Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 14:53:27 -0400
From: Dr I Price <PEWLEYFORT@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Defining Memes [was Memes, territory and odors]
To: "INTERNET:memetics@mmu.ac.uk" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Hans to me
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
>IP The gene, as I
> understand it, is programmed by its molecular structure to self replica=
te
> given a particular context. What is the equivalent auto-replicator in
this
> memetic replication process we keep discussing
> =
HS mmm, this seems to b to simple for me. We must be careful not to =
talk about 'the gene' in this way. There are genes that code for =
replication structures in the cell, yes. But not all genes, or rather =
most genes have nothing to do with these structures. So most genes =
are not coding for self-replication. They are replicated by the =
structures that other genes code for. =
----------------------------------
I was not thinking of the structures in the cell. I was thinking of what =
I
understand [and please correct me if I understand wrongly] of the DNA
double helix having an inherent chemical propensity to make copies of
itself GIVEN THE CONTEXT [i.e other genes, cells, nutrients etc. etc.]. I=
t
is the equivalent - if it exists- self replication of memes that I seek. =
Of
course context will have everything to do with whether the self-replicati=
on
can happen.
If
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