Re: MD the metaphysics of free-enterprise

From: ml (mbtlehn@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Fri Jul 30 2004 - 13:54:03 BST

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    P,P,J:

    > > Platt to Paul: Your "life of their own" remark suggests Richard Dawkin's
    > > "memes."
    >
    > J:
    > > Yes, patterns are like memes. Do you not like memes?
    >
    > P:
    > Yes, I do not like memes. "Meme" is just another word for "idea." Not all
    > patterns are ideas. Some patterns, like Beethoven's Fifth symphony,
    > transcend ideas.

    mel:
    Despite the obvious analog to a unit of functional
    irreducibility that memes try to offer, I would question
    any true increase in utility or efficacy offered by their
    use as a conceptual tool. (Other than as a tool for
    Dawkins to wrench more fame or fortune out of the
    gullible public.)
    They seem to put a Static framework around something
    Dynamic in the function of thought and ideas.
    Which, makes memes self-invalidating as a tool.
    Memes become, to use another analogy, conceptual
    Prions and share with their analog the capacity to turn
    the thinking process to mush.

    Unless I missed something...

    thanks--mel

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