Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id NAA14411 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 19 May 2000 13:53:02 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D31CEB1C2@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Technology vs. culture Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 13:51:00 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Thanks for that. It sound like a good example to me.
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Tyger
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Friday, May 19, 2000 2:43 pm
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Re: Technology vs. culture
>
> I think I may add a bit of oil to the fire here. there exists to my
> knowledge at least one technological institution dealing with technology
> and
> finding its
> cause of arisal in belief. it is called the Jerusalem Technological
> institute, its goal, among others I presume, though I know about it only
> from hearsay, is to create technology that fits the demands of the jewish
> law. So as an example. couple of years back they invented a telephone for
> the prime minister office which will operate in accordance with jewish
> law.
> this telephone, available only to the select few who needed to preserve
> the
> coalition, allowed one to not hear the phone (since this would be
> considered
> "work on saturday") but to "see it ringing" and thus able to fullfill
> their
> job without breaking the orthodox norms of belief.
> the point here is quite simple, these are technological innovations based
> solely on the needs of belief and nothing more (though one could argue
> their
> basis is political). so what would that (imo extraordinary) example tell
> us
> about the motives for technology?. if a belief is strong enough to push
> technology, it might very well be that this is only the tip of the iceberg
> concerning the possible view that memes (cultural and religious) push
> technological advancement and not vice-versa.
>
> Tyger
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
> To: "Memetics Discussion List" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
> Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2000 1:32 PM
> Subject: Technology vs. culture
>
>
> > Vincent Campbell made this comment not too long ago --
> >
> > >Also, does
> > >technology change in relation to culture (e.g. the design of houses
> > >according to Fung Shui)?
> >
> > As far as I know, there has never been a manufacturing or construction
> > technique (aka technology) that has depended or emerged from a belief
> > system, i.e. feng shui. So, making feng shui a cause of technology is
> > erroneous, (and not just because of my one statement).
> >
> > The design of buildings is culturally determined, but the design
> > constraints of the materials and overcoming them is technology, and so
> > far, AFAIK, only science has found those answers.
> >
> > Putting a mirror on a door is not technology....
> >
> > - 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
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
> ===============================================================
> 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
>
===============================================================
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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