Re: virus: Spirituality?

Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Tue, 30 Jun 98 17:45:42 -0400


>If we can express the behavior of ideas in memetic shorthand, then they
>might bypass the intentionality of the reader and replicate themselves
>according to the host's "meme-set"

This is aesthetics, and the pursuit of art, and the purpose of art, and
even art itself. I would argue that memetics needs to be more involved
with the hows, not the products, or even the whys. The best art is after
all, a fact of self.

I would use (and prefer everyone use) Wilson's 'unit of culture' meaning
of meme here- ideas are vast organizations of these units, and societies
(and cultures) are vast organizations of these ideas, and pretty much
worthless for empirical study. Let us get back to the brain, where these
things are, after all, actually happening.... These avenues are opening
up to us.

And yes, Brett, you are concisely concise within your own conceits.

*****************
Wade T. Smith
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wade_smith@harvard.edu | shouldn't do to a god."
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