Date: Wed, 29 Dec 1999 13:10:56 -0500 (EST)
From: "Lawrence H. de Bivort" <debivort@umd5.umd.edu>
To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Subject: Re: memetics and genetics
In-Reply-To: <386A3F4B.8F8AA50E@fcol.com>
Yes, I think Bob is correct. Memes have to be able to exist in several
environments: neural and non-biological/neural, e.g. books, broadcast,
etc. In each of these environments, they have to have the ability to carry
out specific functions, so that they can go on to reach their targets--the
thought and behavior patterns of people and societies. memes have to have
quite a range of capabilities, which requires more linguistic structuring
than seems to be generally acknowledged. This lack of understanding of the
structural/functional repertoire of memes, allows, I think, the concept of
memes to be applied too broadly to just about anything that is an 'idea'
or a 'communication.'
Best regards,
Lawrence de Bivort
The Memetic Group
On Wed, 29 Dec 1999, Robert G.(Bob) Grimes wrote:
>Memes do not have to be "stored" neurally but, naturally, lend themselves to
>being propagated by spoken or printed word, etc. It is just that the "meme seed"
>that is printed, etc., doesn't assume the full memetic stature sans being in the
>neural environment. Without the "associative network," the store of experiential
>associations of the individual's neural environment, the meme has nothing to
>"work on." The minute it is internalized the "seed" (it can be a whole book or
>library - meme complex, religion, etc.) interacts with the brain to produce the
>memetic results and, because of this, each "meme in situ" is completely
>"individual" and thus, although similar, produces entirely different cultural
>behavior from each individual.
>
>Cordially,
>
>Bob
>
>"Francesca S. Alcorn" wrote:
>
>> Snipped for brevity....
>>
>> Why does it have to be brain-stored? Why not book-stored? --
>
>Bob Grimes
>
>http://members.aol.com/bob5266/
>http://pages.hotbot.com/edu/bobinjax/
>http://www.phonefree.com/Scripts/cgiParse.exe?sID=28788
>Jacksonville, Florida
>Bob5266@aol.com robert.grimes@excite.com bobinjax@hotbot.com
>
>Bobgrimes@zdnetmail.com
>
>Man is not in control, but the man who knows he is not in control is more in
>control...
>
>Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore....."
>
>
>
>===============================================================
>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
>
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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