> Memetics, the foundation of the Church of Virus, has been dealt
> a devastating blow in the latest issue of Skeptic (Vol. 6, No. 3).
> The attack comes in the form of a scathing article entitled
> "Memes -- What Are They Good For? (A Critique of Memetic Approaches
> to Information Processing)" by James W. Polichak.
>
> It will be very interesting to observe how the memetics community
> (such as it is) responds to the attack. Either memeticists have to
> stop making bold, unsupported claims (Polichak specifically targets
> Brodie, Lynch and Blackmore) and get there act together or memetics
> will become the next phrenology.
>
> I think memetics can be saved because Polichak attacks a rather
> simplistic model ("the conduit metaphor"), though that is hardly
> his fault given the extent literature. We have to put memetics on
> a firmer foundation, and my guess it that can be done by developing
> a computational metaphor: memes are more like programs than genes
> or viruses.
>
> Let's analyze the article together and attempt to get a rebuttal
> published in Skeptic. Because if Polichak is right, we might as
> well close shop and go home.
>
> Ob. Memes: Crisis! Save Our Children! Danger! :-)
>
> --
> David McFadzean david@kumo.com
> special agent http://www.kumo.com
>
Is Polichak's article available on the Net? If so, please post the
URL. Joe