RE: virus: The One or the Many?

Brett Lane Robertson (unameit@tctc.com)
Sat, 18 Oct 1997 13:12:03 -0500


At 01:07 PM 10/18/97 +0100, you wrote:
>> From: Wade T.Smith[SMTP:wade_smith@harvard.edu]

>> Yes, autonomous behavior does not have memes behind it. I contend
>> dreams
>> don't either. (And so far, no-one has bitched....)

>Here's a bitch: dreams ain't behaviour!

>Robin

List,

What is "autonomous" as the word is applied to "behavior"? A habit is a
good example. It is autonomous to the extent that it is beyond conscious
manipulation...but we know that habits are formed through repetition to the
point that the process is taken over on another level of consciousness. I
say that the word "autonomous" is inseperable from the word "meme". Memetic
behavior is autonomous: The meme has taken over conscious control of
behavior...behavior becomes patterned in this way and survival of the
pattern is dependent on continuence of the behavior.

Looked at this way, dreams would reflect memes to a greater degree being
less consciously controled...more patterned. And I DO see dreams as "behavior"!

Brett

Returning,
rBERTS%n
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