Similarities between Baldwin-effect and Technology Adoption
A quick look into how good ideas are discovered.
I recently watched a recent YouTube debate with Richard Dawkins and Jordan Peterson. What interested me about the debate is that they come from two unique sides perspectives on the field of philosophy. Dawkins more on the side of science, while Peterson on the side of mythos and story.
You can watch here it below:
Finishing up the debate, they come to very interesting agreement: there is something to be looked at in the similarity between the Baldwin effect and the development of Archetypes.
Archetypes are personifications of ways of being. Generally, these are “heroes” we look up to. While all individually unique, they all are considered “valuable.”
As someone who is a fan of entrepreneurship and innovation, I immediately saw a quick similarity between this idea of “adoption over time” with technology/innovation.
Comparison #1: Phenotype plasticity and tech adoption life cycle
Biological and technological progress follows similar trend lines, when being tested for utility.
Phenotype plasticity:
How fast your physical characteristics respond to environmental cues.
Technology adoption curve:
How fast people adopt to new technology.
Comparison #2: Technology adoption rates and rate of adaptation of populations
Technological and biological adoption rates follows similar trend lines, when looking at adoption over time.
Technology usage by house holds over years:
How fast the new ‘gadget’ picks up.
Rate of adaptation of populations over generations:
How fast new physical characteristics pick up.
In Daniel Dennett’s “Consciousness Explained,” everyone is looking for the stick.
The highest stick is the newest level of attainable value. It shows the new “trick.” The brain will then look at what this stick is doing and assimilate. The stick with the good tricks continues to be tall, until everyone “catches on.”
Dawkins idea of meme spread, as depicted by Redditors
How humor spreads and eventually goes away. “You can’t use the same joke 100 times”
Once the laggards catch on, it’s not funny.
As many might have predicted, this is a rip off of the investment cycle paradigm:
High fluctuations in what people perceive as true. Some believe stock will go to zero, while some believe stock is the next trillion dollar company. Fluctations level off, as truth is found.
Consciousness and humanity by association is exploratory.
Humans are always looking to find the ideas of the highest potential value. High idea sharing at the idea’s “peak value”, leading to its decline into the assimilation of truth.
Good ideas stay embedded into our minds, as technology and good recipes stays with us.
Creativity and brainstorming- discovering new ideas is a deeply human trait.
However, reality always strikes - the world strikes back at bad ideas.
I think the collective “us” can say gross.