Subject: Setting neuroscience to one side, was Re: On Gatherer's behaviourist stance
Date: Fri, 25 Sep 98 16:26:29 -0600
From: Mark Mills <mmills@fastlane.net>
To: "Memetics List" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Message-Id: <E0zMfL8-00019X-00@dryctnath.mmu.ac.uk>
Nick Rose wrote:
>However, the hypothesis that those memes
>>maintain any kind of identifyable (by us) structure (e.g.
>>neural structure, informational structure) inside the
>>nervous system is currently untestable. Rather than worry
>>about untestable hypotheses I think we can do a lot (e.g.
>>understanding selection mechanisms) by putting the issue to
>>one side - if only until neuroscience catches up with us.
>>:)
Aaron replied
>I agree about setting aside the issue of specific neural structures, or
>rather, leaving it to the existing research programs of neuroscientists.
I think it wise to continually update our model of memetics with insights
gained from neuroscience and computational modeling of brain processes.
'...putting the issue to one side' suggests a willingness to ignore
currently available work on brain processes. I think this is unwise for
two reasons. First, it weakens arguments that memetics offers anything
new. Second, it discourages those researching brain processes from using
memetic models.
Mark
===============================================================
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