mddm (2): learned english dog

[Bandwraith at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/29/01 2:55:55 AM, lorentzen-nicklaus at t-online.de writes:

<< but the l.e.d., david morris pointed this out, is also, anachronistically, 

connected to modern computer technology. so perhaps we should take a look at 

animal-robots? in part 3 ("bio logical", pp. 84-121) of "robo sapiens. 
evolution 

of a new species" (mit press) by peter menzel and faith d'aluisio, there are 

robots of crabs, apes, geckos, roaches, spiders, bugs, fish, and even flying 

dinosaurs ... but no dog! anyone for a real dog-robot?

 >>

'Tis the age of post-reason, after all, and rather than destabilizing, I find 
the sudden emergence of a talking dog within the confines of an here-to-for 
"historical novel" rather refreshing. Even more so because of the dog's 
reassurance that he is of the the same causal level- preternatural v. 
supernatural- as our heroes. Of course, that opens up all sorts of 
possibilities for the "normalization of the paranormal," not to mention 
A-life, A.I., quantum coding and decoding, and a whole host of other 
phenomenon once felt to be beyond human control.

Even more refreshing is the reassurance by the dog that he is beyond control, 
in fact, that he must run free. However, blaming that on his englishness is a 
bit unsettling (Is he a figure for the potentials of the language itself?) 
and apparently he is not above being lobbied in the tap room. Blood seems to 
be another of his weaknesses. One can only speculate about his susceptbility 
to canine members of the opposite sex.

In short, the dog seems to be an example of downward causation, as opposed to 
the reductionist paradigm of upward causation, emblematic of the age of 
reason. Causaton versus emergentism (connectionism, etc.)- it seems to add up 
(or boil down) once again, as so often in Pynchon, to a matter of control.