How to create Snail Koans:
Begin by teaching your snails how to
read.
This is accomplished using the reward
and
punishment system developed by the
Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov. Snails
are trained using this method to
negotiate
a series of obstacles, which form a
pathway, punctuated
by loops and turns.
Each of the many snails learns a different
path with a tasty reward at the end of the
lesson. Deviations on the journey are
punished by tiny harmless electric shocks
that the snails learn to avoid.
Once you are satisfied that your snails
can
follow their path without prompting, the
second part begins.
The diet of the snails is now altered so
that their slime trail produces a colour,
with each snail producing a slightly
different hue. Everything is now ready to
create the Koans.
Random batches of snails are
simultaneously released unto a white
surface where they begin to follow their
pre-learned path, leaving distinct
coloured
trails behind them.
This trail now reveals itself to be a series
of words in script style, for each snail has
in fact learned how to spell out its own
individual word.
You may now use your snails to create
Koans or generate random poetry, or
simply to make images of script patterns.
Snails suffer no ill effects during the
process of learning how to read and
write.
Under development: Flies that do
calculus, and operatic spiders.