Darwinian evolution vs memetic evolution

From: Dr Able Lawrence (able@sgpgi.ac.in)
Date: Sat Feb 03 2001 - 12:18:56 GMT

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Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2001 17:48:56 +0530 (IST)
From: Dr Able Lawrence <able@sgpgi.ac.in>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
cc: robin@reborntechnology.co.uk
Subject: Darwinian evolution vs memetic evolution
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     Hi all,
        This is my posting on this.

        I would say that the essential difference between Darwinian evolution
    and the evolution of memes is that in Genetic evolution there is no
    conscious choice by the participating players (the subjects who are
    evolving) while there is definitely conscious or subconscious involved
    choosing whether a meme is imitated or for that matter whether a new meme
    is created, sort of Lamarckian so to say. In that way evolution of memes
    are influenced by the aesthetic values of the participating humans (not
    the memes themselves,essentially remaining Darwinian).
       The replicating elements of culture/language/gesture ie memes cannot be
    seperated from their symbolic meaning which is important for the humans
    involved in making their choice. So I would coin the term evolutionary
    semiotics for the study evolution of symbols in cultures.

        Humans make choices whereas genes get selected. memes get selected by
    the people who mime/choose amongst memes. Therefore the human choice
    values and aesthetics cannot be wished away.

       Anything capable of getting copied (not necessarily replicated) with
    scope for selection and variation can evolve.Just as the evolution of
    genes and organism are simulataneous but seperate processes we must talk
    in terms of memes and culture.
        genes are to organism what memes are to culture

    The basic requirement of evolution is information with a meaning (which is
    contextual) whether the information is carried by DNA, RNA, magnetic/optic
    media or human memory or papyrus scrolls.

                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                                     Dr Able Lawrence MD
                                     Senior Resident
                                     Clinical Immunology
                                     SGPGIMS, Lucknow
                                     able@sgpgi.ac.in
                                     Ph +91 98390 70247
                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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