Re: virus: Re: first post;reading with enthusiasm

Tim Rhodes (proftim@speakeasy.org)
Tue, 10 Nov 1998 02:14:54 -0800


Davorin Mestric wrote:

>i guess it is just me that thinks this definition is just plain stupid.
>look at genes. are genes only those that replicate?

No. We also call the _products_ of gene replication "genes", regardless of
whether they themselves eventually replicate.

>gee. most of them
>don't but we still call them genes.

Only because they were formed _by_ replication _from_ a previous gene.

>this definition also says one event is a meme and another is not when the
>only difference is somebody can receive or hear it. that is stupid.

Receiving or hearing the memetic equivelent of cell division or DNA
replication. Kind of an important qualification for being a gene/meme,
don't you think?

-Prof. Tim