Susan Blackmore: Memes and "temes"

翻译人员: Xu Jiang 校对人员: Yangyang Sun

Cultural evolution is a dangerous child

文化的进化是个危险的孩子

for any species to let loose on its planet.

对于任何放任它的物种来说。

By the time you realize what's happening, the child is a toddler,

等到你意识到正在发生的情况时，孩子已经会走路了，

up and causing havoc, and it's too late to put it back.

到处闯祸，想把他拉回来为时已晚。

We humans are Earth's Pandoran species.

我们人类是地球的潘多拉德物种。

We're the ones who let the second replicator out of its box,

我们是把第二个复制因子放出盒子的人，

and we can't push it back in.

而我们却不能再将它放回去。

We're seeing the consequences all around us.

我们见证了身边的后果。

Now that, I suggest, is the view that

现在，我提议

comes out of taking memetics seriously.

是好好谈谈迷因论的时候了。

And it gives us a new way of thinking about

它给我们提供了一个新的思考方式

not only what's going on on our planet,

不仅仅是关于我们的星球上发生些什么，

but what might be going on elsewhere in the cosmos.

还关于宇宙中其他地方发生的事情。

So first of all, I'd like to say something about memetics

所以首先，我想介绍一下迷因

and the theory of memes,

和迷因理论，

and secondly, how this might answer questions about who's out there,

其次，这个可能解答关于外太空的问题，

if indeed anyone is.

是否有生命存在。

So, memetics:

所以，迷因。

memetics is founded on the principle of Universal Darwinism.

迷因是建立在通用达尔文理论上的。

Darwin had this amazing idea.

达尔文想到这个惊人的点子。

Indeed, some people say

确实，一些人说

it's the best idea anybody ever had.

这是有史以来最好的想法

Isn't that a wonderful thought, that there could be such a thing

难道这不是个绝妙的点子吗？有什么

as a best idea anybody ever had?

可能是最好的点子呢？

Do you think there could?

你认为有可能吗？

Audience: No.

观众：没有。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Susan Blackmore: Someone says no, very loudly, from over there.

苏珊 布莱克莫尔：那边有人很大声地说不。

Well, I say yes, and if there is, I give the prize to Darwin.

但是，我说有可能，如果有，我要颁奖给达尔文。

Why?

为什么呢?

Because the idea was so simple,

因为这个想法很简单，

and yet it explains all design in the universe.

却解释了宇宙中所有的设计。

I would say not just biological design,

我会说不仅仅是生物上的设计，

but all of the design that we think of as human design.

还包括一切我们所想到的人为设计。

It's all just the same thing happening.

它们发生的原理都是一样的。

What did Darwin say?

达尔文说了什么呢？

I know you know the idea, natural selection,

我知道你们知道这个想法，自然选择，

but let me just paraphrase "The Origin of Species," 1859,

但是让我解释下“物种起源”，1859年出版的，

in a few sentences.

的几句话。

What Darwin said was something like this:

达尔文所说的是这样的--

if you have creatures that vary, and that can't be doubted --

如果你看到生物变异，那是无容置疑的--

I've been to the Galapagos, and I've measured the size of the beaks

我去过加拉帕戈斯岛，我测量过喙的尺寸

and the size of the turtle shells and so on, and so on.

海龟壳的尺寸以及等等等等。

And 100 pages later.

翻过100页后--

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And if there is a struggle for life,

如果为生存竞争，

such that nearly all of these creatures die --

好像几乎所有这些生物都死亡--

and this can't be doubted, I've read Malthus

那是不可能的，我读过马尔萨斯

and I've calculated how long it would take for elephants

我也计算过大象要花多长时间

to cover the whole world if they bred unrestricted, and so on and so on.

来遍布全球，如果它们无限制的繁殖，等等等等。

And another 100 pages later.

再翻过在100页。

And if the very few that survive pass onto their offspring

如果少数能活下来，遗传给子孙

whatever it was that helped them survive,

有助于它们存活的任何条件

then those offspring must be better adapted

那么这些子孙一定能比祖先

to the circumstances in which all this happened

更好的适应

than their parents were.

周围环境

You see the idea?

你明白这个想法了？

If, if, if, then.

如果，如果，如果，那么。

He had no concept of the idea of an algorithm,

他没有算法的概念。

but that's what he described in that book,

但是他在书中所描述的就是这样

and this is what we now know as the evolutionary algorithm.

