Re: Defining the word "replicator" (was Re: Silent memes)

From: derek gatherer (dgatherer2002@yahoo.co.uk)
Date: Mon 04 Aug 2003 - 07:54:13 GMT

  • Next message: Scott Chase: "Re: Defining the word "replicator" (was Re: Silent memes)"

     --- AaronLynch@aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 8/1/2003 4:02:47 AM Central

    > terms of "Longevity, Fecundity, Fidelity." I take
    > this to
    > be a tenet of evolutionary theory (subject to
    > empirical
    > testing and re-testing, logical analysis, etc.)
    > rather than
    > another definition per se.

    No, they are part of the definition. For instance, your Y-chromosome is a replicator, but none of your autosomes are. By definition. Why? Because the autosomes don't satisfy the Longevity criterion
    (because of recombination). Simple as that.

    Dawkins' notion of the replicator is built on Williams' notion of the 'evolutionary gene'. The definitions were already clear enough by the mid-60s.

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