Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id FAA03749 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 18 Feb 2002 05:23:00 GMT Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 21:17:28 -0800 Message-Id: <200202180517.g1I5HSO07268@mail23.bigmailbox.com> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary X-Mailer: MIME-tools 4.104 (Entity 4.116) X-Originating-Ip: [65.80.163.167] From: "Joe Dees" <joedees@addall.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: RE: memetic species Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk('binary' encoding is not supported, stored as-is)
>Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2002 22:05:01 -0500
> memetic species "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu> memetics@mmu.ac.ukReply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>
>On Sunday, February 17, 2002, at 09:26 , Joe Dees wrote:
>
>> Actually, different species of birds build differently constructed
>> nests, and different species of spiders construct differently
>> configured webs, and different species of termites build differently
>> configured mounds, but the same species of each construct very similar
>> nests and webs and mounds.
>
>Absolutely no argument. These things are indicative of speciation and
>environment altering behavior.
>
>> People, OTOH, although all members of a single species, construct
>> vastly differing homes in different locations with differing histories,
>> even where they have common materials.
>
>But, culture itself could be memetic speciation, yes? (We all do build
>shelters and have....) Similarities are just as numerous as differences.
>Many geographically diverse peoples made round dwellings, for instance.
>Many use wood. There were cave and troglodyte societies in several
>areas. I don't see your argument as valid against any skepticism about
>culture being a sociobiologic phemonemon- it is merely a statement of
>memetic environmentalism.
>
It is a statement that, unlike genetic determinism, memetic propagation allows for a plethora of alternatives (homebuilding being only one example; language is another). And people in one culture can build a home or speak a language or have a hobby or adopt a style of dress endemic to another. Not something you'd find in a forest of spiders or a termite colony or a flock of robins.
>
>- Wade
>
>
>===============================================================
>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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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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