Re: _Religion Explained_ by Pascal Boyer

From: Wade T. Smith (wade.t.smith@verizon.net)
Date: Sat 07 Jun 2003 - 00:18:54 GMT

  • Next message: Wade T. Smith: "Re: _Religion Explained_ by Pascal Boyer"

    On Friday, June 6, 2003, at 08:10 PM, Chris wrote:

    > So what is an internal dialogue under that model?

    Just that and nothing more. And that is enough, since this internal dialogue is only a facet or a quality of one of the agents of culture.

    > So again, what about imagining a game of baseball - all nine innings if
    > you like, with historical all star squads - does that informational
    > pattern have no existence in reality?

    That internal dialogue, or pattern, _has no_ relevant existence to cultural evolution, which is all I'm saying, and all the memeinthemind model is _not_ saying.

    It doesn't matter one fetid pair of dingo's kidneys whether or not someone plays a game of _anything_ in their head- unless and until they actively _behave_ in a venue where they can be observed, there will be no cultural distribution of their thoughts, their ideas, their improvements to the game, or anything else.

    So, yes, all of that informational patterning does have _no_ existence as far as culture is concerned. And, since when does culture have to be concerned with reality?

    As far as I know, never. Well, hardly ever. Ask that god knocking at your back door. After all, this is a thread about religion....

    - Wade

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