这就是我们现在知道的进化算法。

The principle is you just need those three things --

原则是你只需要具备三样东西--

variation, selection and heredity.

变异，选择和遗传。

And as Dan Dennett puts it, if you have those,

正如丹 丹尼特所做的，如果你有了这三样

then you must get evolution.

你肯定能进化。

Or design out of chaos, without the aid of mind.

或者说没有想法也能设计出混乱。

There's one word I love on that slide.

这句话中有个词我很喜欢。

What do you think my favorite word is?

你觉得会是哪个词？

Audience: Chaos.

观众：混乱。

SB: Chaos? No. What? Mind? No.

苏珊：混乱？ 不是。什么？想法？也不是。©

Audience: Without.

观众：没有。

SB: No, not without.

苏珊：不是，不是没有。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

You try them all in order: Mmm...?

你们一个个的试：嗯...？

Audience: Must.

观众：必须。

SB: Must, at must. Must, must.

必须，一定。必须，必须。

This is what makes it so amazing.

这个词让一切那么奇妙。

You don't need a designer,

你不需要设计师，

or a plan, or foresight, or anything else.

或者计划，前瞻性，或者其他什么。

If there's something that is copied with variation

如果有变异的复制

and it's selected, then you must get design appearing out of nowhere.

并通过选择，那么一定会有设计出现

You can't stop it.

你不能够阻止它。

Must is my favorite word there.

”一定“是我最喜欢的词。

Now, what's this to do with memes?

现在，这个跟迷因有什么关系呢？

Well, the principle here applies to anything

好吧，这个原理可以应用于所有的事情

that is copied with variation and selection.

那就是变异和算则的复制。

We're so used to thinking in terms of biology,

我们习惯了思考生物，

we think about genes this way.

我们想到基因就是这个样子的。

Darwin didn't, of course; he didn't know about genes.

达尔文，当然，他不知道基因。

He talked mostly about animals and plants,

他基本上谈的是动物和植物，

but also about languages evolving and becoming extinct.

也有关于语言进化和灭绝。

But the principle of Universal Darwinism

但是通用达尔文的原理

is that any information that is varied and selected

说的是任何有变异和选择

will produce design.

都会产生新的设计。

And this is what Richard Dawkins was on about

这就是理查德道金斯

in his 1976 bestseller, "The Selfish Gene."

在1976年的畅销书“自私的基因"中所提到的。

The information that is copied, he called the replicator.

通过复制的信息，他称之为复制因子。

It selfishly copies.

它自私地复制。

Not meaning it kind of sits around inside cells going, "I want to get copied."

不是说它就在细胞内坐着说”我想被复制“

But that it will get copied if it can,

但是只要有条件，它就会被复制

regardless of the consequences.

无论结果如何。

It doesn't care about the consequences because it can't,

结果并不重要，因为它不能，

because it's just information being copied.

因为复制的只是信息。

And he wanted to get away

它想跳脱

from everybody thinking all the time about genes,

每个人都想到的基因

and so he said, "Is there another replicator out there on the planet?"

所以它说，”在这个星球上还有没有其他的复制因子呀？“

Ah, yes, there is.

哦，有的。

Look around you -- here will do, in this room.

看看你周围，就在这个房间里，就有。

All around us, still clumsily drifting about

我们周围，还是笨拙地漂浮着

in its primeval soup of culture, is another replicator.

原始的文化，也就是另一个复制因子。

Information that we copy from person to person, by imitation,

通过模仿，我们从一个人到另一个人复制来的信息，

by language, by talking, by telling stories,

通过语言，谈话，故事，

by wearing clothes, by doing things.

穿着，行动等等。

This is information copied with variation and selection.

这就是有变异和选择的信息复制

This is design process going on.

是进行中的设计过程

He wanted a name for the new replicator.

他想命名这个新复制因子。

So, he took the Greek word "mimeme," which means that which is imitated.

所以，他使用了希腊语mimeme，意思是模仿的东西。

Remember that, that's the core definition:

记住，那个是核心定义。

that which is imitated.

模仿的东西。

And abbreviated it to meme, just because it sounds good

然后将它简化为meme，因为听起来好听

and made a good meme, an effective spreading meme.

