Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id TAA18653 (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 19:17:07 GMT Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2002 14:12:21 -0500 Subject: Re: Knowledge, Memes and Sensory Perception Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed From: Wade Smith <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit In-Reply-To: <3C432910.9462.117394@localhost> Message-Id: <A2CE6B38-0922-11D6-B618-003065A0F24C@harvard.edu> X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.480) Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
On Monday, January 14, 2002, at 12:53 , <salice@gmx.net> wrote:
> I'd say the use depends on the user and the
> meme just sits there waiting for the next user and his personal
> task.
All fine and dandy, as long as you can point to this thing.
Admittedly, if we are merely to say that a hammer, as an
artefact, is a meme, then, there it is.
But, then, what do we call the behavior of the carpenter, and
the vandal, who both use it?
Who's meme has the hammer?
If the meme is the use of this artefact, than it is only that.
If the meme is the artefact itself, then it is only that. If the
meme is the behavior of using this artefact, than it is both,
and only present during the behavior.
What is it to be?
I, personally, am on the side of the behavior, as actualized.
Everything else is environment or potential. Memes, for me, are
actions, regardless of how embued an artefact might be (like the
SUVwith cultural intention.
> I'd say the use depends on the user and the
> meme just sits there waiting for the next user and his personal
> task.
The use does indeed depend upon the user. But the use of what?
When does the use of something, and the memetic use of that
something, separate? I don't see them separating at all.
- Wade
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