Re: Darwinian evolution vs memetic evolution

From: Kenneth Van Oost (Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be)
Date: Wed Feb 07 2001 - 20:52:06 GMT

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    From: "Kenneth Van Oost" <Kenneth.Van.Oost@village.uunet.be>
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    Subject: Re: Darwinian evolution vs memetic evolution
    Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 21:52:06 +0100
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    Hi Lawrence,

    What you write below I can conjure with, but some remarks if I may...

    > 1. That memetic evolution within a person is iterative -- memes come and
    go,
    > and can be refined over a period of time within an individual; genetic
    > evolution involves a one-shot interaction. memetic evolution can be
    'undone'
    > or readily modified over time.

    << Genetic evolution can nowadays be " undone " too ! It can be modified
    not over time, but at the present moment. Genetic engineering, remerber...

    > 3. Memetic evolution is more complex that genetic in the sense that a
    person
    > may be confronted by many conflicting memes at any moment, and so produce
    a
    > result that is less predictable, less simple than in genetic evolution.
    (I'm
    > not too happy with the way I have phrased this -- I hope it makes sense.)

    << Genetics is nowadays less predictable than it was before...and it is not
    getting simpler either. Genetic evolution may offer only one choise, I am
    not totally convinced about that, but lets say it does, than human behavior
    and the human belief that time is money may undo that one choise which
    has been giving to you. Accidents are bound to happen when humans get
    in the picture...

    > 5. Memetic evolution offers fine-tuning choices to those launching memes,
    > and considerable controls over their adoption by those receiving a meme.
    > Genetic evolution offers only one choice, pregnancy or not. (I'm not too
    > happy with the way I explain this one, either...)

    << In addition to the above, no !, genetic evolution can offer you more than
    one choise... test- tube babies, Sperma- banks etc...you can " put " your
    own child together out of the best behavior- characteristics, the ones you
    see fit according to your desires !!
    And than again, back to my remark on point 3, all your efforts would be
    invain if some doctor makes a mistakes...

    Best

    Kenneth

    ( I am, because we are)

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