Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id UAA04948 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 26 Apr 2001 20:01:56 +0100 Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2001 12:36:00 +0100 To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Is Suicide Contagious? A Case Study in Applied Memetics Message-ID: <20010426123600.A1596@ii01.org> References: <20010422165137.AAA6707@camailp.harvard.edu@[205.240.180.102]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.3.15i In-Reply-To: <20010422165137.AAA6707@camailp.harvard.edu@[205.240.180.102]>; from wade_smith@harvard.edu on Sun, Apr 22, 2001 at 12:51:37PM -0400 From: Robin Faichney <robin@ii01.org> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On Sun, Apr 22, 2001 at 12:51:37PM -0400, Wade T.Smith wrote:
> Hi Robin Faichney -
>
> >Are you trying to say that you admit it happens but you don't believe
> >in it?
>
> No, I'm saying, as I say about gods, some people believe in 'em, follow
> 'em, pray to 'em, but never have they shown 'em to anyone else.
>
> You can call things whatever you want, but, proofs require proof, not
> simply nomenclature.
>
> Hypnosis as a behavior is not contestable. It is cultural. But as a
> scientific method with a verified mechanism it certainly is.
As I recall it, we were talking about memetics, not hypnotism. I think
you're being sceptical about something you've yet to define, and that's
pointless. Decide on a definition first, then consider whether such
things exist. Otherwise you're just floundering.
On my definition, the existence of memes is quite uncontroversial,
and stands in need of no substantiation, being even less contestable
than hypnosis as a behaviour: replicating patterns in human behaviour.
If anyone ever whistled a tune they'd heard, memes exist. If hypnosis
is a more-or-less identifiable thing that some people claim to do and
others believe they've had done to them, memes exist. But I realise
not everyone shares my definition. It's a pity! :-)
-- Robin Faichney Get your Meta-Information from http://www.ii01.org (CAUTION: contains philosophy, may cause heads to spin)=============================================================== This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission For information about the journal and the list (e.g. unsubscribing) see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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