Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA21735 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 1 Aug 2000 15:22:17 +0100 Message-ID: <B6E47FBD3879D31192AD009027AC929C368979@NWTH-EXCHANGE> From: Bruce Jones <BruceJ@nwths.com> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Hymenoepimecis Date: Tue, 1 Aug 2000 09:27:24 -0500 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2232.9) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> From: Gatherer, D. (Derek) [SMTP:D.Gatherer@organon.nhe.akzonobel.nl]
> Subject: RE: Hymenoepimecis
>
[BJ] I am going to throw in my $0.02 here -- for what it is worth.
> Derek:
> But those 'neural ciruits driving web creation' must be largely
> genetically
> determined. .... <snip> .... The hanging structure is not
> non-genetic, merely non-normal in a healthy spider. The spider's activity
> is best explained as perturbation of normal genetically-programmed
> instinct
> by an environmental agent, the toxin.
>
[BJ] I agree with your statement here. I feel that the apparently
abnormal behavior is a genetic trait. Not all genes in any organism are
active during the lifetime of the organism. Some have to be awakened or
by-passed to become functional. In the human this may be a cancer cell or
an insulin producing gene that becomes turned on or shut off due to some
external or internal influence. Recent discoveries in microbiology have
indicated that some of the resistance developed by bacteria to antibiotics
is due to a turning on of a genetic sequence designed to protect the
bacteria. This may be the case with the spider and the wasp. Millions of
years of interdependence and evolution have allowed the wasp a mechanism to
turn on or off a certain genetic function within the spiders genome thus
offering the wasp a survival mechanism.
[BJ] This may or may not be related to memetic transfer in human
culture. However, the actions and practices of cults tend to behave in the
same manner. The 'neural circuits' driving normal behavior are short
circuited and cause the individual to behave in a 'non-normal' way found in
a socially healthy individual. The individuals activity is best explained
as a perturbation of normal memeticaly-programed social behavior.
> Derek:
> Well, I don't agree because I don't understand how wasp larvae can be part
> of a spider 'culture'. I think it would be interesting to hear your
> definition of 'culture'.
>
[BJ] Culture may be a little off base but there is a definitive
link and therefore maybe the term ecosphere or ecology or bio-zone or
interdependent co-existence may be a better definition.
Bruce Jones
> ===============================================================
> 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
===============================================================
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
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Aug 01 2000 - 15:23:11 BST