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Re: Do sheep dream of electric URLs?

• To: danny666@v... (Danny Ayers)
• Subject: Re: Do sheep dream of electric URLs?
• From: John Cowan <jcowan@r...>
• Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2002 11:24:11 -0400 (EDT)
• Cc: xml-dev@l... (Xml-Dev)
• In-reply-to: <EBEPLGMHCDOJJJPCFHEFAEPBHHAA.danny666@v...> from "Danny Ayers" at Aug 17, 2002 01:12:13 PM

Danny Ayers scripsit:

> [D]o other animals use references & pointers ?

Definitely.  There isn't any doubt that lots of non-human animals can
learn to refer to things by purely symbolic means: not only apes and
other primates, but even a gray parrot and a sea lion have shown this
ability.  What non-humans don't seem to have is syntax, or at least
productive syntax.  Any human language has enough recursion to make it
possible to say anything: there are no "primitive" languages.  (Some
languages lack the vocabulary to discuss certain things, but vocabulary
can be added freely without changing the language).

Here's a pointer to a fairly unbiased article, as such things go:
http://www.fonz.org/zoogoer/zg1995/primate_language.htm

I leave you all to contemplate the subject and its possible applications
for XML and the Web.  I note that even the parrot, a literal birdbrain,
can make good judgements on what is "same" and what is "different",
a point perhaps applicable to the Great URI Debate.

-- 
John Cowan  jcowan@r...  www.ccil.org/~cowan  www.reutershealth.com
"The competent programmer is fully aware of the strictly limited size of his own
skull; therefore he approaches the programming task in full humility, and among
other things he avoids clever tricks like the plague."  --Edsger Dijkstra

• References:
  • Do sheep dream of electric URLs?
    • From: "Danny Ayers" <danny666@v...>

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