Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id JAA17843 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk); Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:50:41 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3102A6CFB5@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: Books please... (thank-you note) Date: Tue, 11 Sep 2001 09:27:54 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain X-Filter-Info: UoS MailScan 0.1 [D 1] Sender: fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi Philip,
<with reading the Meme-Machine having a high impact on me, and
> this being also to reason for joining this group,
> I'm curious to know what things you don't like about it.>
>
It was a catalyst for me joining the group too, but discussions on
this list have probably taken me away from Blackmore's position somewhat.
The notion of culture evolving isn't the problem, the problems are
both more generalised and more specific. One problem, which Blackmore notes
as controversial, is her idea that human evolution has been memetically
driven (brain size and all that). I don't think her arguments are
empirically valid at this point.
A larger problem is that she generally buys into the mind virus
metaphor, which has been critiqued extensively- not to say it's been argued
away, as plenty still support this, simply that it's problematic, and I
personally no longer buy memes in minds, favouring what is usually linked
most closely to Derek Gatherer's work in JOMEMIT (memes in artefacts, or are
artefacts).
A substantial problem, though is Blackmore's largely Buddhist
no-mind approach- memes are all bad, so it's better to be rid of them all
(apart from Buddhism of course...).
I don't think I'll mention the lengthy debate about her attitudes
towards the utility of fax machines as that's more or less where we were at
when I first joined the list 18 months or so ago.
I'll expand on this if you like, but I thought I'd keep it brief.
Vincent
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