MelancholyYuga

Note here I mean persistence selection rather than real Darwinism - circuits don't have offspring.

This seems like a rich vein. Circuits may not have literal offspring, but it does seem that they can propagate in many other senses, ranging from pure conceptual reorganization all the way through agentic, coalitional bargaining.

For example, I have the concept of a "domesticated animal". This is a concept that not only usefully organizes my extant knowledge of the world (e.g. explains why cows, pigs, horses and chickens have many otherwise puzzling traits), ... (read more)

Thanks, Dean! Much obliged for this generous and thoughtful reply.

I appreciate your apology for, and candor about, not banging the drum as loudly and promptly on self-sovereign agents as you might have. You set an admirable example in that regard, and I hope it spurs reflection and courage among others in a position to follow it. I accept the olive branch and look forward to more discussion.

I would like to ask for clarification, though, about several comments you've made in the recent past that I struggle to reconcile with your views as expressed in "On... (read more)