Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id NAA07450 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 10 Jan 2002 13:44:50 GMT X-vSMTP: intekom.com Message-ID: <00ab01c199dc$4eab7980$509cef9b@intekom.co.za> From: "Pieter Bouwer" <pbouwer@intekom.co.za> To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> References: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3102A6D1CE@inchna.stir.ac.uk> <5.0.2.1.0.20020110034617.00a39130@mail.clarityconnect.com> Subject: Re: Knowledge, Memes and Sensory Perception Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 15:39:00 +0200 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2600.0000 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Hi Ray
May thanks for answering my questions. Your answers to
questions 1 and 2 made the relationship between 'knowledge' and
memes very clear. Please look further down for some elucidation
of question 3.
> Hi Pieter and welcome,
>
> I will take a stab at your questions.
>
>
> At 10:05 AM 1/10/2002 +0200, you wrote:
> >I am new to this list and also, except for a few magazine
> >articles over the last couple of years, a novice in the field
of
> >memetics. My academic background, although somewhat
antiquated,
> >covers subjects like Linguistics, Psychology and Education.
> >
> >It is possible that you have covered the following questions
in
> >the past, in which case I shall appreciate it if you could
give
> >me some guidance as to where I can delve in the archives:
> >
> >1. Does all knowledge consist of memes or memeplexes?
>
> No. Knowledge is a meme only if it is acquired by
transmission from
> another organism. Learning about the environment through
other means does
> not create memes unless that learning is then transmitted.
Some on this
> list would argue that 'knowledge' should not be regarded as a
meme at all
> because of problems characterizing what an organism knows.
For those who
> follow this rule only 'behaviors' which are acquired from
organisms are
> memes. In either case though transmission would be required
>
>
>
>
> >2. Are all memes received/perceived through sensory
> >perception?
> Yes. Since they have to be acquired from others. Some
internal processes
> will have to occur during the acquisition process and in fact
it may be
> some time after the perceptive event occurs that the meme is
fully
> acquired. So for example, someone may show you how to skate
but you may
> have to work at it for a while before you can duplicate their
actions.
>
>
>
> >3. Is it also possible to acquire memes through
experience,
> >where the knowledge is not the direct result of recent
> >communication?
>
> I think I have covered this in 1 and 2.
Pieter again:
I did not formulate question 3 properly. I am referring to a
hypothetical case where somebody allegedly receives knowledge
'intuitively'. The behaviour resulting from that experience
looks like a meme, although there is no other organism involved
in the transmission process. The following could serve as an
example: Say for instance somebody is totally in the dark as to
what he/she is to do with regard to the future. He/she goes to
bed and on awakening the next morning says that he/she
'intuitively' received an 'answer' during the night. This
person then acts according to the 'message'. What he/she does
is in all respects concurrent with something that looks like a
meme, although there was no organism present in the transmission
of the meme. One normally observe this kind of behaviour in
people heavily influenced by religion and/or cult activities.
It was not a dream, because in a dream there would have been a
virtual organism communicating with the recipient. The client
will normally say he/she intuitively 'knew' that it was the
right thing to do.
Can this be regarded as a meme? Please be patient with me. I
am new in this field of study.
Pieter Bouwer
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