Richard Dawkins launched the original provocative notion of a 'meme' -- a
self-disseminating unit of culture, e.g. a belief. Biologists leapt at the
idea and have steadfastly tried to make memes operate in the cultural domain
like genes do in the biological ones. The biological analogy, however, has
its limitations and non-biologists have not felt constrained to look beyond
the gene model to understand memes, and so do not really consider memes to
be 'life-forms' (except perhaps in the most mechanistic and controversial
sense of a viral analog.) A better definition of a meme, IMHO, is that of a
'belief' that is coded linguistically and has self-disseminating and
self-protecting properties. Memes are quite interesting. For example, memes
can go to 'war' with other memes over the occupation of 'meme-space' in the
minds of people. "DQ" is a meme, launched by Pirsig.
- Lawrence
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-moq_discuss@venus.co.uk
> [mailto:owner-moq_discuss@venus.co.uk]On Behalf Of SQUONKSTAIL@aol.com
> Sent: Wednesday, August 01, 2001 7:37 AM
> To: moq_discuss@moq.org
> Subject: Re: MD G/DNA
>
>
> Hi Jeremy,
> Please read Dr. Susan Blackmore's 'The meme machine.'
>
> DNA may not be the only 'life form' on this planet.
> Memes have evolved as a second form of replicator and, basically,
> constitute
> culture.
> The internet has been developed by memes in order to provide a new and
> exciting niche for them to fill in accordance with Universal Darwinism.
>
> The ramifications of this 'second replicator' model of evolution
> have yet to
> be even looked at.
> Before now, memes have not been recognised for what they are: a second
> replicating life form.
> Evolution is a response of static patterns of quality to DQ, so i
> find second
> replicator model memes in exact accordance with the MOQ.
>
> Looking forward to hearing what you think?
>
> Best wishes,
> Squonk. :-)
>
> In a message dated 8/1/01 5:10:13 AM GMT Daylight Time,
> westward@sympatico.ca
> writes:
>
> << Why I am presenting this to you guys is because obviously we have
> something in common i.e. Pirsig
> and because I am not a person of technological expertise. I barely know
> HTML. There are a few of you in here that know technology quite
> well and If
> this concept can get off the ground within this forum it would be a great
> testament to the MoQ.
>
> Also if you want to know more about G/DNA feel free to write me.
> Jeremy Kirouac
> >>
>
>
> MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
> Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
> MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
>
> To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
> http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:01:26 BST