Re: What are memes made of?

From: Robin Faichney (robin@faichney.demon.co.uk)
Date: Sat Feb 19 2000 - 18:32:50 GMT

  • Next message: Joe E. Dees: "Re: What are memes made of?"

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    From: Robin Faichney <robin@faichney.demon.co.uk>
    Organization: Reborn Technology
    To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    Subject: Re: What are memes made of?
    Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 18:32:50 +0000
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    On Sat, 19 Feb 2000, Joe E. Dees wrote:
    >
    >> On Thu, 17 Feb 2000, Joe E. Dees wrote:
    >> >The interplay between the fixed genetics of the birds and the
    >> >variability of various birds' environment, especially in the
    >> >phenomenon of imprinting (which was first discovered in bird
    >> >young), which is a genetically mandated critical period during
    >> >which imitation patterns are set, is enough to explain the small
    >> >differences in birdsong which occur.
    >>
    >> Why does the fact that imitation occurs in the context of imprinting make
    >> birdsong non-memetic?
    >>
    >Because it is circumscribed by instinct; imprinting during critical
    >periods is innately and genetically mandated.

    So to summarise your argument: birdsong is not a counter example to
    the claim that memetics is necessarily intentional because it is not
    intentional, and therefore non-memetic.

    --
    Robin Faichney
    

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