RE: Central questions of memetics

From: Richard Brodie (richard@brodietech.com)
Date: Mon May 22 2000 - 21:40:53 BST

  • Next message: Richard Brodie: "RE: Central questions of memetics" 

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From: "Richard Brodie" <richard@brodietech.com>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: Central questions of memetics
Date: Mon, 22 May 2000 13:40:53 -0700
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    [Wade]
    > Actually, in the sense of Dennett's algorithms, I see no need, in
    > evolution, for the term 'useful'. Things are useful when there is a need
    > for them and they perform a function- they are no longer 'useful' when
    > those conditions alter or dissipate, although they could exist in full
    > form at both times. 'Useful' is a temporal condition.

    [Chuck]
    <<I have no problem with this statement. And it has nothing to do with the
    fact that Wade lives in the same town! Except for one thing - they cannot
    exist for long when they are no longer useful - as the second part of the
    statement seems to imply. What happens in history is that the same forms
    will find new uses. That, for example, is the history of words - how they
    take on new meanings.>>

    Is "having a use" the same thing, in your model, as "being useful"? I can
    think of uses for the dead batteries my digital camera makes, but I wouldn't
    call them "useful." I do not understand, from reading your posts, how you
    think ideas---or words---evolve if not by mutation, selection and
    replication. I asked before, do you think there is a committee deciding how
    words will be used and enforcing that somehow? If not, then you agree with
    the brunt of memetics. Now I just have to show you that the word "useful" in
    relation to memes is---well---not very useful. ;-)

    Richard Brodie richard@brodietech.com
    http://www.memecentral.com/rbrodie.htm

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