I think the word that applies to this is, "heuristic," with all that word
implies. H. Kant would be most proud of his progeny. Mr. Russell would be
unhappy with the notion of "meme memes".
--
Mark
"Martin Willett" <martin.temporary55 at ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:HOLi9.1953$ol2.23230 at newsfep3-gui.server.ntli.net...
>> "Simon Laub" <silanian at mail.tele.dk> wrote in message
> news:3d84ec90$0$66776$edfadb0f at dspool01.news.tele.dk...> > "Andrew Plotkin" <erkyrath at eblong.com> wrote
> > news:am2nq8$4l0$1 at reader1.panix.com...> > > In rec.arts.sf.written, Simon Laub <silanian at mail.tele.dk> wrote:
> > > Please do not crosspost random philosophical rants to a bunch of
> > > unrelated newsgroups.
> >
> > It is of course your opinion that these are just "random philosophical
> > rants" :-)
> > According to memetics (Blackmore) they are not. There they are highly
> > relevant to
> > the inner working of the brain. And an evolutionary system in itself.
> >
> > I cross posted to two sf groups, as I think/thought it would be
> interesting
> > to hear if anyone there can remember seeing these ideas explored in that
> > context. As you might know, sf authors sometimes point to
> > interesting things to come.
> >
> > Please argue against the "rants" rather than just try to kill the
> discussion
> > before it gets started.
> >
> > And btw. I am not saying that I am "believer" in memetics. I am just
> > interested !
> >
> > Simon
> >
> > Simon Laub
> > www.silanian.subnet.dk
> >
>> The idea that we all live in self-contained little boxes is absurd. All
> subjects overlap. Memetics touches everything. If you are not interested
in
> a particular thread ignore that thread, don't whinge about it.
>> My view on memetics is that it is a great tool for thinking but at all
times
> it must be remembered that the memes are not real, they are abstractions,
> they are incapable of having ideas, thoughts or plans. They are the
pattern
> observed by looking backwards at events. Memetics can help us understand
so
> much but I hope that this is not at the expense of turning them into a
form
> of deity. They are the expressions of the universal evolutionary
algorithm.
> That which is inherently replicable is likely to be replicated, in
> competition for the means of replication (in this case our minds) the
ideas
> with the superior tendencies to favour replication will be replicated in
> preference to other ideas. Memes are just ideas that have proved worthy of
> replication. They are not, and never can be, alive or capable of planning
> their own destiny. Purpose and planning cannot be generated on this scale
of
> organization, anymore than the nature or "carness" of a Porsche can be
found
> in the atoms that form it.
>> Martin J Willett
>> www.mwillett.org : The Meme Machine
>>