Teemu Roos, University of Helsinki, Finland
Machine learning and the evolution of fairy tales and other cultural artefacts
The evolution of cultural artefacts can be modeled and analysed using algorithms developed originally for biological applications. However, some of the simplifying assumptions that are often made in biology may not be reasonable in humanities applications. We discuss examples of the similarities and differences in cultural and biological evolution from the point of view of their algorithmic analysis. To illustrate these, we provide some insights gained from studies on the history of a fairy tale commonly known as the Little Red Riding Hood (Aarne-Thompson-Uther Type 333) and a database of 339 medieval church calendars. The former study resulted in a novel method for constructing phylogenetic networks. The second study is based on statisical and geostatistical approaches, and it highlights the complexity of cultural evolution and the importance of interdisciplinary discourse.
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