From: "Chris Lofting" <ddiamond@ozemail.com.au>
To: <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: Dawkins' Mutation Test for Replicators
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 05:28:11 +1000
Wade,
wonderful example of EITHER/OR thinking but you are mistaken, I do NOT
accept it, it is 'interesting' in the patterns of thought that are behind
t -- it is the makeup of these patterns that are of interest to memetics
regardless of their 'truth' in reality.
You keep interpreting what I am saying at the phenotypal level -- wrong -- I
am dealing with the genotypal level, the source of meanings. Homeopathy is a
discipline that is well founded and as such has found a niche. How come? If
you want to take the EITHER/OR point of view then to you these people are
'crazy'. Wrong. They may be following an illusion but they follow it with
all of their hearts. How come? what is it about the discipline that creates
a sense of meaning such that despite your words or the words of any other
'rationalist' the participants still 'believe'? Understanding the mechanisms
behind this is important for understanding memetics and to ignore these
disciplines means you are cutting out a huge area that is important in
understanding communications and meaning.
I find no problem with skepticism, I am one myself to some degree when
dealing with the phenotypal level, for example Astrology and all of the
linked symbolisms is 'rubbish' when we look at it as a literal description
of 'out there' and 'in here' but when seen for what it is, a categorisation
metaphor founded on dichotomisations so we see how it is that people find
value in it; the only problem is the literal interpretations.
Thus you do not write-off these areas since understanding their structure
can aid in understanding memetic processes, surely that is what you want to
do?
best,
Chris.
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