Why do we like what we like? Are computers an extension of our genes? Should we care?
The “phenotype” in genetics is any characteristic of an organism like form, development, behaviour, even products of behaviour like birds’ nests. An unusual property of humans is language, where survival information can be passed by other means than genes.
This leads to ‘memes’, analogous to genes, as carriers of information. Memes have allowed humans to create buildings, cities, and fly like gods through the sky, though in cramped surroundings with terrible food. And to create computers.
So are computers part of our phenotype? Should we care?
