One of the most beautiful evolutionary insights about technology came in 1908 from the philosopher ‘Alain’ (real name Emile Chartier), who wrote of fishermen’s boats: Every boat is copied from another boat . . . Let’s reason as follows in the manner of Darwin. It is clear that a very badly made boat will end up at the bottom after one or two voyages and thus never be copied . . . One could then say, with complete rigor, that it is the sea herself who fashions the boats, choosing those which function and destroying the others. It is the sea herself who fashions the boats. It’s in this radical
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