Message-Id: <199707140350.XAA05970@brickbat8.mindspring.com>
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 1997 23:55:02 -0500
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
From: bbenzon@mindspring.com (Bill Benzon)
Subject: Re: Genetics/Memetics analogy
>I genuinely don't see your point Bill. I do not see how we can considere
>evolution without considering replicators. Nor do I see why a replicator
>has to be 'tangible'.
>
For one, it seems to me that the version of memetics that takes the virus
as its model is not, in any deep sense, much concerned with cultural
evolution. It's concerned about catchy memes & that apparent fact that
many of them seem not to be in the rational interest of their "hosts."
As for the tangibility of repicators, I have nothing to say beyond what
I've already said & have no desire to repeat it here. My complaint about
memetics is that it treats intangible thoughts as though they were atomic
units of some sort and as though these intangible units had autonomous
powers.
William L. Benzon 201.217.1010
708 Jersey Ave. Apt. 2A bbenzon@mindspring.com
Jersey City, NJ 07302 USA http://www.newsavanna.com/wlb/
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