Posted by
glen e. p. ropella-2 on
May 10, 2010; 5:11pm
URL: http://friam.383.s1.nabble.com/The-coat-hook-of-the-mind-tp5012713p5031777.html
Nicholas Thompson wrote circa 10-05-09 03:35 PM:
> The metaphor I want to examine is that between the manner in which the
> different strains of pigeons in Darwin's coop came to be the way they were
> and the manner in which different species of plants and animals came to be
> the way they are.
OK. I'm happy to work with that. However, I have to say up front that
I STRONGLY doubt that you can make that metaphor precise in any sense.
Earlier, you listed:
pigeon varieties : pigeon species :: species of animals : all animals
1) So, the metaphor is between the effects (E_s - "s" for synthetic) of
the behaviors of an intentional human breeder and the effects (E_n - "n"
for natural) of some hypothetical natural process we call "natural
selection".
Is that right? Is the metaphor between E_s and E_n?
2) Or, is the metaphor between the _methods_ or behaviors as opposed to
the effects/results of those methods? I.e. M_s is the methods of the
man and M_n is the methods of nature and the metaphor is M_s -> M_n?
3) Or, rather, is the metaphor between the _agent_, one a man and the
other nature? I.e. A_s is the man, himself, and A_n is nature, herself?
4) Or, perhaps the metaphor is between the _purposes_ of the two
processes/systems? I.e. P_s is the intent of the man and P_n is the
"intent" of nature?
Which of these more precisely captures the metaphor you want to explore?
--
glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095,
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