Re: memetics-digest V1 #1302

From: Scott Chase (ecphoric@hotmail.com)
Date: Thu 06 Mar 2003 - 03:15:35 GMT

  • Next message: joedees@bellsouth.net: "Re: memetics-digest V1 #1302"

    >From: joedees@bellsouth.net
    >Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
    >Subject: Re: memetics-digest V1 #1302
    >Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2003 13:20:36 -0600
    >
    > >
    > > On Wednesday, March 5, 2003, at 01:18 PM, memetics-digest wrote:
    > >
    > > > This argument is kinda like saying that unless exact genetic
    > > > replication
    > > > occurs, that the theory of evolution is flawed.
    > >
    > > Kinda like, perhaps. Mostly like, no way.
    > >
    > > > But it is precisely the
    > > > natural selection between natural occurring deviances that allows
    > > > for evolution to occur.
    > >
    > > No argument, but, hmmm, we can't duplicate the conditions that this
    > > natural selection occured within, can we? Nope, that time/space is
    > > gone.
    > >
    >Which is exactly why a different environmental condition might select
    >for a different mutation among the subsequent alternatives - in other
    >wortds, evolution continues.
    > >
    > > > The difference is that, in memetics, those deviations
    > > > (mutations) may be intended, and indeed engineered - as can be the
    > > > selection.
    > >
    > > There is no _necessity_ that any of the 'mutations' in memetic
    > > transfer (cultural transmission) be intended or engineered, and no one
    > > is arguing that intention may _not_ be a part of cultural mechanisms.
    > >
    >That's right; intention cannot be a priori ruled out, and given out
    >experience, it would seem counterintuitive to do so.
    > >
    > > But, yes, I am arguing that intention need not be communicated, at
    > > all, and can be lost for all time.
    > >
    >But the communication of intention is not prohibited, and indeed, is
    >quite memetically ubiquitous.
    >
    >
    But what Wade says about intention being irrevocably lost is too important to overlook. Someone might find an old village site and escavate it. They might come to the conclusion that for some reason the structures of the village were arranged in a particular manner, but the reasons for that arrangement have long vanished. Some fragments of utensils and various other artificats may be found, but with little or no indication of what theses things were for. There might be enough evidence to indicate there was a ceremony or ritual associated with the site, perhaps based on other lines of evidence gained from studying a certain culture, but the mythos behind the ceremony and its particular protocols may have permanently vanished.

    _________________________________________________________________ Tired of spam? Get advanced junk mail protection with MSN 8. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

    =============================================================== 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 archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Thu 06 Mar 2003 - 03:17:06 GMT