Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id MAA03674 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 19 Jan 2001 12:09:01 GMT Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745BE8@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Myths and Memes: Distinction? Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2001 12:07:40 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hiya, Julio.
Welcome to the list.
Personally I think there may be fruitful overlaps between existing work on
myth and folklore (e.g. Levi-Strauss, Todorov etc.), that have mapped
underlying thematic similarities both within individual and between multiple
cultures' myths, and memetics. IMHO, perhaps such work has, in effect, been
identifying the memetic components that allow myths to endure.
Personally, I'd urge caution over incorporating memetics into a PhD thesis,
though. It's not that the theory isn't potentially interesting, or that
research shouldn't be done, but there's a lot at stake there to risk
personally for you, on a theory that has major points of disagreement even
amongst the most committted proponents- spend any time at all on this list,
and you'll see this very clearly.
Perhaps sound out your supervisor(s) to see if a) they've heard of memetics,
and b) what their views on it are.
Vincent
> ----------
> From: Julio Varela
> Reply To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Sent: Friday, January 19, 2001 5:05 am
> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
> Subject: Myths and Memes: Distinction?
>
> Hello list members,
>
> I'm new to the list and a relative newcomer to the study of
> memetics. I'm a doctoral student at Florida State University (USA) in
> the Humanities department and my dissertation has a theoretical
> component that incorporates memetics. One of the issues I'm wrestling
> with is how to make a useful distinction between myths and memes: in
> short, what is the nature of their relationship? I would greatly
> appreciate any insights, reading recommendations and suggestions you all
> might have on this topic. Thank you very much.
>
> All the best,
>
> Julio Varela
>
>
> ===============================================================
> 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
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