然后再做个好meme，一个能有效传播的meme。

So that's how the idea came about.

这就是这个想法的来源。

It's important to stick with that definition.

忠于定义很重要。

The whole science of memetics is much maligned,

迷因的整个理论受到很多置疑，

much misunderstood, much feared.

很多误解，很多担忧。

But a lot of these problems can be avoided

但是很多的问题都可以避免

by remembering the definition.

通过牢记这个定义。

A meme is not equivalent to an idea.

迷因不等同于一个想法。

It's not an idea. It's not equivalent to anything else, really.

它不是一个想法，也不等同于其他任何事情，真的。

Stick with the definition.

请忠于定义。

It's that which is imitated,

那就是模仿的东西。

or information which is copied from person to person.

或者说是一个人从另一个人那里复制来的信息。

So, let's see some memes.

让我们看看一些迷因。

Well, you sir, you've got those glasses hung around your neck

这位先生，你的眼镜挂在脖子上

in that particularly fetching way.

的方式很特别。

I wonder whether you invented that idea for yourself,

我想知道是你自己想出来的点子，

or copied it from someone else?

还是从其他人那里看到的？

If you copied it from someone else, it's a meme.

如果你是从其他人那里看到的，那就是个迷因。

And what about, oh, I can't see any interesting memes here.

还有，哦，我在这里没有发现什么有趣的迷因。

All right everyone, who's got some interesting memes for me?

好，各位，你们谁能想到一些有趣的迷因？

Oh, well, your earrings,

好，你的耳环，

I don't suppose you invented the idea of earrings.

我不认为你发明了耳环。

You probably went out and bought them.

你大概只是出门去买的。

There are plenty more in the shops.

店里还有很多耳环。

That's something that's passed on from person to person.

那就是从一个人传到另一个人的东西。

All the stories that we're telling -- well, of course,

我们讲的所有的店，当然，

TED is a great meme-fest, masses of memes.

TED是一个非常棒的迷因节，很多很多的迷因。

The way to think about memes, though,

去思考迷因的方法，

is to think, why do they spread?

就是去想，为什么它们会传播呢？

They're selfish information, they will get copied, if they can.

它们是自私的信息，如果它们可以，它们能被复制。

But some of them will be copied because they're good,

但是它们当中的一些被复制是因为他们很棒，

or true, or useful, or beautiful.

或者说它们是正确的，或者说有用的，或者说很漂亮。

Some of them will be copied even though they're not.

它们当中的一些也会被复制，尽管它们不（棒，正确，有用或漂亮）。

Some, it's quite hard to tell why.

还有一些，很难讲是为什么。

There's one particular curious meme which I rather enjoy.

有一种特别的好奇迷因我很喜欢。

And I'm glad to say, as I expected, I found it when I came here,

我很高兴得说，正如我预计的，当我来到这里时我就发现了，

and I'm sure all of you found it, too.

我相信你们所有人也发现了。

You go to your nice, posh, international hotel somewhere,

你去任何一家优雅的豪华国际酒店，

and you come in and you put down your clothes

你进去后，放下衣服

and you go to the bathroom, and what do you see?

到洗手间，你看到了什么？

Audience: Bathroom soap.

观众：浴室的肥皂

SB: Pardon?

苏珊：请再说一边？

Audience: Soap.

观众：肥皂

SB: Soap, yeah. What else do you see?

苏珊：肥皂，对。还有什么呢？

Audience: (Inaudible)

观众：（无声）

SB: Mmm mmm.

苏珊：嗯，嗯。

Audience: Sink, toilet!

观众：面盆，马桶！

SB: Sink, toilet, yes, these are all memes, they're all memes,

苏珊：面盆，马桶，对，这些都是迷因，它们全是迷因，

but they're sort of useful ones, and then there's this one.

但是它们算是有用的迷因。请看这个。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

What is this one doing?

这个是做什么用的呢？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

This has spread all over the world.

这个已经遍布全球。

It's not surprising that you all found it

你们能找到它一点也不奇怪

when you arrived in your bathrooms here.

当你进入浴室的时候。

But I took this photograph in a toilet at the back of a tent

这是我拍的在帐篷后面的一个厕所的照片

in the eco-camp in the jungle in Assam.

是在阿萨姆丛林中的生态营中。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Who folded that thing up there, and why?

