Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id RAA17390 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 23 Aug 2000 17:26:00 +0100 Message-Id: <4.3.2.7.0.20000823105926.00ef5d60@pop3.htcomp.net> X-Sender: mmills@pop3.htcomp.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 4.3.2 Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 12:23:36 -0400 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk From: "Mark M. Mills" <mmills@htcomp.net> Subject: handedness and memes Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
If we look at a simple example of memetic activity, 100 Windsor Knots, one
of the first things we might note is handedness. I'm only guessing, but
90% of Windsor Knots are probably constructed with the horizontal 'facing'
loop crossing from right to left (observer's view). If one had a knot
description language, the left and right handed Windsor knots would be
identical, except for looping directions.
There may social situations were the left-handed Windsor Knot is
inappropriate, but generally the two variations produce the same social
response.
There is probably a strong correlation between 'constructor handedness' and
the handedness of the Windsor Knot. Probably 95% of Windsor knots are tied
with the same 'handedness' as their constructor's handedness.
Additionally, it ought to be added that linkage between handedness and
genetics is not well understood. Identical twins can have opposite
handedness despite sharing identical genes. There are genes that seem to
be expressed by left or right handedness, but the origin of handedness
itself remains puzzling.
http://azriel.med.harvard.edu/~mlevin/lr_medhypot.pdf
http://azriel.med.harvard.edu/~mlevin/EM_review.pdf
With all this said, I'm interested in how the group here categorizes meme
handedness. Are left and right handed versions members of a single meme
population? different memes?
A study of replication would probably find that left-handed Windsor Knots
can produce a new generation of right-handed Windsor Knots (and vice
versa). A father is likely to ignore handedness issues when teaching his
opposite handed son. Does this mean that left and right hand versions
constitute a single replication pathway (one meme). Alternatively, since
handedness of the Windsor knot is better correlated to creator creator than
teacher handedness (prior generation), second generation knots represent a
'convolution' of visual experience and neural biology, not replication.
Taking a third course, one might say that the 'idea' Windsor Knot has no
handedness of its own. The two versions are varied by constructor bias
(handedness), but handedness is a reflex, below the level of cognition
required for memorizing the idea Windsor Knot.
None of this helps us understand the population proportions of left and
right handed Windsor Knots, though. We are still forced to investigate
human biology to find a source for non-random Windsor Knot handedness. Put
another way, study of the Windsor knot replication and handedness
(memetics) force us to back to questions about neural dynamics producing
handedness.
Anyone else find handedness an interesting aspect of memetics?
Mark
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