Re: Sue Blackmore lecture Wednesday 5.15pm London

From: William Benzon (bbenzon@mindspring.com)
Date: Sun 16 Feb 2003 - 22:35:27 GMT

  • Next message: Grant Callaghan: "Re: Sue Blackmore lecture Wednesday 5.15pm London"

    on 2/16/03 5:18 PM, Grant Callaghan at grantc4@hotmail.com wrote:

    [snip]

    > The lack of knowledge about DNA didn't stop Darwin. The fact is, we KNOW
    > there are neurological and psychological underpinnings of memes. There has
    > to be. True, science has not advanced to the point of having a comprehensive
    > description of what they are, but when it does, we'll be ready.
    >
    > Jon Gilbert
    >
    > I believe cognitive science does provide such evidence and the language with
    > which to describe it. They just call them frames and blends rather than
    > memes. But as long as people realize they are talking about the same basic
    > thing, communication can take place.

    I know that literature pretty well, and the meme metaphor has nothing whatever to offer that literature. If you want to talk about frames or blends or whatever, you should use those terms. The people who talk about frames and blends and knowledge representation and cognitive networks etc. don't talk about replication and parasites and hosts and all that. They donšt need to and that pseudo-biological language adds nothing to our understanding.

    Bill Benzon

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