Re: Aunger speaks, London 11th November

From: Grant Callaghan (grantc4@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri 08 Nov 2002 - 01:06:22 GMT

  • Next message: Bill Spight: "Re: Mini case study of memetic mutation"

    >
    >
    >On Thursday, November 7, 2002, at 07:16 , Grant Callaghan wrote:
    >
    >>No one can prove the existence of a mind and I don't think anyone can
    >>prove the existence of a meme. The mind is a process of the brain but not
    >>every animal with a brain has a mind. It seems unique to human beings.
    >>Within that mind are ideas that propagate through their usefulness to the
    >>people who use them. When an idea ceases to be useful, it ceases to
    >>exist.
    >
    >If the mind cannot be proved, ideas cannot be proved. Ideas are also
    >processes of the brain.
    >
    >>But where can you put your finger on any of these things outside of the
    >>brain to prove that they exist?
    >
    >Performance. Artifact. That's what's there. And here. And everywhere.
    >
    >- Wade
    >
    >
    Can we say we actually know anything about the process that produces the artifact? We know the artifact exists and we know that "something" produced it. But anything beyond that seems to be more speculation than fact. How many books has Dennett produced now to pin down something substantive about this process and still he says he doesn't really understand it.

    Grant

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