Re: virus: Experimental memes. was:Random thoughts & more poor

Nathaniel Hall (natehall@WORLDNET.ATT.NET)
Sun, 16 Aug 1998 15:39:11 -0600


Wade T.Smith wrote:

> Indeed. They need something. They need the concept of negative numbers,
> and the knowledge of the integer system. If they need a meme, I have no
> idea what meme they need....

The meme that worked with me was the number line.

I'm still looking for an experiment to show
> me that we need memes in the first place.

Here's a thought experiment for you. Take identical twins drop one one a
deserted island and raise the other as normal. The one on the island
never gets any memes because he has to originate all his own thoughts
and ideas never get the chance to replicate anywhere else. The other one
gets exposed to all kinds of memes. See which one lives longer.
>
> But what the heck _is_ this 'meme of negative numbers' of which you
> speak? And does that statement even _mean_ anything?

Sure. On a number line negative numbers are on the right. A simple
enough idea but when it was first introduced it was quite controversial.

Ain't it the
> knowledge of the symbology of negative numbers? Do you not see how
> intricate and involved that is and that you have shown me only that you
> like to apply new words to things and say you're experimenting with
> memetics?

I wasn't proposing this as an experiment. You need to give me an
hypothesis for that.
>
> >Tim however did offer up a hypothesis and as
> >promised, I came up with an experiment to test it!
>
Nate Hall