Re: What/Who selects memes?

From: Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Date: Mon Oct 01 2001 - 23:34:04 BST

  • Next message: salice: "Re: What/Who selects memes?" 

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Subject: Re: What/Who selects memes?
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2001 18:34:04 -0400
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From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
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    Hi salice -

    >If memes are considered to work evolution-like there has to be some
    >selection and obviously there is.

    Natural selection is _one_ of the mechanisms of evolution. But it does
    not follow that evolution requires it, and it does not follow that
    memetic evolution (if any such thing exists) requires it.

    Memetic propagation may be said to be connected with a survival factor,
    but, while it is graphically adroit to separate such propagation from,
    say, language used, there is nothing to suggest such propagation is a
    function of the meme itself, any more than natural selection is a
    function of a gene.

    If memes are, then it is more correct to ask what selected for them. Yes?

    - Wade

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