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Computers and gradualness: The selfish meme

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Abstract

In making a contribution, a person's life gains meaning. A small contribution affects a few people for a short time, while a large contribution affects many people for a long time. Within the framework of an abstract, computational world, a metric on contributions is defined. Simulation of the computational model shows the critical role of gradualness. Gradualness can be supported by human-computer systems in which the computer does the copying and arithmetic, and the human applies a rich understanding of the world. The role of gradualness in the research areas of machine learning and hypertext is highlighted.

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Rada, R. Computers and gradualness: The selfish meme. AI & Soc 5, 246–254 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01891919

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