RE: MD the metaphysics of free-enterprise

From: Paul Turner (paul@turnerbc.co.uk)
Date: Thu Jul 29 2004 - 12:19:27 BST

  • Next message: Platt Holden: "RE: MD the metaphysics of free-enterprise"

    Hi Platt

    Platt said:
    Your "life of their own" remark suggests Richard Dawkin's "memes."

    Paul:
    Indeed, and I think this aspect of Dawkins is given metaphysical support
    by the MOQ in terms of the evolution of social and intellectual patterns
    independently of the rules of biological evolution. Sam Norton picked up
    on this last year [Tue Oct 07 2003 - 10:50:44 BST], I responded by
    digging out a definition and adding some comments:

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    -----------

    "<philosophy> /meem/ [By analogy with "gene"] Richard Dawkins's term for
    an idea considered as a replicator, especially with the connotation that
    memes parasitise people into propagating them much as viruses do."

    Paul:
    Very good!

    "Memes can be considered the unit of cultural evolution. Ideas can
    evolve in a way analogous to biological evolution. Some ideas survive
    better than others; ideas can mutate through, for example,
    misunderstandings; and two ideas can recombine to produce a new idea
    involving elements of each parent idea."

    Paul:
    "Some ideas survive better than others" Excellent!

    "Use of the term connotes acceptance of the idea that in humans (and
    presumably other tool- and language-using sophonts) cultural evolution
    by selection of adaptive ideas has become more important than biological
    evolution by selection of hereditary traits."

    Paul:
    Sounds pretty good.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

    --
It sounds like a different way of saying that cultural patterns use
biological patterns to further their own evolution, which is exactly
what the MOQ says.
cheers
Paul
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