Re: Darwinian evolution vs memetic evolution

From: Kenneth Van Oost (Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be)
Date: Wed Feb 07 2001 - 21:01:28 GMT

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From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
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Subject: Re: Darwinian evolution vs memetic evolution
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 22:01:28 +0100
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    Hi Vincent,
    You wrote,

    > Well isn't this the old chesnut of other organisms using trial and
    > error whilst humans make informed choices? I'm not saying I buy into
    that,
    > I was just questioning the idea that appeared to be presented that
    memetics
    > was grounded in choice (in the sense of conscious, motivated and informed
    > decision making).

    << Good point !! I do agree on that !
    We should not ground memetics, as a discipline, as another " tool " by
    which we make our choises. If we take the meme- stance serious we can
    not conclude that " memes are making choises ", for the simple reason, if
    we do that we give them ' a life " with a sense of consciousness,
    motivation
    and decision making.
    They do that, but on another level...through our behavior etc...
    For making choises you have to be able to compare...and by my knowledge
    memes do not have that ability.

    Best,

    Kenneth

    ( I am, because we are)

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