Hi Horse and Squad:
Suggesting that computer viruses may be the precursor of a
possible 5th level reminded me of memes. So I looked up a
definition of a meme:
“A contagious idea that replicates like a virus, passed on from mind
to mind. Memes function the same way genes and viruses do,
propagating through communication networks and face-to-face
contact between people. The root of the word is "memetics," a field
of study which postulates that the meme is the basic unit of cultural
evolution. Examples of memes include melodies, icons, fashion
statements and phrases.”
Next I replaced “computer virus” with “meme” in the following
description furnished by Horse on 9/9/98:
"As I see it the meme fulfills all the pre-requisites to class it as a true
life form. They are ubiquitous They reproduce and propagate,
moving from person to person. They produce a representation of
themselves in various codes - similar to DNA. They hijack the
metabolism of their host to carry out their functions. They respond to
stimuli in the environment. They mutate. They evolve."
So to my way of thinking there’s nothing very special about
computer viruses other than the electrical environment in which they
do their thing. It’s understandable, of course, that those who make
their living in the computer business will tend to be biased towards
the marvels, both real and imaginary, of computer code, robots, the
Internet, etc. -:) Still, in historical perspective what we see with the
advent of computers is a just another technological development
along the lines of the automobile, telephone and television. Like
those developments, the primary effects of advancing computer
technology will be felt at the social level.
Before Horse joined the Squad most of us agreed that the Internet
belonged to the social level since its essence was a communications
tool facilitating exchanges between individuals, businesses and
communities. As the Internet grows it increasingly resembles society
in all its dimensions, from enlightenment to maliciousness.
Since the Internet and computer viruses are both creations of level
4, they cannot surpass level 4. So far as I know, the rule of GIGO
still holds in computerland.
As for level 5 I tend to follow Bo's train of thought that "the Quality
idea is Dynamic Quality’s attempt to seek freedom from static
patterns.” What this suggests to me is that any verbal, logical,
philosophical or metaphysical attempt to describe a 5th level is
doomed since it would be the 4th level trying to fulfill its Q-Intellect
purpose from which the 5th level is trying to escape.
No, the 5th level will be recognized as pure, direct experience of the
Good. And I submit that most, if not all of us, have had such an
experience. Indeed that was precisely my experience as I read the
Metaphysics of Quality.
Platt
homepage - http://www.moq.org
queries - mailto:moq@moq.org
unsubscribe - mailto:majordomo@moq.org with UNSUBSCRIBE MOQ_DISCUSS in
body of email
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:02:33 BST