From: Wade T. Smith (wade.t.smith@verizon.net)
Date: Thu 15 May 2003 - 14:48:57 GMT
On Thursday, May 15, 2003, at 09:42 AM, Philip wrote:
> Even in the performance-only model of memetics, performance IS
> abstract.
No, it is quite and rather concrete. It is observable and measurable.
It is the interpretation, by culture and by the observers, that is
abstract, until they decide to perform.
> Provided that the members of the set are sufficiently alike you'd do
> humanity a big favor to
> refer to the meme by a single name: memeA)
When the performances are sufficiently alike, we have a cultural
continuity, what Joe would say is a relational meaning.
In the performance model, there is no continuity of 'meme' necessary,
but, just like a spider makes a very similar web every time yet
different due to the parameters of the environment, culture commands
the venue, controlling the parameters of performance. Every meme is
unique, but may, just like the spider's web, have enough relational
attributes to be called a 'comedy', or a 'waltz', every time, and this
is a marker of memetic stability.
Continuity can absolutely be dependent and perceived as continuing upon
discontinuous entities. And culture is a great example of this
mechanism, as is evolution and, indeed, the human body.
And once this is acknowledged, the continuous entity demanded by the
memeinthemind model becomes specious.
- Wade
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