The one which best explains the observations gathered. Which may or may
not be the _best_ depending upon circumstances. Complexity is certainly a
constraint here. But since models are essential to our means of
understanding the universe, the better models come from the better
gathering of observations. The least with the best.... The best models
lack design flaws....
>Maybe we should start a new thread: What means What? I don't have a clear
>picture of your thinking in this paragraph. Maybe you could start? How
>did (does) philosophy fail to provide universial meaning, why should we
>define a community as a group of "like speakers" (and a little more detail
>on what you mean by this), etc...
Is not philosophy the attempt to find 'what means what'? How has it
succeeded?
By 'like speakers' I mean a group wherein 'what' means 'what'. Churches
traditionally, tribal cultures certainly, have this level of
organization, this level of language, of symbolism. It is also found in
orchestras, at least while they are playing....
>>>Is mathematics a less ambigious invention than poetry?
>>
>>Interesting question. I am wont to say that they are separate but equal
>>facets of expression, in the traditional way of both supplying their own
>>truths, but in this memetic context, I would say poetry is far more
>>ambiguous- it uses far more memetic structures.
>>
>>I would even be wont to say that mathematics is the most anti-memetic of
>>human inventions.... And as such, may be the truest.
>
>Now, that is interesting. I would say that mathematics is the most
>obviously memetic of human inventions. Why do you think it is
>anti-memetic? I'm unsure of how you are defining "true". Mathematics is
>certianly useful and fruitful.
Anti-memetic in the sense that mathematics uses the least amount of
memetic foreplay, of neural processing, of symbolic/social/cultural
objects. It is a 'like speaking' across all memetic boundaries, although
its territory is limited.
In the simple utilization of symbol, with the most stringent 'like
speaking', memetic constructs are contained and non-aggressive. So the
least _use_ of memes is, to me, the most anti-memetic. Yes? Maybe? No?
Obviousness is not an issue....
>Reed
We really should get together for lunch one of these days, Reed....
*********************************************************
Wade T. Smith |'There ain't nothin' you
morbius@us1.channel1.com | shouldn't do to a god.'
wade_smith@harvard.edu |'Theism is mental inbreeding.'
********* http://www.channel1.com/users/morbius/ ********