Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id UAA11387 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 17 Feb 2000 20:11:21 GMT From: "Richard Brodie" <richard@brodietech.com> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: meaning in memetics Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2000 12:10:15 -0800 Message-ID: <NBBBIIDKHCMGAIPMFFPJGEDMEGAA.richard@brodietech.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.2416 (9.0.2910.0) In-reply-to: <20000217185316.AAA1578@camail2.harvard.edu@[128.103.125.215]> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 Importance: Normal Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Common examples of cultural phenomena well explained by memetics and not by
genetics:
- chain letters
- evangelistic religions
- multilevel marketing
- architecture
All these things have patterns of growth and spread that transcend genetic
evolution. Please argue your claim that they are genetic adaptations. Not
the TENDENCY to have religions, but the particular religions themselves.
Richard Brodie richard@brodietech.com www.memecentral.com/rbrodie.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk]On Behalf
Of Wade T.Smith
Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2000 10:47 AM
To: memetics list
Subject: RE: meaning in memetics
On 02/17/00 12:20, Richard Brodie said this-
>I think the exciting and scary thing about memetics
>is that behaviors and the memes that drive them are NOT genetic adaptations
>but rather meme-serving or mind-virus-serving adaptations.
While I have seen _no evidence_ that behaviors involving cultural actions
needs to be _anything else_ but adaptations based in genetic,
developmental, and environmental determinants, where, yes, I admit that I
see 'mind' as such an adaptation, and yes, I see the 'tricks' of
evolution as what you might call 'genetic adaptations'. Genes don't
'adapt', they either are or are not useful in successful replication.
And I personally see such socio-biology as _way_ more scary than relying
on the specious grandioseness of a memetic component for such behavior.
_Way_ more scary and exciting.
- Wade
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This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing)
see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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