Date: Sun, 8 Jun 1997 07:00:31 -0400
From: Dr I Price <PEWLEYFORT@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Lamarckism and Category (?) Mistakes
To: "INTERNET:memetics@mmu.ac.uk" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Timothy/Martha
>Memes actually do not circulate themselves;
they're quite passive. Instead, active agents (people) circulate them,
e.g., by talking to each other or sending emails.<
I disagree. Memes produce actions by humans [and perhaps other agents] th=
at
seek to increase the number of copies of the meme in the world. The whole=
distinction [IMO at least] between meme and say 'idea' is that the meme
acts [without foresight or intentionality] in its own 'interest'.
For me the power of the concept of meme is that it gives us for once a
chance of choosing not to be victims of "the tyranny of the selfish
replicator"
If Price
Active Personal Learning, Guildford UK
http://members.aol.com/ifprice/ifresch.html
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