Memory in life and civilization · Chapter 11

Preserve knowledge beyond a lifetime

Chapter 11 of the original book connects genes, the brain, language, and books as ways for information to persist. Considering non-human intelligence, such as cetacean communication, also prevents us from narrowly understanding information.

While writing transfers a person's memory outside of their body, it does not automatically convey meaning simply by leaving a trace. The method of reading the record and the context must be passed on to the next person.

OBSERVE · Start with evidence

Three pieces of evidence

Genetic information extends across generations, memories extend across experiences, and records extend across an individual's lifespan.
Even the same symbol can be read in multiple ways if there are no units or decoding rules.
By recording the observed object, unit, and measurement method, others can review and reproduce it.

Memory travels beyond the body.

New commentary following whales, memory, and records in chapter 11 of the original book. Ocean-noise research is later context; this activity does not translate whale sounds into human language.

Before Listening to the Universe, Listen to Life on Earth

For a moment, consider the desire to communicate with other civilizations. If even the sounds produced by animals living on a planet like ours are difficult to understand, what is needed to recognize the signals of a completely alien being?

Sound in the ocean is a crucial channel for communication. NOAA studies the sounds of marine mammals, including whales, by analyzing their changes in waveform and frequency over time. However, identifying repeating patterns, understanding the context in which the sounds are used, and deciphering their meaning are distinct steps.

Questions to ConsiderI have identified repeating patterns in the recordings. What is the next step?

Can memory be explained solely by storage capacity?

Genes, brains, and books can be referred to as information storage devices. However, these three are not used and accessed in the same way. It is important to distinguish between inherited information, personal experiences, and records passed on to others in order to achieve clearer connections.

Comparing memory to a single number obscures important differences. Consider who is accessing the information, what enables that access, and how errors are corrected. The mere existence of a large amount of information does not equate to the ability to understand and utilize that information effectively.

Questions to ConsiderIf designing observational records to be preserved for the distant future, what considerations should be taken?

The book serves as a message to those yet to be met.

Records can persist even after the author's disappearance. However, simply having a record, or having a method for reading it, and having it accessible to others are separate conditions. If a library is only considered a storage space, these latter two conditions are missed.

Consider the act of reading the book itself in this chapter. You receive and process questions from others, review their explanations, and formulate new questions based on your own experiences. The value of a record lies not only in preserving the authority of the past, but also in enabling the next person to ask better questions.

Questions to ConsiderHow do you preserve a book that has been proven to contain incorrect information?

Discoveries and their limits

DNA, the brain, and libraries are not the same thing. It is important to recognize the connection between different methods of preserving information. In science, it is important to preserve not only the conclusion but also the method by which it was reached.

What else should I leave behind so that a future reader can understand and refute my record?

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Evidence and further reading

If sending a message to future generations is already a challenge, what about sending a message to a civilization with no common language?