Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id TAA16568 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 9 May 2000 19:49:48 +0100 Message-ID: <39181827.FCEA0E19@mediaone.net> Date: Tue, 09 May 2000 14:52:39 +0100 From: Chuck Palson <cpalson@mediaone.net> X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.72 [en] (WinNT; I) X-Accept-Language: en To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: a memetic experiment- an eIe opener References: <200005091722.SAA01678@faichney.demon.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Robin Faichney wrote:
> >Chuck wrote:
> >
> ><<Richard - I don't want to say it outright for pedagogical reasons, but
> >what
> >do you suppose tight little subcultures do to stay tight? :) Clue: why did
> >nonsensical grammatical rules become the obsession of the emerging middle
> >class in the 18th century?>>
> >
> >I'm guessing that your implication is that "staying tight" == "utility".
> >Why? No one would argue that all memes have some EFFECT, even a tiny one.
> >But is having an effect the same as being useful? Useful to who? What
> >memetics says is that memes evolve to have effects that are useful TO THE
> >MEME.
>
> That's absolutely right, but it might be worth adding: it does NOT imply
> that memes "have a life of their own". Neither do genes. To assume
> otherwise is to misunderstand evolutionary theory. There's nothing
> magical about either genetics or memetics. I repeat: you (Chuck) really
> need to read Dennett.
>
> --
Thanks for the tip - and maybe I will one of these days. So far, however, I'm
simply not inspired by what I have seen here. The best is Richard Brodie
because he understands its propogandistic value - which I have seen from the
beginning.
>
> Robin Faichney
>
> ===============================================================
> This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
> Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
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> see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
===============================================================
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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