Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA24391 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sat, 18 Nov 2000 12:34:46 GMT Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2000 12:06:32 +0000 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: The "why" meme(s) Message-ID: <20001118120632.A1318@reborntechnology.co.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5i From: Robin Faichney <robin@reborntechnology.co.uk> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
I inadvertently deleted the message I'm responding to here, but that
should be OK because this is not a detailed response and the subject line,
though changed, is accurate.
I don't think there's substantial disagreement about "why" in the
evolutionary context. I'm convinced any apparent disagreement
is basically semantic: what is the proper use of the word "why"?
In responding to Vincent talking about "the big why questions", I took a
hard line, saying the word could only legitimately be used about human
actions, where asking why something occured means you wonder for what
reason was it done. But, without taking the time to delve into the
OED, I guess there's room for disagreement on that semantic issue. So,
it's OK to ask why a particular feature evolved, because in doing so you
are not committing yourself to taking the intentional or design stance
towards evolutionary mechanisms.
However, I still insist that Vincent's examples, as in "we all wonder
why" with no context given, are illegimate, essentially meaningless.
Not only in science is there no place for them -- that's true of modern
Western philosophy too -- and, IMHO, anywhere else you care to mention,
as well. Anyone who does "wonder why" at that level of abstraction needs
to do less wondering and more serious thinking. Or stop mixing their
wondering with their thinking, and get back to a basic sense of wonder,
which is not only legitimate, but IMHO essential for mental health.
-- Robin Faichney robin@reborntechnology.co.uk=============================================================== 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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