Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id DAA22480 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 16 Mar 2001 03:11:24 GMT X-Originating-IP: [209.240.220.167] From: "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: RE: Toggling nature's auto-erase Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 22:07:44 -0500 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F33pktkzU5ZImwlcvNh0000204e@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 16 Mar 2001 03:07:44.0914 (UTC) FILETIME=[4598B720:01C0ADC6] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>To: "memetics list" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
>Subject: RE: Toggling nature's auto-erase
>Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2001 10:11:42 -0500
>
>On 03/15/01 09:19, Vincent Campbell said this-
>
> >Are you saying here that science is meme-free?
>
>Yes.
>
>Scientists are another matter.
>
>
It likely depends on what is being called a meme and how far one extends
memetics as a theoretical system. If memetics is concerned with superficial
quirks of human behavior and the intention is accounting for a strictly
limited subset of behavioral phenomena (imitation, trends or whatever) there
would not be as much contention and scientific exploits would probably be
excluded (for the most part) from the venue of memetics. Going deeper would
be the history of ideas aspect which would add a smidgen of historicism into
the mix and extend memetics a little further, encompassing more than mere
hula hoops and hairstyles.
Then the theory of mind folks come along and hyperextend memetics and
increase the chances of a sprain or tendon tear. Here all behavior is
explained by memetics, thus none is explained by memetics or something to
that effect. It becomes a theory of everything.
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