Edited by author 03-14-2001 12:41 PM
I have a short musing on a related topic in my personal wiki: http://www.quicktopic.com/blurcircle?SpecializationAndCooperation. It questions whether there's an evolutionary drive behind the tendency to form meta-organisms.

And (just a homework question) what is that Drive? Is it a manifestation of God? Just an outcome of Earth being a particularly self-organized far-from-equilibrium system? I think what's important is to be aware of how it works within and between us.

That Wiki page in turn links to another QT with Jon Waldron (another Irregular) on the topic. It's a fascinating area for me -- if I could clone myself I'd research and write a book about it.