谁把它叠成那样，为什么？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Some people get carried away.

有些人模仿的过头了

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Other people are just lazy and make mistakes.

其他人则太懒而弄错了。

Some hotels exploit the opportunity to put even more memes

一些酒店利用机会增加更多的迷因

with a little sticker.

附上小标签。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

What is this all about?

这都是为了什么呢？

I suppose it's there to tell you that somebody's

我觉得是告诉你某个人

cleaned the place, and it's all lovely.

清理过这个地方，一切都美好。

And you know, actually, all it tells you is that another person

你知道，实际上它告诉你的就是另一个人

has potentially spread germs from place to place.

潜在的将细菌从一个地方传到了另一个地方。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

So, think of it this way.

这么想吧。

Imagine a world full of brains

想象一个充满脑袋的世界

and far more memes than can possibly find homes.

迷因多的都找不到家。

The memes are all trying to get copied --

这些迷因都试着被复制，

trying, in inverted commas -- i.e.,

试着，直白地讲，例如，

that's the shorthand for, if they can get copied, they will.

就是竭尽全力地被复制。

They're using you and me as their propagating, copying machinery,

它们用你和我作为它们的宣传复制机器，

and we are the meme machines.

我们就是迷因机器。

Now, why is this important?

为什么这个很重要呢？

Why is this useful, or what does it tell us?

为什么这个很有用，或者说这个告诉了我们什么呢？

It gives us a completely new view of human origins

它给了我们看待人类起源的一个全新的观点

and what it means to be human,

以及这对人类有什么意义。

all conventional theories of cultural evolution,

所有传统的文化进化，

of the origin of humans,

人类的起源，

and what makes us so different from other species.

以及是什么将我们区别于其他物种。

All other theories explaining the big brain, and language, and tool use

所有其他理论解释大脑，语言和工具使用

and all these things that make us unique,

以及所有让我们与众不同的这些东西，

are based upon genes.

都基于基因。

Language must have been useful for the genes.

语言必须对基因有用。

Tool use must have enhanced our survival, mating and so on.

工具的使用必须增强我们的生存能力，繁殖能力，以及等等。

It always comes back, as Richard Dawkins complained

它总要回来的，就像理查德道金斯抱怨的一样

all that long time ago, it always comes back to genes.

长时间来，它总要回到基因上来。

The point of memetics is to say, "Oh no, it doesn't."

迷因的重点是说，“哦，不，它不是。”

There are two replicators now on this planet.

这个星球上有两个复制因子。

From the moment that our ancestors,

一个是我们的祖先那个时候的，

perhaps two and a half million years ago or so,

或许是250万年左右，

began imitating, there was a new copying process.

开始模仿，有了一个新的复制过程。

Copying with variation and selection.

充满了变化和选择的复制。

A new replicator was let loose, and it could never be --

释放了一个新的复制因子，可能永远不会--

right from the start -- it could never be

从一开始就正确，它可能永远不会

that human beings who let loose this new creature,

是人类是从这个新释放的复制因子开始，

could just copy the useful, beautiful, true things,

只复制有用的，美丽的，正确的东西，

and not copy the other things.

而不复制其他的东西。

While their brains were having an advantage from being able to copy --

当他们的大脑具有复制的优势--

lighting fires, keeping fires going, new techniques of hunting,

点火，让火种延续，打猎的新技术，

these kinds of things --

这些事情--

inevitably they were also copying putting feathers in their hair,

不可避免地他们也复制将羽毛带在头上，

or wearing strange clothes, or painting their faces,

或者穿奇怪的衣服，或者在他们的脸上绘画，

or whatever.

或者随便什么。

So, you get an arms race between the genes

所以，在基因间产生了装备竞赛

which are trying to get the humans to have small economical brains

基因试着要人类拥有小而经济的大脑，

and not waste their time copying all this stuff,

而不是浪费他们的时间复制全部的东西，

and the memes themselves, like the sounds that people made and copied --

迷因它们自己，像人们发出和复制的声音--

in other words, what turned out to be language --

换句话说，就是语言的前身--

competing to get the brains to get bigger and bigger.

竞争着拥有大脑，越来越大的大脑。

So, the big brain, on this theory, is driven by the memes.

所以大型脑这个理论是由迷因驱动的。

This is why, in "The Meme Machine," I called it memetic drive.

