> On Fri, 14 Mar 1997, jonesr@gatwick.geco-prakla.slb.com wrote:
> >First: What is Hardwired?
>
> Hardwired means those connections which cannot be changed. What these
> are I'll leave to the biologists to explain.
I know the definition, but /what/, as in things, are hardwired? How
do we know which things are supposed to happen, and which things are
meme infections?
> A muscle as memetic entity?
No, the instruction that causes it to contract as a meme? If we consider humans
to be memetic entities, then a muscle is a subdivision of such.
> >I'm sure that in each of these processes, there are smaller memes than that,
> >also. What do you think?
>
> There are smaller things but they are not memes. Not by any definition
> I've come across anyway.
What are they then? Are /they/ hardwired?
> >Third: How far are you willing to take the term "meme"? Can we really
> >take it to such a microscopic level?
>
> I doubt we can take it down to the level of a single neuron. I would
> guess that the smallest unit would be the smallest number of neurons
> whose co-ordinated firing can be said to have 'meaning' to us on a
> macroscopic scale.
That's a good start. Question now, is: What has meaning to us? I can
see this becoming nit-picky and complkicated, so I'll stop right now.
> >What use is a meme that is so small?
>
> What use is a gene that is so small?
On its own, is it any use? Sorry, this is what I meant.
> I'm not trying to be trite here but
> I wouldn't know where to begin answering you.
Don't worry. Why do you think I'm asking questions. I wouldn't
know where to start.
> Some small things have
> huge effects.
;)
Drakir