RE: virus: Faith, Logic and Purpose

Robin Faichney (r.j.faichney@stir.ac.uk)
Mon, 24 Nov 1997 20:47:32 -0000


> From: David McFadzean[SMTP:david@lucifer.com]
>
> At 09:06 AM 11/22/97 -0000, Robin Faichney wrote:
>
> >> From: David McFadzean[SMTP:david@lucifer.com]
> >> Yes, but he was talking about genes, not memes. Howard Bloom has
> >> resurrected group selection in "The Lucifer Principle" with memes
> >> as the replicators in question. Think about it: cui bono (who
> >> stands to gain) when soldiers die in war? Certainly not the
> soldiers.
> >>
> >Hmm, I guess I should read that. But if we're
> >talking about memes, then we're not talking
> >about "going against human nature", are we?
>
> Aren't memes an intrinsic aspect of "human nature"?
>
Memes in general, yes, but we were talking about
particular memes here. Surely one of the most
important differences between genes and memes
is the mutability of the latter?

Robin