Re: virus: Rationality

zaimoni@ksu.edu
Wed, 5 Mar 1997 16:58:39 -0600 (CST)


On Mon, 24 Feb 1997, Alex Williams wrote:

> > Those animals, /those animals' nervous systems/, aren't rational. Their
> > behaviour LOOKS rational, looks reasoned, looks as though it could have been
> > logically decided on. But I don't think it is.
>
> I believe I disagree that behaviour has to arise from a logical,
> rational process for it to be `rational behaviour.' As long as it
> conforms to the /observers'/ pre-generated expectation tolerance
> within certain parameters, it can quite easily /be/ rational.

I'd have to side with Alex here.

Biochemistry is *not* a 'logical, rational process'.

The firing of logic gates in a computer is *not* a 'logical, rational
process'.

Both seem quite capable of generating superficially rational behavior.

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/ Kenneth Boyd
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