Re: Are there any memes out there?

From: Chris Taylor (Christopher.Taylor@man.ac.uk)
Date: Mon Mar 12 2001 - 14:46:14 GMT

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    Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 14:46:14 +0000
    From: Chris Taylor <Christopher.Taylor@man.ac.uk>
    Organization: University of Manchester
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    >> 1) When a certain form of meme (action, knowledge etc.) is required, a
    >> kind of resonance propagates through the mind, embodying the selective
    >> requirements, and whatever sings the loudest (most strongly 'hit' all
    >> the 'resonant frequencies') comes to the 'fore' in the mind.

    > 'Meme' is unrequired in this process.

    If you don't have internal entities (~memes by my definition) then the
    'resonance' (or whatever) will be too diffuse (I reckon). I think you
    need entities to ensure a quick defined (in the sense of finite)
    response. Although 'new' memes could be generated by the usual
    recombination (or import), I think the first stop is for pre-existing
    'chunks' like the objects in OO-programming - they have a bit of info, a
    bit of functionality.

    So I don't know if you were specifically objecting to the terminology
    (in which case I say fair enough, I should get my own word), but if your
    objection was to the principle, I can't agree.

    I prefer the second mechanism though anyway if I'm honest - more
    biological, less mystical...

    >> 2) This mechanism requires that our little memes are independent and
    >> self assorting:

    > 'Self-asserting'...?

    Yeah, you could say that (if you're using the old shorthand of volition
    in evolution) but I meant self assorting in the sense that species in an
    ecosystem find their 'right' places through background interactions
    (would be a 'background' subconscious thing in us).

    > Design is always a dangerous word to even think about with evolution.

    Never a truer phrase typed. I don't think I implied that though, all I
    require is selective criteria and things to try to fit to them.

    Cheers, Chris.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Chris Taylor (chris@bioinf.man.ac.uk)
     http://bioinf.man.ac.uk/ »people»chris
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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