Ep137 - Daniel Dennett | From Bacteria to Bach and Back
Talks at Google
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The Evolution of Internet Mems
After domesticated words, we get coined words. Then we get to technical terms which are very deliberately created,. Their reproduction is fostered by careful training and an examination. If you don't understand that, you fail the class. And in between, we have every combination and degree of semi inciteful tinkering. One of my favourite examples is the polynesian canoe. But it turns out that the philosopher wh who was writing it was not writing about polynesian canoes, but about french fishing boats. Every boat is copied from another boat. It's clear that a very badly made boat will end up on the bottom after one or two voyages, and thus never be copied.
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