Re: virus: Technology (was manifest science)

Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Mon, 7 Jun 1999 08:52:45 -0400

On 6/7/99 08:25, James Veverka said this-

>Wade, I dont see "body parts", I see a "whole" which
>creates!.................jim

Well, I'm glad you're so holistic, (although I hope I see that lump in your cheek), and I do see your point, but we are not solid things with no variated surface. We can, and do, use our various parts as 'tools'. I've used my hand as a hammer, as a wedge, as a shovel, etc. I've used my leg as a battering ram, a step, a bridge, etc..

Yes, we are 'creating' uses for these parts which match the utility of simple machines (i.e. tools, although our body parts _have_ these qualities and may well have evolved because of that), and as such, part of the 'creation' is seeing them _as_ parts and not some whole. The act of creation requires this separation, this division of qualities.

Of course, seeing the body as a 'whole' is, well, partly unmemetic of you, really....

But I like to think we have adopted 'not-a-body-part' definition of 'tool'. It is sufficient to see the utility of body parts.

And, one of the Virian lessons should be the physics of simple machines.