Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 13:50:47 -0400
From: "Robert G. Grimes" <grimes@fcol.com>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: Re: Copying, imitation, transformation, replication
Ton Maas wrote:
> Mario wrote:
> >I should disagree here. Genes are replicated without transformation. Just like
> >printed texts are.
>
> Maybe, but genes, just like humans, can't step into the same river twice!
> The notion of "sameness" implies a denial of the larger natural-historical
> process, in which _nothing_ ultimately stays the same, apart from the
> Eternal Verities, such as 2+2=4 (which were tautological to begin with :-)
>
> Ton
Thank you, too, Ton... All those folks (Chomsky, Korzybski, et al) are still
murmuring sounds of agreement... With replies like this none of us will have to
write again! So well done, as usual, and reminds me that I kept your letter about
the verities you wrote when we went through this previously. A copy is never the
same as the original but, to function, it only has to be "close enough for
government work" (whatever the tolerances of a particular process demand). Pardon
me for repeating that timeworn phrase but it does such a good job of explaining
those infinite things we ignore until necessary or until we can perceive them.
Replication is duplication only until we are perceptive enough to tell it isn't...
Clones aren't identical, just "more so," There is no identity in nature, etc.,
etc.
Cordially,
Bob
-- Bob Grimeshttp://members.aol.com/bob5266/ http://www.hotwired.com/members/profile/bobinjax/ http://www.phonefree.com/Scripts/cgiParse.exe?sID=28788 Jacksonville, Florida Bob5266@aol.com robert.grimes@mailexcite.com Bobgrimes@zdnetmail.com
Man is not in control, but the man who knows he is not in control is more in control...
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore....."
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