exaptation
noun: countable and uncountable, plural exaptations
The use of a biological structure or function for a purpose other than that for which it initially evolved.
Birds initially developed wings and feathers as a means of heat regulation. The use of wings for flight is an example of exaptation.
Etymology
Blend of ex- + adaptation. Coined in 1982 by palaeontologists Stephen Jay Gould and Elisabeth Vrba to avoid the perceived teleological baggage of the existing term preadaptation.
☐ How writing works
☐ What came before writing
☐ Why writing developed
☐ How civilisation started
☐ How writing developed
| Singular | Dual incl. | Dual excl. | Plural incl. | Plural excl. | |
| 1st | ᎨᎦ gega I'm going |
ᎢᏁᎦ inega We're going (you + I) |
ᎣᏍᏕᎦ osdega We two are going (not you) |
ᎢᏕᎦ idega We're all going (3+, including you) |
ᎣᏤᎦ otsega We're all going (3+, not you) |
| 2nd | ᎮᎦ hega You're going |
ᏍᏕᎦ sdega You two are going |
ᎢᏤᎦ itsega You're all going | ||
| 3rd | ᎡᎦ ega She/he/it's going |
ᎠᏁᎦ anega They are going | |||
☑ How writing works
☐ What came before writing
☐ Why writing developed
☐ How civilisation started
☐ How writing developed
☑ How writing works
☑ What came before writing
☐ Why writing developed
☐ How civilisation started
☐ How writing developed
☑ How writing works
☑ What came before writing
☑ Why writing developed
☐ How civilisation started
☐ How writing developed
Agriculture changes human interactions
- Nomadic → sedentary
- Food storage
- Specialization + stratification
- Interdependence
- Trade
- Trust
- Accounting + accountability
- Law
Factors that determine domestication
- Diet
- Growth rate
- Captive breeding
- Nasty disposition
- Tendency to panic
- Hierarchical social structure
☑ How writing works
☑ What came before writing
☑ Why writing developed
☑ How civilisation started
☐ How writing developed
Types of tracking
- Simple
- Systematic
- Speculative
Exaptation: tracking is not reading
- Tracks are not arranged neatly, like text
- Tracks contain no information about sound
- The tracker imagines movement and intention
- A tracker sees tracks automatically but understanding needs effort
