From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.ecf!utgpu!csd.unb.ca!morgan.ucs.mun.ca!nstn.ns.ca!aunro!ukma!wupost!uwm.edu!linac!mp.cs.niu.edu!rickert Thu Jan 16 17:19:35 EST 1992
Article 2632 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: rickert@mp.cs.niu.edu (Neil Rickert)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Ignore Searle and be happier
Message-ID: <1992Jan10.182207.17945@mp.cs.niu.edu>
Date: 10 Jan 92 18:22:07 GMT
References: <1992Jan8.200537.18919@neptune.inf.ethz.ch> <1992Jan8.213952.14223@mp.cs.niu.edu> <1992Jan10.105621.17024@neptune.inf.ethz.ch>
Organization: Northern Illinois University
Lines: 20

In article <1992Jan10.105621.17024@neptune.inf.ethz.ch> santas@inf.ethz.ch (Filippos Santas) writes:
>
>The tree reacts on stimuli in the same way a circuit does. I see no
>reason why should a tree know (or remember) its age, its size,
>etc. The tree receives some input and reacts according to this, due to
>the physical laws. After this reaction why should it keep this input in 
>any memory?

 The spring growth of a tree is much more of a reflection of the growing
conditions the previous summer than the growing conditions in the current
spring.  The speed of growth depends on spring conditions.  The extent of
growth is highly dependent on the buds, wood and roots formed in the
previous growing season.  The buds, wood and root therefore carry a memory
of aspects of the previous year's growing conditions.

-- 
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  Neil W. Rickert, Computer Science               <rickert@cs.niu.edu>
  Northern Illinois Univ.
  DeKalb, IL 60115                                   +1-815-753-6940


