Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id AAA20974 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Sun, 22 Apr 2001 00:20:09 +0100 X-Originating-IP: [209.240.220.223] From: "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: RE: Darwinizing Culture: The Status of Memetics as a Science Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001 19:16:20 -0400 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <F259Lx5GjxJOAzGlDOL00009226@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 21 Apr 2001 23:16:20.0809 (UTC) FILETIME=[134F2B90:01C0CAB9] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk>
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
>Subject: RE: Darwinizing Culture: The Status of Memetics as a Science
>Date: Fri, 20 Apr 2001 11:20:38 +0100
>
>You're right here Robin, it wasn't necessarily the best choice of phrase-
>without qualification anyway. It's that old point that beliefs don't have
>to be "true" and Gods don't have to exist to have effects and consequences.
>In that sense gods are still entities whether or not they really exist (in
>the material sense of something you could, as the monkey king did in
>'Journey to the West', pee on. In his case he thought it was one of the
>five pillars at the end of the universe, only to find out it was Bhudda's
>fingers, and for his arrogance he was imprisoned under a mountain. at
>least
>that's what happened in the TV version).
>
What I'm driving toward is the important question of whther memes are more
than a mere concept. Granted the concept of memes does have palpable
influence on the behaviors of people. This list serves as an index of that.
In the same sense deities have palpable influences.
The concept of memes has intellectual strings which entangle adherents, but
is this the same as saying that memes are real? Hey, I am drawn toward the
idea of memes just as much as anyone else (and have actually liked reading
Brodie's book).
Playing the antipode or devil's advocate gets to be a lonely job. Just call
me Conan the Contrarian.
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