Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id LAA01441 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sat, 3 Feb 2001 11:28:15 GMT Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 09:59:37 +0000 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Labels for memes Message-ID: <20010203095937.B1161@reborntechnology.co.uk> References: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745C2F@inchna.stir.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.12i In-Reply-To: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745C2F@inchna.stir.ac.uk>; from v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk on Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 04:29:10PM -0000 From: Robin Faichney <robin@reborntechnology.co.uk> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On Fri, Feb 02, 2001 at 04:29:10PM -0000, Vincent Campbell wrote:
> >>Besides, surely for memetics, there needs to be more than just
> > > >similarity, there needs to be replication?
> >
> <Similarity with causation is replication.>
>
> Having just been reading Robert Aunger's intro. to 'Darwinzing
> Culture', I've come across an objection to this point, offered in a chapter
> by Dan Sperber. I haven't read the whole of the Sperber chapter yet, just
> the bit relevant to this, but I'll quote Aunger's summary of Sperber's point
> (as it's more succinct):-
>
> 'As Sperber notes, many discussions in memetics do not distinguish
> between similarity which arises from reproduction and inheritance.
> Causation and similarity are not enough. One must also have the relevant
> information being passed down the causal chain for true evolutionary
> replication' (Aunger, 2000: 18).
>
> Sperber gives the example of laughter, which has similarity and
> causation, but isn't replication because we don't copy other peoples'
> laughter (2000: 168).
When I said "Similarity with causation is replication" I was taking
it forgranted that the similarity has to be between cause and effect,
not merely between two effects with the same cause. I can't comment
on Sperber's view, having only the foregoing to go on. Time to look up
Darwinizing Culture at Amazon... I don't suppose the Introduction is
online anywhere...
-- 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
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Feb 03 2001 - 11:32:14 GMT