Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id BAA27432 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 17 Jan 2002 01:18:59 GMT Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 17:14:32 -0800 Message-Id: <200201170114.g0H1EWS28956@mail14.bigmailbox.com> Content-Type: text/plain Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: binary X-Mailer: MIME-tools 4.104 (Entity 4.116) X-Originating-Ip: [216.76.251.226] From: "Joe Dees" <joedees@addall.com> To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk Subject: Re: Do all memes die out or evolve? I think not. Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk('binary' encoding is not supported, stored as-is)
> "Scott Chase" <ecphoric@hotmail.com> memetics@mmu.ac.uk Re: Do all memes die out or evolve? I think not.Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 18:27:36 -0500
>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>
>
>
>
>
>>From: "Dace" <edace@earthlink.net>
>>Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>>To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
>>Subject: Re: Do all memes die out or evolve? I think not.
>>Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2002 10:11:06 -0800
>>
>>Joe Dees:
>>
>> > I think that some memes reach an optimized limit state that nevertheless
>> > retains their functionality and usefulness. For instance, I do not see
>> > the multiplication tables either dying out or evolving.
>>
>>Are you backing off from your assertion that memetics is the evolutionary
>>theory of meaning?
>>
>>Just because memes are liable to arrive at an optimal state doesn't mean
>>they aren't still products of evolution. The same thing occurs in the
>>natural environment all the time. Organisms get to a certain point where
>>they fit their ecosystem perfectly.
>>
>I didn't realize evolution was about perfection. Are you sure you haven't
>conflated evolution with some outdated natural theological view long
>replaced by Darwin's evolution via selection?
>
>There are constraints (eg- historically channeling baggage) which impede
>reaching perfection, whatever "perfection" may be.
>
>How's your lower back feeling? Ever have appendicitis? It would be perfect
>if humans didn't need to get their "wisdom" teeth removed.
>>
>Then the ecosystem gets washed away, and only those that are able to further
>evolve will survive. In the event of a general breakdown of civilization,
>multiplication tables would have little use and might disappear. The other
>possibility is a genetically engineered leap in intelligence that could
>render multiplication tables unnecessary. In that case, if they evolved
>into much greater complexity, then they might be useful again and would
>persevere.
>>
>>Ted
>>
>There's the difference between stabilizing selection which would keep a
>feature of a population at a satisfactory (ie- just getting by) state within
>a stable ecological context and directional selection which takes the
>population toward a different state "better" for a different ecological
>context when this context has itself changed, along with the playing field.
>
Then the question remains; how can the periodic table or the multiplication table be improved? I see no way for this to happen. Evolution neither mandates nor forbids optimization.
>
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>===============================================================
>This was distributed via the memetics list associated with the
>Journal of Memetics - Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission
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>see: http://www.cpm.mmu.ac.uk/jom-emit
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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
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