Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id SAA11305 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 11 Jan 2002 18:55:05 GMT X-Originating-IP: [137.110.248.206] From: "Grant Callaghan" <grantc4@hotmail.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Knowledge, Memes and Sensory Perception Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 10:50:35 -0800 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed Message-ID: <LAW2-F55kboHAj9QbF30001f441@hotmail.com> X-OriginalArrivalTime: 11 Jan 2002 18:50:35.0377 (UTC) FILETIME=[DA8F1610:01C19AD0] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>All three are examples of replicators.
>
>Genes have active effects in cells, memes in brains, and computer viruses
>in computers.
>
Keith,
I agree completely. But there are vast differences in how the various
replaicators are encoded and the environments in which they live. None of
them do anything until they are expressed within their environment. The
effect they have on their environment is a function of that environment. A
meme does not act like a gene and a computer program does not act like a
meme. Although you can make a good case that a computer program has more in
common with a gene than a meme since both the computer program and the gene
use a type of Turing tape to hold the data and execute the program written
on it. The meme's method of encoding data and executing it are still a
question of debate.
Grant
_________________________________________________________________
Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com
===============================================================
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 : Fri Jan 11 2002 - 19:20:23 GMT