method-lambda and apply-method-lambda

[David A. Moon <Moon@STONY-BROOK.SCRC.Symbolics.COM>]

    Date: Mon, 11 Apr 88 13:43 PDT
    From: Gregor.pa@Xerox.COM

    The major problem I have is with making apply-method be a generic
    function.  It seems to me that doing this will prevent the
    metacircularity from `bottoming out'.  

Patrick wanted the implementation-dependent calling sequence for method
functions to be under meta-object control, which is why he proposed
make-method-function to be generic.  If make-method-function can select
from among several calling sequences, apply-method has to know which one
to use, which is the reason to make it generic too.  We should see what
Patrick says, but it seems to me that either both of those functions
should be generic or neither should be.

I have no opinion of my own on whether the implementation-dependent
calling sequence for method functions should be under meta-object control.

    But if apply-method is a generic function, how is it
    itself implemented?

Clearly there is an infinite recursion if the standard method is not
special-cased.  Since this is a meta-circular system, that's no
surprise, is it?  Would this be the first place where a standard
method had to be special-cased?  (That is not a rhetorical question;
I don't know the answer and I'm wondering.)