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From: rlr@pyuxd.UUCP (Rich Rosen)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: Re: More Atheistic Wishful Thinking
Message-ID: <1676@pyuxd.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Sep-85 20:49:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: pyuxd.1676
Posted: Thu Sep 12 20:49:26 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Sep-85 05:11:39 EDT
References: <1115@mhuxt.UUCP> <1473@umcp-cs.UUCP> <1648@pyuxd.UUCP> <98@l5.uucp>
Organization: Whatever we're calling ourselves this week
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> Rich, there is more than one way to parse ``the mind is separate from the
> physical brain and body''. One is a belief in the soul that goes to heaven.
> But there is another. UNIX runs on a great many hardware configurations
> without it being the case that UNIX can run without a hardware configuration,
> after all. The question is, can you port the ``mind of laura'' which already
> runs well on the squishy hardware that is typing this note to something that
> is a little more durable? [LAURA]

As long as you're using that analogy, may I show how it is incorrect?

Sure, UNIX(*) can run on a great many machines, but UNIX alone is not analogous
to an individual human mind.  It is more analogous to the common set of
reflexes and instincts (operating systems) that human minds may share.  Now,
let's talk about porting a WHOLE system:  any databases that may be attached
to it, any UUCP connections it may have made use of, specific disk drives, etc.
NOW, and only now, are you talking about the SAME system being reproduced.
Otherwise, if you try to run any QUEL queries or cross-system mail functions
that you used to be able to do, you would bomb out miserably.  So, not only
must you copy the operating system, but the external ports and other elements
of the physical configuration as well, in order to function properly as the
"same" system.
-- 
"Wait a minute.  '*WE*' decided???   *MY* best interests????"
					Rich Rosen    ihnp4!pyuxd!rlr