这就是为什么，在“迷因机器”中，我称它为迷因驱动。

As the memes evolve, as they inevitably must,

当迷因在演变，当它们难免必须，

they drive a bigger brain that is better at copying the memes

驱使一个更大的大脑，能更好地复制

that are doing the driving.

驱动的迷因。

This is why we've ended up with such peculiar brains,

这就使为什么我们拥有这样奇特的脑部，

that we like religion, and music, and art.

我们喜欢宗教，音乐和艺术。

Language is a parasite that we've adapted to,

语言是我们已经适应的寄生物，

not something that was there originally for our genes,

而不是我们基因原有的，

on this view.

根据这个观点。

And like most parasites, it can begin dangerous,

像大多数寄生物一样，语言一开始有危险，

but then it coevolves and adapts,

但是后来它一起改变和适应

and we end up with a symbiotic relationship

我们最终和这寄生物

with this new parasite.

达成共生关系

And so, from our perspective,

所以对我们来说，

we don't realize that that's how it began.

我们不知道那是如何开始的。

So, this is a view of what humans are.

所以这是个观点关于什么是人类。

All other species on this planet are gene machines only,

其他在这个星球上的物种只是基因机器，

they don't imitate at all well, hardly at all.

它们模仿的并不好，完全不好。

We alone are gene machines and meme machines as well.

我们单独即是基因机器也是迷因机器。

The memes took a gene machine and turned it into a meme machine.

迷因将一个基因机器变成一个迷因机器。

But that's not all.

但那不是全部。

We have a new kind of memes now.

我们现在有了新的迷因。

I've been wondering for a long time,

很长一段时间我都在思考，

since I've been thinking about memes a lot,

从我常常思考迷因开始，

is there a difference between the memes that we copy --

我们所复制的迷因之间的差别--

the words we speak to each other,

我们互相说的话，

the gestures we copy, the human things --

我们模仿的手势，人类之间的那些事--

and all these technological things around us?

以及所有这些我们周围的技术？

I have always, until now, called them all memes,

我总是，直到现在，称它们为迷因，

but I do honestly think now

但是我确实想到现在

we need a new word for technological memes.

我们需要用一个新词来描述技术迷因。

Let's call them techno-memes or temes.

我们称它们为技术迷因或者说技因。

Because the processes are getting different.

因为过程已经变了

We began, perhaps 5,000 years ago, with writing.

我们大概在5000年前开始书写。

We put the storage of memes out there on a clay tablet,

我们将迷因储存在泥板上，

but in order to get true temes and true teme machines,

但是为了得到真正的技因和真正的技因机器，

you need to get the variation, the selection and the copying,

必须要有变异，选择和复制，

all done outside of humans.

这些都要与人类无关。

And we're getting there.

我们快到了。

We're at this extraordinary point where we're nearly there,

我们正在这个节骨眼上，我们马上就要到了，

that there are machines like that.

有那样的机器存在。

And indeed, in the short time I've already been at TED,

真的，在我到TED的短短时间内，

I see we're even closer than I thought we were before.

我看到我们实际比我想象的要接近的多。

So actually, now the temes are forcing our brains

所以，实际上，现在这些技因强迫我们的大脑

to become more like teme machines.

变得更像技因机器。

Our children are growing up very quickly learning to read,

我们的孩子在成长中更快地学会阅读，

learning to use machinery.

学会适应机器。

We're going to have all kinds of implants,

我们将有各种各样的植入物，

drugs that force us to stay awake all the time.

药品，来强迫我们总是保持清醒。

We'll think we're choosing these things,

我们认为是我们选择这些事情，

but the temes are making us do it.

其实是技因让我们这么做。

So, we're at this cusp now

所以我们现在在这个转折点

of having a third replicator on our planet.

出现我们星球上的第三个复制因子。

Now, what about what else is going on out there in the universe?

现在，那么宇宙中还发生些什么呢？

Is there anyone else out there?

有没有外星人？

People have been asking this question for a long time.

人们问这个问题已经很久了。

We've been asking it here at TED already.

我们也在TED讨论过了。

In 1961, Frank Drake made his famous equation,

1961年，弗兰克得出他著名的等式，

but I think he concentrated on the wrong things.

但是我认为他关注了错误的东西。

It's been very productive, that equation.

