MD It sounds a bit like memes

From: Nathan Pila (pila@sympatico.ca)
Date: Tue Nov 18 2003 - 21:38:59 GMT

  • Next message: Wim Nusselder: "Re: MD When is a metaphysics not a metaphysics?"

    David,

    Quite a concept this morphic field idea. Instinct is therefore an example of
    a morphic field. So, my question is can a habit change once it is formed and
    what is the method whereby it does change.

    Nathan

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: "David MOREY" <us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk>
    To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    Sent: Tuesday, November 18, 2003 1:54 PM
    Subject: Re: MD It is ALIVE!!

    > Nathan
    >
    > This is asking the right questions.
    > But how do you tell that something has intentional states?
    > Does not sticking to the rules imply wilL or chance rather than
    > predictable causality? Agency, I think, is all about having
    > possibilities (plural) rather than only a single possibility (where we
    > ascribe classic causality). The Earth, of course, is full of possibilities
    > because life effects the Earth's future. So it gets complex. What is so
    > characteristic about human agency is its individuality, such that we are
    > structured in our conscious existence by having certain individual
    > possibilities:
    > shall I go for a walk, do this job, marry this woman, etc. Maybe, when we
    > ask
    > is the Earth alive, we are limited by having a rather human perspective on
    > what
    > agency is. Take a look at this to open up some different ideas for you
    about
    > cosmic processes:
    >
    > http://www.levity.com/mavericks/rupert.htm
    >
    > regards
    > David M
    >
    > ----- Original Message -----
    > From: "Nathan Pila" <pila@sympatico.ca>
    > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 9:06 PM
    > Subject: MD It is ALIVE!!
    >
    >
    > > David,
    > >
    > > I know that there are some people who want to say that the earth is
    alive.
    > > But for me, I would say it is not alive. One of the attributes of living
    > > creatures is intentionality. That is, in a living organism, there is
    > > something other than matter. There is for lack of a better word,
    something
    > I
    > > will call "WILL". Something that is alive has some autonomy and can
    > violate
    > > rules if it so chooses to.
    > >
    > > I may have a thousand reasons to do X; it may be in my best interests
    and
    > > yet decide to do Y just because I want to. The earth is just is; it sits
    > > there and is acted upon.
    > >
    > > Do you agree with any of this?
    > >
    > > Nathan
    > >
    > >
    > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > From: "David MOREY" <us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk>
    > > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > > Sent: Monday, November 17, 2003 10:07 AM
    > > Subject: Re: MD what is life?
    > >
    > >
    > > > Hi
    > > >
    > > > The earth is an interesting one. Not what we would usually
    > > > think of as an organism. Life has done a good job at making
    > > > the earth inhabitable. And the stability of the environment for
    > > > maintaining life is impressive. It is also a very complex total system
    > > > interacting with the space environment. Where purposeful activity
    > > > is involved in this is hard to say, I would not dismis it on
    > metaphysical
    > > > grounds as per SOM too quickly. It needs investigating. What do you
    > think?
    > > >
    > > > regards
    > > > David M
    > > >
    > > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > > From: "Nathan Pila" <pila@sympatico.ca>
    > > > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > > > Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 11:03 PM
    > > > Subject: Re: MD what is life?
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > > David,
    > > > >
    > > > > Using what you wrote, would you say that the earth is alive as a
    > > organism?
    > > > > And what about a liver cell? Is it alive?
    > > > >
    > > > > Regards, Nathan
    > > > >
    > > > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > > > From: "David MOREY" <us@divadeus.freeserve.co.uk>
    > > > > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > > > > Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 11:37 AM
    > > > > Subject: Re: MD what is life?
    > > > >
    > > > >
    > > > > > Hi
    > > > > >
    > > > > > Seems easy to me, life fills all the levels of complexity
    > > > > > after those that create the most determinate level of matter.
    > > > > > Life exhibits a level of free activity above that which is only
    > > > > > concerned with the contingent interaction of elements.
    > > > > > Life makes a use of its environment. There is also a use
    > > > > > from energy to particles to atoms to molecules but we
    > > > > > do not call this life because the movement is away from free
    > > > > > movement towards heavy, stationary, gravity loving, and determined
    > > > > > elements, the most static patterns that exist.
    > > > > >
    > > > > > regards
    > > > > > David M
    > > > > >
    > > > > > ----- Original Message -----
    > > > > > From: "Magnus Berg" <McMagnus@home.se>
    > > > > > To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
    > > > > > Sent: Sunday, November 16, 2003 10:18 AM
    > > > > > Subject: re: MD what is life?
    > > > > >
    > > > > >
    > > > > > > Hi Nathan
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > > I mostly lurk nowadays but if you are interested in my take on
    > life,
    > > > > feel
    > > > > > free to read "A classicist's road to the Metaphysics of Quality"
    in
    > > the
    > > > > MoQ
    > > > > > forum:
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > > http://www.moq.org/forum/magnus/magnus.html
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > > Magnus
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > > "Nathan Pila" <pila@sympatico.ca> wrote:
    > > > > > > __________
    > > > > > > >Hi there Steve,
    > > > > > > >
    > > > > > > >Well, I would assert that the study of "life" is worthwhile
    even
    > if
    > > > it
    > > > > is
    > > > > > an
    > > > > > > >illusion. Right now, a definition that is accepted by everyone
    > has
    > > > yet
    > > > > to
    > > > > > be
    > > > > > > >formulated. How can one tell if some material is "alive". What
    > > > > properties
    > > > > > > >would such material exhibit?
    > > > > > > >
    > > > > > > >How would you, (Steve)/ (or anyone else) /define 'life'? I am
    > aware
    > > > > that
    > > > > > I
    > > > > > > >am not being fair here in that this question is easy to state
    and
    > > > > > terribly
    > > > > > > >difficult to answer. But if you have the time, I would be
    > > interested
    > > > in
    > > > > > some
    > > > > > > >of the properties that you think 'life' has. I have some views
    on
    > > the
    > > > > > > >subject based on some stuff I've read. But I would like to hear
    > > what
    > > > > you
    > > > > > > >write first.
    > > > > > > >
    > > > > > > >Regards, Nathan
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > >
    > > > > > >
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