Re: Cultural traits and vulnerability to memes

From: Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Date: Mon Mar 11 2002 - 12:21:40 GMT

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Subject: Re: Cultural traits and vulnerability to memes
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 07:21:40 -0500
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From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
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    Hi Jeremy Bradley -

    >determinism is the theory that behaviours are 'hardwired' into
    >us.

    Yes.

    But some behaviors are also algorithmic reactions, like the spider web-
    it is hardwired, in that the spider must make it, and to a degree follow
    a pattern, but the actual web itself is different every time.

    From a certain vantage, this web might appear to be 'programmable', as
    input from the environment is very much required for the full operation
    of the program, and the requirement for input is a programming function.

    As such, there is no reason, and no-one has presented an unequivocable
    one, for culture to not be just such a hardwired, input-requiring set of
    algorithms.

    It's just that part of the input for homo sapiens is also other products
    of these algorithms.

    And I call the performance of these products memes, and others call the
    products themselves memes, and others call the processes happening in the
    brain memes, and others call all of these things memes, but, regardless,
    no-one has shown any proof for any of them.

    Hardwiring is not a defense against variance. And programs are hardwired.

    And evolution is a system of developing hardwiring.

    - Wade

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