[extropy-chat] thank evolution for the interstate highway system

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Don Dartfield <twodeel at jornada.org> wrote:
> 
> Yes, birds make music and apes use tools, but creating a musical
> instrument (a flute, in particular) seems like a much more advanced
> thing
> to do than sing like a bird or use a stick to fish out termites. 

THis is true, however, the flute discovered in a neanderthal grave was
dated to the same period in which evidence has been found of trading of
sapiens made bone tools and jewelry with neanderthals. So it is
conceivable that the flute originated with sapiens and was traded to
neanderthals. Neanderthals were not known for developing much tool
technology beyond that which distinguished them from heidelbergensis,
and that which they initially developed remained pretty static for the
remainder of their tenure, like a mathematician doing nobel prize work
at age 20 and coasting the rest of his life with no new ideas.
http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Atrium/1381/hominids2.html

> After reading Steven Baxter's novel _Evolution_, though, I realize
> that even this relatively sophisticated toolmaking does not 
> necessarily indicate full-fledged consciousness, or even 
> consciousness at all.  So I'm interested to read more.  The book
> you recommended will cost me $18 at Borders, though, since my local
> library doesn't have it -- is there any other book on the subject
> you'd recommend over this one, or is this the one I should go for?

Well, I assume you like SF. Neal Stephenson wrote a book called Snow
Crash which you might be familiar with. A lot of the basic ideas he
used in fleshing out his plot device of root language viral programming
of humans is based on Jaynes' work. Of course, he does take it to a
rather absurd conclusion... but that was the book that actually
motivated me to read Jaynes, to get the straight scoop. In Snow Crash,
when Hiro is in his Library in the metasphere talking to the Librarian,
he is talking about a lot of Jaynes work.

That being said, Jaynes is not an exciting writer. It has been very
slow reading for me. I tend to fall asleep frequently reading it,
something which has never happened before with anything I've ever read.
Perhaps there is a virus in my mind that does not want me to read it...


=====
Mike Lorrey
"Live Free or Die, Death is not the Worst of Evils."
                                       - Gen. John Stark
"Fascists are objectively pro-pacifist..."
                                       - Mike Lorrey
Do not label me, I am an ism of one...
Sado-Mikeyism: http://mikeysoft.zblogger.com

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