[MD] Levels in electronic computers

[Andy Skelton]

Andy:
> This definition of the biological level does not necessarily exclude
> patterns invented or circulated by man. We have already seen man-made
> self-perpetuating patterns in the wild: computer viruses. These
> patterns are self-replicating in that they can spawn viable copies of
> themselves in favorable environments. To varying degrees, they exploit
> their environment despite adversity. To varying degrees, they take
> part in communication of information about their environments, so they
> can be said to have a social level. To varying degrees, they have been
> programmed to mutate to gain advantage against other patterns in their
> environment. The fact that one can easily defeat the pattern by
> pulling the plug is no proof against its being biological as the same
> effect could be applied to you by suffocation.
>
> So you could say that a computer "supports" biological patterns in
> that a computer "is a suitable medium for" biological patterns.

Oh yeah? Then all we have to do to create life in computers is (your
answer here).

This could be viewed as a contest. The winner will be the first human
to demonstrate the biological pattern in software. How will the winner
demonstrate it? Oh, that's easy, just (your answer here).

Andy