Re: my invisible friend is better than yours

From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Tue Jan 01 2002 - 06:23:10 MST


From: "Forrest Bishop" <forrestb@ix.netcom.com>
> A series of imagined contracts and exchanges of material ensues that need
not be the result of
> self-aware cognition.

Yes, that works... but only in imagination.
In reality, Mises is closer to the truth, because his position addresses the
real world, and from that, he theorizes. He doesn't begin with a theory and
then try to make it conform to reality. People live in community, in society
with other people. We are a social species.
The superorganism is not at all "invisible" if you look at the networks that
connect people... Have you seen photos of the Earth at night, from a few miles
up? Electricity seems to be the life blood of the superorganism.

--- --- --- --- ---

Useless hypotheses, etc.:
 consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, Cyc, Eliza, cryonics, individual
uniqueness, ego, human values, scientific relinquishment, malevolent AI,
non-sensory experience, SETI

We move into a better future in proportion as science displaces superstition.



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