Re: virus: Sign memes & Chomsky
Tony Hindle (t.hindle@joney.demon.co.uk)
Wed, 9 Apr 1997 12:40:43 +0100
In message <c=GB%a=_%p=uk.ac%l=STIRLAN/EXCHANGE/0013AC74@findhorn.stir.a
c.uk>, Robin Faichney <r.j.faichney@stir.ac.uk> writes
>Tony Hindle wrote:
>> Was I the only one watching?
>
>Nope I saw it. I generally go along with what you say except:
>
>> This is food for thought. Suppose that thinkers go through life
>>learning a new "pidgeon language" in which to communicate the cutting
>>edge concepts of scientific research (as CotV is doing imho). Then as we
>>pass them on to the next generation of thinkers they filter it all
>>through the LAD (some higher order grammar being added). The new
>>grammatically correct conceptualisations allow clearer communication so
>>that the next generation of scientific questions can be asked, answers
>>gleaned and pidgeon language learned. Comments?
>
>The LAD only operates upto the mid-teens, so your "next
>generation of thinkers" is going to have be pretty young!
Even so, I think that 14 year olds today are taught everything
that was at the cutting edge of scientific research a hunderd years ago.
(the work of the great scientists has been to explain a large number of
observations by using a smaller number of (more abstract) theories).
Perhaps by filtering it through their LADs they improve the grammar
between "higher level concepts" (theories) and this stronger foundation
allows a better, deeper understanding later so that they can pose the
next set of cutting edge questions. I suppose what I am saying is that
the LADs allow a massive condensation of the amount of input required in
order to become fluent.
I am sure this can be translated into a more Memetically based
description:
The myriad disconected "spieces" of observations and pre-
theories from a hundred years ago have given rise to a far smaller
number of "Families" of concepts for the teaching of todays 14 yr olds.
So todays 14 yr olds by filtering the families of concepts through their
LADs add a hugher order of grammar.
Can anyone make any sense of any of what I am trying to say
here?
Tony Hindle.
Who has just realised he's got separated from everyone else
in this dark part of semantic hypervolume and is sad because it
looks like it could be such fun to play here for a while.