> For someone to give the answer of '4' to the question 'what is 2 + 2?', I
> again say that there is nothing necessary and sufficient here to require
> the memeset of <addition>.
>
> And I again say, that the job of memetics (as a scientific discipline) is
> first to define the specific behavioral situation where a meme _is_ a
> necessary and sufficient condition.
>
> And 2 + 2 = 4 ain't it.
> Wade T. Smith
Do you see the slight of hand here? You say the memeset of addition is
not require to answer 2+2 . This is correct. Only one element of that
set was required: the single meme 2+2=4. But that particular meme was
required non the less.
If I were to ask what is 133467 + 488881 +484899 then you would require
the memeset as a whole. That is a better example of the necessary and
sufficient condition to answer if knowledge of the meme set of
<addition> is there.
I would add further that the memeset of addition is a very successful
one at that. It is worldwide and known to almost anybody with any
education at all. If it has altered behavior in some way it did it
because of the correct belief that this memeset, if learned , has
definite benefits.
Nate Hall
By the way, that should be 55 possible addition combinations to learn.
I'm surprised no one caught the error!