那个等式很有用。

He wanted to estimate N,

他想估计N，

the number of communicative civilizations out there in our galaxy,

我们星系中有沟通文明的星球的数量。

and he included in there the rate of star formation,

他包括了星球成型的比率，

the rate of planets, but crucially, intelligence.

行星的比率，以及最关键的，智慧。

I think that's the wrong way to think about it.

我认为这样想不对。

Intelligence appears all over the place, in all kinds of guises.

智慧存在所有的地方，有着各种形式的伪装。

Human intelligence is only one kind of a thing.

人类智慧只是其中的一种。

But what's really important is the replicators you have

但是真正重要的是你的复制因子

and the levels of replicators, one feeding on the one before.

和副复制因子的级别，一个依靠前一个。

So, I would suggest that we don't think intelligence,

所以我想建议我们不去思考智慧，

we think replicators.

我们来思考复制因子。

And on that basis, I've suggested a different kind of equation.

基于这个，我建议一个不同的等式。

A very simple equation.

非常简单的等式。

N, the same thing,

N，还是同样的东西，

the number of communicative civilizations out there

拥有沟通文明的星球数量，

[that] we might expect in our galaxy.

我们的星系中，可能知道的。

Just start with the number of planets there are in our galaxy.

仅仅从我们星系中的行星数量开始。

The fraction of those which get a first replicator.

其中的一部分得到了第一个复制因子。

The fraction of those that get the second replicator.

这其中的一部分得到了第二个复制因子。

The fraction of those that get the third replicator.

这其中的一部分又得到了第三个复制因子。

Because it's only the third replicator that's going to reach out --

因为只有第三个复制因子能伸展出去--

sending information, sending probes, getting out there,

发送信息，发送探测器，对外探索，

and communicating with anywhere else.

同其他地方交流。

OK, so if we take that equation,

好，如果我们拿来这个等式，

why haven't we heard from anybody out there?

为什么我们没有收到任何信息呢?

Because every step is dangerous.

因为每一步都是危险的。

Getting a new replicator is dangerous.

得到一个新的 复制基因是危险的。

You can pull through, we have pulled through,

你虽然能逃脱危险，而且我们也曾经逃脱过危险

but it's dangerous.

但是确实危险的。

Take the first step, as soon as life appeared on this earth.

迈出第一步，正当生命在这个星球上出现的那一刻。

We may take the Gaian view.

我们可能采用盖安的观点。

I loved Peter Ward's talk yesterday -- it's not Gaian all the time.

我喜欢彼得沃德昨天的讲话--不全是盖安。

Actually, life forms produce things that kill themselves.

实际上，生命形式产生会杀死他们自己的东西。

Well, we did pull through on this planet.

我们确实在这个星球克服了这种危机。

But then, a long time later, billions of years later,

但是，长久的，几十亿年以后，

we got the second replicator, the memes.

我们的第二复制因子，迷因。

That was dangerous, all right.

那是危险的，好吧。

Think of the big brain.

想想大头脑。

How many mothers do we have here?

我们在座的有多少位母亲？

You know all about big brains.

你们知道大头脑们

They are dangerous to give birth to,

生产是很危险的。

are agonizing to give birth to.

是很痛苦的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

My cat gave birth to four kittens, purring all the time.

我的猫生了四只小猫，喵喵得不停。

Ah, mm -- slightly different.

啊，嗯--有点不同。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But not only is it painful, it kills lots of babies,

但是，不仅仅是痛苦，它还害死了很多婴儿，

it kills lots of mothers,

害死了很多位妈妈，

and it's very expensive to produce.

而且也很昂贵。

The genes are forced into producing all this myelin,

基因被迫去制造髓磷脂，

all the fat to myelinate the brain.

供应大脑的髓磷脂。

Do you know, sitting here,

你知道，坐在这儿，

your brain is using about 20 percent of your body's energy output

你的大脑使用百分之二十身体输出的能量

for two percent of your body weight?

而它只有你体重的百分之二。

It's a really expensive organ to run.

真是个运营昂贵的器官。

Why? Because it's producing the memes.

为什么？因为它产生迷因。

Now, it could have killed us off. It could have killed us off,

现在，它可以杀死我们全部--它可以做的，

and maybe it nearly did, but you see, we don't know.

或许它几乎这么做了，但是你看，我们不知道。

But maybe it nearly did.

