Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id KAA20117 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 23 Mar 2001 10:44:19 GMT Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745D0B@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: The Demise of a Meme Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 10:41:12 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
<*Professional* death, sure. That is the death (or
non-proliferation) of
> memes. This is entirely within the model as proposed by Hull (and to a
> less-acceptable extent from a memetic perspective, Kuhn) of scientific
> evolution. But none of the examples so far adduced shows the death of
> anyone for scientific memes.>
>
I think it was a rhetorical point that people feel as strongly about
scientific theories as they do about religious beliefs, or rather can do.
>> Then of course there's Scopes monkey trial.
<Nobody died, or even went to jail. And that was about a religious
set of
> memes, not scientific ones (anyone actually *seen* that textbook? It's
> on the web somewhere in a law school site (search on Scopes trial). Not
> exactly science so much as a triumphalist faith in progress. More
> neo-Lamarckian than Darwinian.>
>
You think? I thought it was a show trial about the right to teach
evolution. Darrow (a photo of whom at the trial adorns my office wall) had
to turn to analysing the bible when his scientific witnesses were refused by
the court. Again, the point being that people were prepared to risk jail
and fines, and public outrage by defending science in the court room.
Vincent
> --
> John Wilkins, Head, Communication Services, The Walter and Eliza Hall
> Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia
> Homo homini aut deus aut lupus - Erasmus of Rotterdam
> <http://www.users.bigpond.com/thewilkins/darwiniana.html>
>
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