The Teleodynamics of Language, Culture, Technology and Science (LCT&S)
Information February 8, 2013 DOI: 10.3390/info4010094 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Language Culture Technology Science Teleodynamics Morphodynamics Thermodynamics Organism Obligate symbiont |
| Key points | Argues that language, culture, technology, and science are essentially teleodynamic systems in Deacon's sense—self-creating, self-maintaining, self-reproducing, individuated—and therefore act in their own self-interest and are partly autonomous, while remaining obligate symbionts with human hosts. |
Abstract
Logan [1] in his book The Extended Mind developed the hypothesis that language, culture, technology and science can be treated as organisms that evolve and reproduce themselves. This idea is extended by making use of the notion of teleodynamics that Deacon [2] introduced and developed in his book Incomplete Nature to explain the nature of life, sentience, mind and a self that acts in its own interest. It is suggested that language, culture, technology and science (LCT&S) like living organisms also act in their own self-interest, are self-correcting and are to a certain degree autonomous even though they are obligate symbionts with their human hosts. Specifically, it will be argued that LCT&S are essentially teleodynamic systems, which Deacon defines as “self-creating, self-maintaining, self-reproducing, individuated systems [2] (p. 325)”.