RE: To Robin, Applied Memetics

From: Lawrence deBivort (debivort@umd5.umd.edu)
Date: Mon 01 Aug 2005 - 21:13:45 GMT

  • Next message: Keith Henson: "Re: To Robin, Applied Memetics"

    Well said, Kate. A person exposed to a would-be meme will subject that meme to a set of criteria (the 'environment, if you will), before adopting it and passing it on.

    Cheers, Lawry de Bivort

    -----Original Message----- From: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk [mailto:fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk] On Behalf Of Kate Distin Sent: Monday, August 01, 2005 2:35 PM To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: To Robin, Applied Memetics

    Keith Henson wrote:
    > At 12:04 PM 31/07/05 +0100, Kate wrote:
    >
    >
    >> But at least biological evolution is an accepted scientific theory
    >> which stands firm on the available evidence - memetics is too new and
    >> untested to withstand the impact of too many non-explanations: the
    >> cumulative effect will be a feeling that memetics has no explanatory
    >> worth.
    >>
    >> I remain fairly hopeful that it does have explanatory worth, but I
    >> don't think we're there yet!
    >
    >
    > Memetics does not have explanatory power simply because the frame is too
    > small. You have to understand the meme's host to be able to say much
    > about its life cycle. Trying to look at memes alone is like trying to
    > study the malaria parasite without considering its hosts and vectors.
    >
    > Best wishes,
    >
    > Keith Henson
    >
    >

    Memetics, seen as the study of memetic evolution, would encompass both memes and their environment (including human minds) - just as the study of genetic evolution encompasses both genes and their environment. Memetics doesn't have to over-emphasise the power of the meme, and dismiss human autonomy and psychology.

    Kate

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    =============================================================== 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

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