Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id LAA00355 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 1 Feb 2000 11:24:50 GMT From: <VANWYHE@aol.com> Message-ID: <19.ed9c10.25c81856@aol.com> Date: Tue, 1 Feb 2000 06:07:02 EST Subject: Re: memetics-digest V1 #119 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 4.0.i for Windows 95 sub 137 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
List members- there is some strange cross-fertilization here about how to
define information. We won't come to complete agreement on this, but I think
we should clarify this a bit.
"Information" tends to refer to *difference*- that is relevant difference to
something else. Here the bit concept could be invoked.
Since we are concerned with information in h sapien brains- we must be
referring, however crudely, to relevant alterations in brains which make a
difference to its functions.
I think it is a waste of time to endlessly debate genes vs memes. I don't
give a toss about memes- the idea strikes me as totally presumptuous. No one
has any idea what basic unit or units brain information might be constituted
by.
What we can think about is whether or not human brain information (whatever
constituent units it may or may not be composed of) evolves in a meaningful
sense.
Most of the people on this list probably believe it does. What evidence do we
have that brain info evolves?
Wade Smith writes:
"Culture (i.e. a bird nest) is a behavioral adaptation. Cultural evolution is
a myth. We know biological systems evolve, and we can happily invoke Occam to
deny culture as a separate evolving entity.
Memes are superfluous and specious if not totally wishful."
Wade should be taken seriously- though he too confuses the distinction I
stressed in my last post- artefacts and brain info should not be confused-
they are not the same thing! Wade however equivocates the two to conclude
that brain info does not evolve. Wade, have another go and forget the
artefacts- what about the apparearance of successive change and
diversification of brain info over time? I am intrigued to hear your response.
John van Wyhe
***********
John van Wyhe http://www.jmvanwyhe.freeserve.co.uk
Faculty of History
University of Cambridge
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