Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA26909 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 8 Mar 2002 12:51:39 GMT Message-ID: <570E2BEE7BC5A34684EE5914FCFC368C10FBA1@fillan> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Rumsfeld Says He May Drop New Office of Influence Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 12:45:50 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" X-Filter-Info: UoS MailScan 0.1 [D 1] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
<I'm Sorry if my discussion with Vincent got a little out of hand.
Scott's
> statement above encapsulates the debate. Vincent appears to be saying that
> it is human nature to be bloodthirsty and exploitative. Whereas I claim
> that there are peoples who aren't. However when I have attempted to argue
> this point with the examples from my experience it resulted in an exchange
> which has departed from memetics.
> Let's get back to discussing the memes.>
>
Actually our exchange has been pretty tame for this list (although
this isn't a flamer/troller environment either).
I've addressed the bloodthirsty thing elsewhere today, but I just
wanted to say that our discussion has been no more divergent from memetics
than usual for the list, and I actually think it's very pertinent, as we're
talking about questions of aspects of human behaviour and whether they are
biological or cultural.
The question of the innate nature, or otherwise, of conflict
(particularly large scale conflict such as war) has come up before on the
list, and probably will do so again.
It seems to me to be as much a discussion about the boundaries of
memetic influence as it is to do with perceptions about basic human nature.
In other words, what aspects of human behaviour are products of natural
selection, and continue to be governed by that, and what (if any) are "free"
from biologically adaptive restrictions, and are open to cultural factors?
I honestly don't know where I stand on that general point. I think
I'm probably closer to the ep/sociobiology lot, especially on thngs like
territoriality and conflict, but I'm not a fully paid up member of that
group. Some on the list are though.
Vincent
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