Re: What are memes made of?

From: Robin Faichney (robin@faichney.demon.co.uk)
Date: Sun Feb 20 2000 - 08:37:19 GMT

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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: Sun, 20 Feb 2000 08:37:19 +0000
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    On Sat, 19 Feb 2000, Joe E. Dees wrote:
    >From: Robin Faichney <robin@faichney.demon.co.uk>
    >Organization: Reborn Technology
    >To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >Subject: Re: What are memes made of?
    >Date sent: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 18:32:50 +0000
    >Send reply to: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >
    >> 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.
    >>
    >Not only that, but it is genetic, not memetic.

    Sorry, you seem to have missed my point: your argument is circular.

    Also, another question: are you saying that because the mechanism by which
    imitation takes place is genetic, what's imitated is also genetic? If so,
    maybe you and Wade have quite a lot in common! 

    --
Robin Faichney

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