Ants can be regarded as cells, an ant colony as an organ.

An interesting discussion of this is in chapter 11, "Prelude...Ant Fugue" of 'The Mind's I" by Hofstadter and Dennett. They specifically compare ants to neurons and an ant colony to a brain.

pp.183-184:

Anteater: There occurred an incident one day when I visited with Aunt Hillary [an ant colony] which reminds me of your suggestion of observing the symbols in Achille's brain as they create thoughts which are about themselves.

Crab: Do tell us about it.

Anteater: Aunt Hillary had been feeling very lonely, and was very happy to have someone to talk to that day. So she gratefully told me to help myself to the juciest ants I could find. (She's always been most generous with her ants.)

Achilles: Gee!

Anteater: It just happened that I had been watching the symbols which were carrying out her thoughts, because in them were some particularly juicy-looking ants.

Achilles: Gee!

Anteater: So I helped myself to a few of the fattest ants which had been parts of the higher-level symbols which I had been reading. Specifically, the symbols which they were part of were the ones which had expressed the thought "Help yourself to any of the ants which look appetizing."

Achilles: Gee!

Anteater: Unfortunately for them, but fortunately for me, the little bugs didn't have the slightest inkling of what they were collectively telling me, on the symbol level.

Achilles: Gee! That is an amazing wraparound. They were completely unconscious of what they were participating in. Their acts could be seen as part of a pattern on a higher level, but of course they were completely unaware of that. Ah, what a pity -- a supreme irony, in fact -- that they missed it.

As such, your question can be regarded as being similar to asking whether a neuron is aware of its place in the universe.

:-)

Cheers,
Scott.

Post #11,860 by Another Scott 10/4/01 10:46:18 PM Reply	Ants can be regarded as cells, an ant colony as an organ. An interesting discussion of this is in chapter 11, "Prelude...Ant Fugue" of 'The Mind's I" by Hofstadter and Dennett. They specifically compare ants to neurons and an ant colony to a brain. pp.183-184: Anteater: There occurred an incident one day when I visited with Aunt Hillary [an ant colony] which reminds me of your suggestion of observing the symbols in Achille's brain as they create thoughts which are about themselves. Crab: Do tell us about it. Anteater: Aunt Hillary had been feeling very lonely, and was very happy to have someone to talk to that day. So she gratefully told me to help myself to the juciest ants I could find. (She's always been most generous with her ants.) Achilles: Gee! Anteater: It just happened that I had been watching the symbols which were carrying out her thoughts, because in them were some particularly juicy-looking ants. Achilles: Gee! Anteater: So I helped myself to a few of the fattest ants which had been parts of the higher-level symbols which I had been reading. Specifically, the symbols which they were part of were the ones which had expressed the thought "Help yourself to any of the ants which look appetizing." Achilles: Gee! Anteater: Unfortunately for them, but fortunately for me, the little bugs didn't have the slightest inkling of what they were collectively telling me, on the symbol level. Achilles: Gee! That is an amazing wraparound. They were completely unconscious of what they were participating in. Their acts could be seen as part of a pattern on a higher level, but of course they were completely unaware of that. Ah, what a pity -- a supreme irony, in fact -- that they missed it. As such, your question can be regarded as being similar to asking whether a neuron is aware of its place in the universe. :-) Cheers, Scott.
Post #11,873 by brettj 10/5/01 1:17:31 AM 10/5/01 2:01:44 AM Reply	Are you implying that we are merely neurons on the internet ... making up a collective brain? Duh ") Communication is a powerful tool. It can turn mountains into mole hills. (Every mountain and hill brought low.) Edited by brettj Oct. 5, 2001, 02:01:44 AM EDT Expand All History
Post #11,879 by brettj 10/5/01 2:28:23 AM Reply	After re-reading your last statement ... "As such, your question can be regarded as being similar to asking whether a neuron is aware of its place in the universe." The neuron may not be aware if isolated, but if connected it has a much greater chance of gaining awareness, does it not? (whatever awareness means .)

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