From: <Mario.Vaneechoutte@rug.ac.be>
Date: Tue, 09 Feb 1999 13:05:15 +0100
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: Re: [Re: Darwinian/Neo-Darwinian, and codes (was Memes and Things)]
Derek Gatherer wrote:
> Mario wrote:
>
> >My conclusion is that written, electronic, printed, ... TEXTS are best
> >comparable to genes, and thus are the real memes (when thinking in
> >informational terms).
> >(To make sure: this has nothing to do with Gatherer's conclusions >concerning
> >Windsor knots and pottery.)
>
> This is the Mike Best approach???? It is actually compatible with my current
> behavioural/artefactual stance. Texts can be memes, and so can knots and
> pots. I debated this with Mike and his colleague Richard Pocklington in a
> short exchange which was published recently in Journal of Theoretical Biology.
> Having seen Mike's reply to my criticisms of his original paper, I am
> persuaded that he was right and I was wrong (broadly, I still have a few
> quibbles but he won the argument as a whole). I now think I can (have to)
> integrate his approach with mine.
>
> So.... it does have quite a lot to do with my conclusions. Welcome to the
> behaviourist/artefactist/textist camp, Mario! Now we can do some empirical
> memetics (as Mike and Richard already have)
>
> Derek
Derek,I already was afraid that you were going to confuse things. I don't include
behaviours and pottery (artefacts with very limited informational content). Also,
considering texts as memes is what I propose to be the best approach when trying
to compare biology and culture, but it is not directly relevant to what most of us
want to do with memetics (as I tried to explain).
Also, I don't see how my ideas relate to those of Michael Best. Could you point me
to the texts of Best you are thinking of (electronic ones)?
I don't think in terms of camps. Only when I play football.
Moreover, since I presented these ideas already at the symposium, there is no need
to welcome me as if I were a convert.
All the Best.
Mario
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