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From: hous0042@maroon.tc.umn.edu (Kevin C Houston)
Subject: A natural example of a-life (re mules/tables/reproduction)
Message-ID: <hous0042.778408653@maroon>
Summary: tables don't reproduce, the idea does
Keywords: reproduction vs a-life mules tables
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Organization: University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Date: Thu, 1 Sep 1994 08:37:33 GMT
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In talking about mules and other so called "non-reproducing" lifeforms,
someone has mentioned tables (sorry don't remember who) as being something
that reproduces but is not alive (a least it reproduces the same way a 
mule does --- by being useful) well, I have been giving this much thought
and have come across what I think may be a 'natural' example of a-life

Ideas.
Suppose I'm a Caveman (not too far a strech really, just ask my wife)
I have an Idea (capitalized) this Idea is for table-like objects, but it
is very primitive. The Idea interacts with it's environment through me and
causes me to build a solid block of wood, waist high on which to put my tools
so I don't have to keep bending over to pick them off the ground. Now you come
along and see this "table" it is a good thing so now you have an Idea but you
realize that only the top surface and four supporting legs are really
neccessary for tableness, so the Idea has adapted and evolved. Later on,
someone gets and Idea for a smaller table next to the bigger one.  (eons
later, dead philosophers argue about whether or not to call these things
chairs, but I digress.)

To wit:
Ideas reproduce.
Ideas modify themselves (with or without reproducing)
Ideas interact with the environment through human beings 
Ideas are like programs running in a (wet) computer.

Ideas are A-life. (primitive, but only because of the limitations of the
                   processor)

or anyway, that's what my Idea says.

Kevin @ U of MN
