Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id GAA17285 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Mon, 14 Jan 2002 06:22:48 GMT To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Message-Id: <AA-237F8C790FE31A6BA20AAB7D146F1EED-ZZ@maillink1.prodigy.net> Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 01:18:53 -0500 From: "Philip Jonkers" <PHILIPJONKERS@prodigy.net> Subject: RE: playing at suicide Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Grant:
>These are all powers our memes have given us. They
are beyond anything on
>earth that is not meme directed. Computers, which
are the embodyment of
>memes, may soon be able to exceed our own abilities.
What is it about memes
>that give us this power over our planet, our lives
and our universe. How do
>they do what they do?
The original purpose of memes indeed was to function
as tools. Maybe the lot of them can still be put
into that category, I don't know. You're probably
right at least on the majority of them being tools.
The original function of memes was that they were
valuable for humans. They increased survival chances
of its hosts. Consequently the human brain had a
true interest in stimulating meme-processing activity.
The early humans who were most engaged with meme
processing survived and bred best. A selective
pressure for meme-affinity built up.
I like to think of it as the animal brain now not only
had to reward biological activity aimed at survival
(eating, copulating, that sort of stuff)
but also creative cultural activity. This notion I
captured in what I've called Reward Pathway-
hypotheses. If you're interested I can send them to
you. You can find them also on the list, go to August
2001 or something. Bottom-line: our culture became
what it has become by its original function to
warrant higher degrees of survival. Culture incessantly
evolves through inertia of that original momentum.
Philip Jonkers.
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