one which will
> > allow you to more efficiently use it to modify other objects.
>
> The problem is that only 'YOU' are modifying it. I just see it as a sack
> of carbon chains spinning today.
>
Bare carbon chains bereft of pattern decides not how they spin;
within certain limits, we do.
>
> - dylan
>
> - - -
> Dylan Durst # ddurst@levien.com # ddurst@cats.ucsc.edu # dylan@haptek.com
> http://www.porter.ucsc.edu/~dsd # <-<--<---<----<----|---->---->--->-->->
>
>