>In an attempt (perhaps frivolous) to flesh out the topic, I quote
>Kerry Black's POSTMODERNISM AS AN ART HISTORICAL PERIOD
> STYLE:
> (snip) "The
>human animal is essentially a mind with a physical support system,
>while the "other animals" are essentially physical systems with
>limited mental support."
> I admit this mostly reiterates points already made,
If those points haven't sunk in, and it seems they haven't, then you are
doing us a service by reiterating them.
>but it also
>points out the relative, rather than absolute, difference between man
>and dog: while dogs have higher brain functions, these are applied
>directly to the environment- eg. Master is acting lively, so this is
>a good time to nag him for a walk.
> What is here called a "meme", does in fact exist to some extent
>to a dog. The cross-correllation of facts at his disposal are
>limited to physical experience, so a meme composed strictly of these
>may exist; however a 'composite meme' is lost to a dog, since he can
>receive no communication of conceptual/abstract information, so is
>limited to those that he forms in his own mind.
> Since dogs cannot share theories, "Is there a God?" cannot form a
>canine meme. Dogs can reason, remember, dream and perhaps even imagine, but
>there is no meme as such among dogs.
Well put.
Take care. -KMO
when you're down it's a long way up
when you're up it's a long way down
it's all the same thing
no new tale to tell