Date: Tue, 5 Aug 1997 11:55:27 -0400
From: Dr I Price <PEWLEYFORT@compuserve.com>
Subject: Re: Explanatory coherence
To: "INTERNET:memetics@mmu.ac.uk" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Bill
>I certainly do think it is an explanatory force, & that it acts on
religion
too. But in my crazy backwards version of cultural evolution, I think
explanatory coherence works as a selective force on cultural phenotypes,
not on memes. Coherence is a function of the interaction between multiple=
pieces of evidence, hypotheses, and explanations.<
Are we back to a vehicle/ interactor/ replicator discussion?
What then are the components of cultural phenotypes?
I am less concerned with the 'what selection acts on' question and more
with the 'what benefits' question, hence cultural phentotypes which induc=
e
behaviour which does not seem to serve the benefit of their hosts, or whi=
ch
seek to bar progress towards phenotypes of greater explanatory coherence
may be admirable from the memes perspective.
If
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