但是或许它几乎这么做了。

Has it been tried before?

它原先试过吗？

What about all those other species?

那些其他的物种呢?

Louise Leakey talked yesterday

露易丝丽基昨天讲到的

about how we're the only one in this branch left.

我们是这个分支上唯一生存下来的

What happened to the others?

其他的都怎么了？

Could it be that this experiment in imitation,

会不会这一模仿的试验，

this experiment in a second replicator,

第二复制因子的试验，

is dangerous enough to kill people off?

太危险而导致消灭了人类呢？

Well, we did pull through, and we adapted.

我们的确过了一关，我们也适应了。

But now, we're hitting, as I've just described,

而现在，我们正在，就像我刚刚说过的，

we're hitting the third replicator point.

我们正达到第三个复制因子阶段。

And this is even more dangerous --

这更加的危险--

well, it's dangerous again.

嗯，是又一次的危险。

Why? Because the temes are selfish replicators

为什么？因为技因是自私复制因子

and they don't care about us, or our planet, or anything else.

它们不关心我们，或者我们的星球，或者其他东西。

They're just information, why would they?

它们只是信息--它们怎么会顾及我们呢？

They are using us to suck up the planet's resources

它们只是用我们榨干星球上的资源

to produce more computers,

来生产更多的计算机，

and more of all these amazing things we're hearing about here at TED.

更多我们在TED上听到的新奇事物。

Don't think, "Oh, we created the Internet for our own benefit."

不要想，“噢，我们发明互联网是为了我们自己。”

That's how it seems to us.

看起来如此。

Think, temes spreading because they must.

想想技因扩散是因为它们必须这么做。

We are the old machines.

我们是老一代的机器了。

Now, are we going to pull through?

现在，我们还能够过关吗？

What's going to happen?

会发生什么？

What does it mean to pull through?

过关意味着什么？

Well, there are kind of two ways of pulling through.

好，有两种摆脱的方法。

One that is obviously happening all around us now,

一种是显然正发生在我们周围

is that the temes turn us into teme machines,

即技因将我们变成技因机器，

with these implants, with the drugs,

用插入物，用药品，

with us merging with the technology.

把我们和技术融合在一起。

And why would they do that?

它们为什么要那样做？

Because we are self-replicating.

因为我们是自身复制。

We have babies.

我们有孩子。

We make new ones, and so it's convenient to piggyback on us,

我们产生新的生命，所以搭载我们很方便。

because we're not yet at the stage on this planet

因为在地球上，我们还没到达

where the other option is viable.

其他可行方式的阶段。

Although it's closer, I heard this morning,

虽然接近了，今天早上我听到了，

it's closer than I thought it was.

比我想象地要近。

Where the teme machines themselves will replicate themselves.

当技因机器他们自己能够复制他们自己。

That way, it wouldn't matter if the planet's climate

那样，星球上的气候属否稳定

was utterly destabilized,

已经不重要了，

and it was no longer possible for humans to live here.

那时已经不适合人类居住了。

Because those teme machines, they wouldn't need --

因为那些技因机器，它们不需要--

they're not squishy, wet, oxygen-breathing,

它们不是血肉之躯，呼吸氧气，

warmth-requiring creatures.

需要温暖的生物。

They could carry on without us.

没有我们，它们照样生存

So, those are the two possibilities.

因此，有这两种可能。

The second, I don't think we're that close.

第二种，我不认为我们已经那么近了。

It's coming, but we're not there yet.

我们在接近，但是还没有。

The first, it's coming too.

第一，也在接近。

But the damage that is already being done

但是对这个星球已经造成的危害

to the planet is showing us how dangerous the third point is,

告诉我们第三复制因子将是多么的危险，

that third danger point, getting a third replicator.

第三个危险点就是得到第三个复制因子。

And will we get through this third danger point,

我们能否度过这第三个危险点，

like we got through the second and like we got through the first?

像我们度过第二个危险点，第一个危险点那样？

Maybe we will, maybe we won't.

或许能，或许不能

I have no idea.

我也不知道。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Chris Anderson: That was an incredible talk.

克里斯 安德森：真是场精彩的演讲。

SB: Thank you. I scared myself.

苏珊：谢谢你。我吓倒我自己了。

CA: (Laughter)

克里斯 安德森：（笑声）