Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id UAA15620 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 12 Feb 2002 20:50:32 GMT X-Originating-IP: [62.31.23.140] From: "Steve Drew" <srdrew_1@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Memes Meta-Memes and Politics 3 of 3 (1988, updates 2002) Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 20:44:55 +0000 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F750rPLiOTdRJkzbzky0000d699@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 12 Feb 2002 20:44:55.0577 (UTC) FILETIME=[20C68890:01C1B406] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2002 13:53:40 -0900
From: "Philip Jonkers" <philipjonkers@prodigy.net>
Subject: Re: Memes Meta-Memes and Politics 3 of 3 (1988, updates 2002)
Keith:
> The inference engine was a milestone in our evolution. It works
far
>more often than it fails. But as you can see from the example, the
>inference engines will wring blood from a stone; you can count on its
>finding causal relations whether they exist or not. Worse yet, the
>inference engine probably can't detect when it doesn't have enough
data.
>Even if it could, it has no way to tell that to the verbal (conscious)
>self.
The human mind preferes to rationalize rather than to function rational.
It infers like there's no tomorrow. Constantly it is willing to make
causal
connections between all kinds of things. Often such correlations are
superficial/incomplete or downright false. Take superstititions for
example.
Any breed of pseudoscience, like astrology or tarot reading, is
based entirely on the deceptive byproduct of the human `inference
engine'.
Philip.<
The inference engine is also responsible for the way people act on a first
meeting. The tendency is for a judgement to be made by a person about the
other. This view may still hold, even in the face of contradictory evidence
in future encounters.
This is another aspect of memetic filters. We take on board preformed memes
and act in accordance with them even if they are not always the correct
response.
For example a collegue of mine has a last of Murray. He has a broad N.
Ireland accent and people on future occaisions recall Murpy. (Not the best
example but i did not want to put up anything to inflammetory, but i’m sure
most of you will know what i mean).
The inference engine or meme-plex works because it reduces all the stimuli
of an encounter to something manageable and predictable. Most of the time it
works (ish). When it doesn’t is when problems occur.
regards
Steve.
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