火:工具与心灵

A Cognitive Mystery behind the Use of Fire

本文探讨火作为工具的递归性质,以及它所代表的技术理念。火之所以是唯有人能掌握的自然工具,在于其使用对心理表征的要求,而其中所隐藏的递归函数则同时积极构建人的智能,使得人与动物区分开来。与棍子、石头等不同,火不能被直接使用,而需要同时使用别的工具(如棍子)来使用之,从而形成工具的递归。从这个方面看,火所要求和构造的心智能力是区分人与动物的一个重要特征,即递归智能。从历史角度看,火的掌握也因此是掌握语言的前奏,因为语言的使用同样蕴含着递归智能。

The article explores the recursive nature of fire use and the meaning of technology as represented by fire.It argues that the reason why only humans can use fire lies in the active mental representation of fire demanded by its usage. Furthermore, the recursive function of fire use may have been historically responsible for the emergence of human mind. In contrast with sticks or rocks, fire cannot be used directly but demands the use of another tool before its use can be materialized, thus forming a recursive function of instrumentation. From this perspective, fire use may be regarded as a key evolutionary factor that helps develop human intelligence and works as a precursor function for the mastery of language.