> On Wed, 5 Mar 1997 jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com wrote:
>
> > Prof. Tim wrote:
> > > Oh, quite. But in order for you to become aware of any impulse, whether
> > > memetic in nature or otherwise, it needs to be translated into a language
> > > your operating system (consciousness) can understand, ie. memes.
> >
> > Are you advocating, then, that every action that one undertakes is controled/
> > guided by a meme or meme-complex? Again, this leads us to the free will
> > question.
>
> Advocating? No, more like making it up as I go, but it seems to make
> sense so far.
It seems to make sense in a logical sense (being careful about the use
of the word "logic"), but in all practicality, do you believe that
everything you think, and everything you do is the product of a
meme that somebody infected you with. I don't like the idea, purely
because I'm fairly convinced that I'm doing a lot of my own thinking.
Having said that, of course, it may not be true.
> I wouldn't use words like "guided/controlled" here, any more
> than you are "guided" by the set of words that mean "a slippery water
> dwelling creature" when you choose the word "fish".
Hmmm ... so how do the meme's affect your decision making capabilities,
et al?
> > Ahah, I think I see this. Memes are shortcut-keys, if you like. They
> > are quick references to more complex functions. Kind of like KMO's
> > Buddist Temple Lion? I'd never thought of meme's like that. That's
> > quite a useful model, cheers.
>
> I'm glad it worked for you. Not to well thought through, but it seems to
> have made the point, I guess.
Unfortunately, David McF disagrees.
Drakir