Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!seismo!ll-xn!husc6!diamond.bbn.com!aweinste
From: aweinste@Diamond.BBN.COM (Anders Weinstein)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: The symbol grounding problem meta-discussion
Message-ID: <7200@diamond.BBN.COM>
Date: Wed, 15-Jul-87 15:08:35 EDT
Article-I.D.: diamond.7200
Posted: Wed Jul 15 15:08:35 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 17-Jul-87 06:41:22 EDT
Reply-To: aweinste@Diamond.BBN.COM (Anders Weinstein)
Distribution: world
Organization: BBN Labs, Cambridge, MA
Lines: 22
Summary: If you're not interested, don't read it.

Since I will shortly be posting a follow-up to Harnad's last reply to me on
the SGP, I guess I ought to address the meta-discussion.

I think that different standards apply in the two domains in which this
discussion has been taking place.

I recognize that AI-List subscribers rightfully expect some selectivity from
an edited digest, and I will understand completely if the moderator chooses
not to redistribute my follow-up because the volume on this subject has
exceeded the limits demanded by his readership. 

On the other hand, I see no justification for attempting to squelch the
discussion on the Usenet side of things (from which I am participating). This
unmoderated forum is avowedly anarchic, and the wishes of a supposed majority
are irrelevant -- perhaps no single topic interests a majority of readers. If
you're not interested in a discussion that's clearly appropriate for this
newsgroup, the right thing to do is just ignore it.  The software makes it
easy to "kill" a topic you don't care about; do so, and you'll never even
*see* the messages.  I really don't understand the problem.

Anders Weinstein
BBN Labs