Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id QAA00214 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 4 Oct 2001 16:48:54 +0100 From: Philip Jonkers <P.A.E.Jonkers@phys.rug.nl> X-Authentication-Warning: rugth1.phys.rug.nl: www-data set sender to jonkers@localhost using -f To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: What/Who selects memes? Message-ID: <1002210260.3bbc83d4f3b0b@rugth1.phys.rug.nl> Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2001 17:44:20 +0200 (CEST) References: <E15oAbM-0004ue-00@dryctnath.mmu.ac.uk> In-Reply-To: <E15oAbM-0004ue-00@dryctnath.mmu.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit User-Agent: IMP/PHP IMAP webmail program 2.2.6 X-Originating-IP: 129.125.13.3 Sender: fmb-bounces@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Salice:
> If memes are considered to work evolution-like there has to be some
> selection and obviously there is. So how does this selection work?
> What selects a meme in a brain, how does the brain decide to store a
> meme or even to let it spread further? And why is this
> selection different among people?
Hi Salice,
Interesting question, thanks!
It might already be said, but what the heck.
Unlike Derek, I do believe that memes are stored and
processed in the brain. Where could they else be?
In the soul? Yeah right!
Anyway, memes applying for adoption have to
persuade the potential host to do just that.
The meme running up for adoption may do that (figuratively speaking)
by offering genuine improvement of the host's status.
I like to call that an increment in cultural fitness.
As a scientist I can relate to plausible
scientific memes as having precisely that virtue. On the other
hand, memes may display a false cloak of cultural
fitness improvement. That is, memes that look beneficial
(on first sight) but when adopted they turn out to be
malignant. Most of the religious memes, or most of
any other metaphysical memes, reveal such properties.
Very actual: suicide memes!
Also, the treshold of persuasion varies from person to person.
People might be easily lured into adopting certain memes than
others. Also, this treshold depends on the kind or class of memes
aiming at adoption. Some people tend to prefer religious memes
over evolutionary ones. And some people are more skeptical (less
persuasive) than others. The treshold of persuasion depends
on the make-up of the brain and the memetic history of the brain
(the collection of already adopted memes) and is thus unique
for each person.
To answer your question in general, the key thing to note is
that the hopt must be convinced, possibly unconscious,
that adoption of the meme at hand does the host good.
That is, it must have a cultural fitness increasing
appearance, whether this is genuine or sham.
It is the brain that selects (conscious or unconscious),
but the brain is a product of
existing memes already running around in head and the genetic
make-up of the brain (some people never will be scientists
or become meme-fountains no matter how hard they try).
It therefore valid to some extent that memes select memes.
Philip.
===============================================================
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
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Oct 04 2001 - 16:54:13 BST