RE: Study shows brain can learn without really trying

From: Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Date: Mon Nov 05 2001 - 12:15:55 GMT

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Subject: RE: Study shows brain can learn without really trying
Date: Mon, 5 Nov 2001 07:15:55 -0500
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From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu>
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    Hi Vincent Campbell -

    >I'm not disputing that what most people would refer to as memes
    >involve motivated individuals, just whether the self is an absolute
    >necessity for memes.

    Unless 'meme' is to become just a word describing any and all units of
    any and all behavior (which is what, yes, bird meme folk want to make it,
    I think), then, yes, 'self' is a requirement.

    Not that an incredible range of behaviors is not included in the
    non-memetic variety, including (in my personal view), everything with the
    exception of art and science (and I'm prone to isolating those pursuits
    from several mimetic varients, such as most laws and things like
    wallpaper designs and watches sold on street corners and practically any
    store display magazine....)

    Part of the purported thrall of memetic material is misappropriated
    behavioral reflex.

    And I don't think we've been around here long enough to know whether or
    not they are truly wonderful as far as survival value goes. After all,
    having ourselves as the enemy pushes the predator part of the equation
    into imaginary numbers.

    - Wade

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