Chapter 7 - Memory Overload Flashcards
Detailed summary
Chapter 7, titled “Memory Overload,” delves into the complexities of human memory and the ways in which we’ve learned to extend our capacity to store and process information, paving the way for the complex societies we live in today.
Unlike other animals, humans do not store societal roles in their DNA. The chapter uses bees as a counterexample, explaining that the roles of worker bees, drones, and the queen are innately understood and do not need to be taught. In contrast, human societal rules, like the Code of Hammurabi or the rules of basketball, need to be passed down through generations as they are not a part of our genetic makeup.
The chapter points out three limitations of human memory: its limited capacity, the mortality of the human being, and the difficulty in storing specific types of information. For instance, humans excel at recognizing patterns, such as discerning edible plants from poisonous ones or identifying allies and enemies. This stems from our roots as hunter-gatherers when such skills were critical for survival. However, our brains struggle with storing numerical information, such as the complex financial data needed to run modern societies.
To bridge this gap, the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia invented a revolutionary system of information transfer - writing. This system was not meant to replace human speech but rather to supplement human memory where it fell short. Early forms of writing were predominantly used to record debts, taxes, and economic data.
The term ‘quipu’ refers to a system of knotted cords used by the Inca Empire and other Andean cultures as a means of keeping records. These ‘quipus’ were not a full writing system but did effectively store numerical data and perhaps other types of information. The distinction between full and partial scripts lies in their capacity to store information. Full scripts, like the ones we use today, can record any and all spoken language. Partial scripts, on the other hand, have limitations and can record only certain types of information.
The invention of writing set the stage for the establishment of bureaucracy. In the Sumerian civilization, there was a need to organize, find, and reproduce the growing number of clay tablets storing written records. The chapter mentions a hypothetical land dispute between two Sumerian men as an illustration of the challenges associated with managing this growing body of data. This need for management of records led to the rise of trained professionals—bureaucrats. The bureaucrats, who were expert at storing and retrieving these records, soon became powerful. They were the gatekeepers of crucial information that dictated social and economic interactions.
The cognitive process of bureaucrats is likened to that of filing cabinets, in stark contrast to the interconnected data storage model of the human brain. While our brains inherently make connections between pieces of information (like linking the smell of rain to a childhood memory), bureaucrats needed to segregate and categorize data for effective record-keeping.
The Arabic numeral system and its subsequent development, featuring symbols for operations like addition and multiplication, revolutionized numerical data management. This numerical language paved the way for advancements in engineering and science. The chapter concludes with a note on the binary numeral system, the backbone of digital technology and AI, posing a profound question on whether this numeric system could lead to our own obsolescence.
Five key points
Human societal structures and roles are not genetically inherited but taught and learned, distinguishing us from other species like bees whose societal roles are genetically coded.
The human brain, while highly capable, has limitations in terms of information storage and recall, especially when it comes to numeric data. This limitation becomes more pronounced as societies grow and require more complex data tracking.
Writing was developed in ancient Mesopotamia, particularly by the Sumerians, as a system to fill gaps in human memory and allow larger-scale cooperation within increasingly complex societies. The system was initially focused on economic data like debts and taxes.
As societies grew and the volume of recorded data increased, there arose a need for efficient organization and retrieval of this information, giving birth to bureaucracy.
The Arabic numeral system revolutionized data recording and manipulation, paving the way for modern mathematics and science. Today, numeric scripts have permeated every facet of life, including in artificial intelligence development.
Q1: Why is human society fundamentally different from that of bees?
A1: Human societal roles and norms are not genetically inherited but taught and learned, which distinguishes us from species like bees, where societal roles are genetically coded and thus inherently known.
Q2: What limitations does the human brain have concerning data storage?
A2: The human brain has limited capacity for information storage, especially when it comes to numeric data. This limitation becomes more pronounced as societies grow and require more complex data tracking.
Q3: What was the initial purpose of writing systems in ancient Mesopotamia?
A3: Writing systems, such as the one developed by the Sumerians in ancient Mesopotamia, were designed to fill gaps in human memory, particularly concerning economic data like debts and taxes, to allow larger-scale cooperation within increasingly complex societies.
Q4: What led to the birth of bureaucracy?
A4: As societies grew and the volume of recorded data increased, the need for efficient organization and retrieval of this information arose, leading to the establishment of bureaucracy.
Q5: How did the Arabic numeral system impact data recording and manipulation?
A5: The Arabic numeral system revolutionized data recording and manipulation by introducing symbols for mathematical operations. This development paved the way for modern mathematics and science and has resulted in numeric scripts permeating all aspects of life, including in artificial intelligence development.
