Re: Kate's book/ "recessive memes"

From: Bill Spight (bspight@pacbell.net)
Date: Fri 25 Mar 2005 - 15:54:08 GMT

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    Dear Scott,

    > If people learn all the roles of a game even if they
    > only play one, these other roles are stored in memory
    > and can be recalled later when the situation warrants.
    > "Unexpressed" yes, but not expressing oneself is
    > something that need not require a genetic analogy.

    "If the situation warrants" was not exactly what I was talking about. People are often shocked at their behavior when this sort of thing occurs: E. g., "I'm sounding just like my mother!"

    I agree that calling such memes "unexpressed" does not require a genetic analogy, but it fits with that analogy. External circumstances (external to the cell) affect gene expression, as do other genes.

    > There are times when I'm tongue tied during a
    > conversation and...ummm...can't quite remember what
    > would be best to say until later. I have difficulty
    > expressing myself at that moment. There's probably
    > lots of dormant memories we all carry which await the
    > proper cue to be "ecphorized" (cough, cough). These
    > "traces" are currently not expressed. Are they
    > recessive? Are those that are expressed dominant?
    >

    I think you want to address that question to Kate, not me. In fact, I hope that she will respond to the rest of your note.

    > I also contrasted truth value to
    > dominance/recessiveness using the flat earth example.

    Is the belief that the earth is flat a meme? In modern times, I suppose so, but what about in the pre-Columbian Great Plains of North America? Among land-locked peoples the earth is apparently flat, and if people were not taught otherwise, that belief was widespread without cultural transmission.

    Best,

    Bill

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