New JoM-EMIT paper: John Gottsch - Mutation, Selection, and Vertical Transmission of Theistic Memes in Religious Canons

From: Bruce Edmonds (b.edmonds@mmu.ac.uk)
Date: Wed Mar 14 2001 - 09:55:32 GMT

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From: Bruce Edmonds <b.edmonds@mmu.ac.uk>
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Subject: New JoM-EMIT paper: John Gottsch - Mutation, Selection, and Vertical  Transmission of Theistic Memes in Religious Canons
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          Mutation, Selection, And
         Vertical Transmission Of
       Theistic Memes In Religious
                  Canons

              by John D. Gottsch

    Abstract
       1 - Introduction
       2 - First Evidence of Memes
       3 - First Theistic Memes in Religious Canons
          3.1 - Epic of Gilgamesh
          3.2 - Enuma elish
          3.3 - Law Codes
       4 - Theistic Memetic Creation of the Hebrew Canon
       5 - Theistic Memetic Mutation in Creation of the Christian
       Canon
       6 - Theistic Memetic Mutation in Creation of the Islamic
       Canon
       7 - Discussion
    References

    Abstract

       A study of ancient and modern Near Eastern religious
       canons reveals the mutation, selection, and vertical
       transmission of fitness-enhancing textual units, defined as
       theistic memes. The earliest recorded theistic memes dealt
       with human fear of death and defined man's earliest
       relationship to god. Theistic memes that could
       theoretically affect fitness through selection and
       incorporation into religious canons included those
       dictating beliefs about (a) self-awareness in an unknown
       world, (b) strategies and behaviors toward others and
       within the nuclear family, and (c) appropriate sexual
       behaviors within marriage. Prohibition of aberrant sexual
       practices such as incest, adultery, homosexuality,
       bestiality, castration, and religious prostitution would
       have further maximized fitness. A remarkable mutation
       of the ancient Near Eastern theistic meme of child
       sacrifice is documented in the Old Testament in the story
       of Abraham and Isaac. Vertically transmitted theistic
       memes in the Hebrew canon were largely incorporated
       into Christian and Muslim religious canons (New
       Testament and Qur'an). Mutations of theistic memes
       during vertical transmission into these other canons
       allowed the same fitness-enhancing stability for the
       gentile and Arabic populations and are notable for the
       different strategies used to produce homogenized,
       orthodox canons.

       Keywords: Religious canon, fitness, meme, mutation

    Available at:
            http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit/2001/vol5/gottsch_jd.html

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