Subject: [lojban] Re: spofu skami

From: Robin Lee Powell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2003 10:50:23 -0800

On Thu, Mar 13, 2003 at 01:42:37PM -0500, Invent Yourself wrote:
> On Thu, 13 Mar 2003, Robin Lee Powell wrote:
> > On Thu, Mar 13, 2003 at 01:22:54PM -0500, Invent Yourself wrote:
> > > 'nirna' means things that neuron, or are neuron-like or that do
> > > what neurons do, which isn't restricted to Neurons. It seems that
> > > Neurons can go into nirna x1, but there are lo nirna that aren't
> > > Neurons.
> >
> > neuron:
> >
> > 1. Has dozens, sometimes hundreds of connections to other neurons.
> >
> > 2. Collates inbound data as an aggregate to decide whether to send
> > outbound data.
> >
> > 3. Has a wide range of physical shapes, but generally consists of a
> > bundle of goo attached to a long rod of goo with some feelers off
> > the end of the rod.
> >
> > 4. Conists mostly of carbon, with some nitrogen, oxygen, and other
> > trace elements.
> >
> > I believe those are all the major necessary and sufficient features
> > of a neuron.
> >
> > Not a *SINGLE* *ONE* of those points applies to an ethernet cable, a
> > fiber optice cable, a small number of networked computers, or a
> > sigle computer data switch.
> >
> > NONE OF THEM. NOT ONE.
> 
> 
> The gismu definition doesn't list these. How do you know they all
> pertain to nirna such that every lo nirna must have them?

Because all I have do go on is the fact that the definition consist
entirely of the words "nerve" and "neuron".

> Instead of looking at the differences, you might look at the
> similarities.

*WHAT* similarities?!? Nerves collect data, collate it, and push it to
other things *just* *like* *them*. I am aware of *no* human-made
networking system that scales beyond two nodes that consists entirely of
the same type of object; there is *always* a mediator. Computers don't
talk to computers, they talk to switches. Fiber optic cables don't push
data at all, there are mere a transmission medium. <wry>The axon, if
you will.</wry>

And, by the way, similarities between what and what, exactly? Is a
fiber optic cable a nirna? Is a networked computer a nirna? Is two
cans and a piece of string a nirna? Does that make a piece of string a
nirna? Is a phone switch a nirna? Is a phone a nirna? Is a phone cable
a nirna? Is a pair of headphones a nirna? Is a loudspeaker a nirna?
Is an ssh connection a nirna? Is a mail reader a nirna? Is yelling
really loud a nirna? Hey, talking is a an "information/control network
connection", right? Talking is a nirna! We don't need tavla, we have
nirna! Oh, I guess we don't need cusku either! Weee, isn't this fun!

Yes, some of that was hyperbole, but far from all of it.

And you wonder why I'm concerned about polysemy in this case. Yeesh.

I've explained myself *thoroughly*. Now it's your turn.

-Robin

-- 
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