Memeplex
Encyclopedia
Much of the study of meme
s focuses on groups of memes called meme complexes, or "memeplexes." Like the gene complexes found in biology, memeplexes are groups of memes that are often found present in the same individual. Applying the theory of Universal Darwinism
, memeplexes group together because memes will copy themselves more successfully when they are "teamed up". Examples include sets of memes like singing and guitar playing, or the Christmas tree
and Christmas dinner
.
Unlike gene complexes, memeplexes do not have to benefit the genes in order to replicate. A memeplex including sexual abstinence
is genetically harmful, but the memeplex itself is still able to replicate through means of cultural or horizontal transmission
. http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/journalism/NSmeme%201999.htm Memes and memeplexes do not have to be true to replicate, although the feeling of something being true or truthiness
is beneficial to a meme's replication.
Philosopher Daniel C. Dennett, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins
and consciousness researcher Susan Blackmore
(author of The Meme Machine
) are proponents of memetics
. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_dennett_on_dangerous_memes.html http://www.richarddawkins.net/article,3001,QampA-with-Richard-Dawkins-after-lecture-at-UC-Berkeley,RichardDawkinsnet
In the case of Christianity
, the idea suggests, the Christian memeplex "evolved" based upon the Jewish
religious teachings, among others, to eventually form the Catholic church, followed by various schisms leading to the Eastern Orthodox churches and various Protestant churches. In this process, various theologians, political leaders, writers, and religious visionaries have added and deleted individual memes from the Christian memeplex resulting in the formation of new but related memeplexes, or religions/sect
s. The process of schism, like evolution, is ongoing, and as a result smaller and less differentiated memeplexes have arisen within the Catholic
, Orthodox
, and Protestant traditions. The same process could be said to be occurring in the case of many sets of belief.
Meme
A meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols or practices, which can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals or other imitable phenomena...
s focuses on groups of memes called meme complexes, or "memeplexes." Like the gene complexes found in biology, memeplexes are groups of memes that are often found present in the same individual. Applying the theory of Universal Darwinism
Universal darwinism
Universal Darwinism refers to a variety of approaches that extend the theory of Darwinism beyond its original domain of biological evolution on Earth...
, memeplexes group together because memes will copy themselves more successfully when they are "teamed up". Examples include sets of memes like singing and guitar playing, or the Christmas tree
Christmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
and Christmas dinner
Christmas dinner
Christmas dinner is the primary meal traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. In many ways the meal is similar to a standard Sunday dinner. Christmas feasts have traditionally been luxurious and abundant...
.
Unlike gene complexes, memeplexes do not have to benefit the genes in order to replicate. A memeplex including sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence
Sexual abstinence is the practice of refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity for medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical or religious reasons.Common reasons for practicing sexual abstinence include:*poor health - medical celibacy...
is genetically harmful, but the memeplex itself is still able to replicate through means of cultural or horizontal transmission
Horizontal transmission
Horizontal transmission is the transmission of a bacterial, fungal, or viral infection between members of the same species that are not in a parent-child relationship....
. http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/journalism/NSmeme%201999.htm Memes and memeplexes do not have to be true to replicate, although the feeling of something being true or truthiness
Truthiness
Truthiness is a "truth" that a person claims to know intuitively "from the gut" or that it "feels right" without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts....
is beneficial to a meme's replication.
Philosopher Daniel C. Dennett, evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins
Richard Dawkins
Clinton Richard Dawkins, FRS, FRSL , known as Richard Dawkins, is a British ethologist, evolutionary biologist and author...
and consciousness researcher Susan Blackmore
Susan Blackmore
Susan Jane Blackmore is an English freelance writer, lecturer, and broadcaster on psychology and the paranormal, perhaps best known for her book The Meme Machine.-Career:...
(author of The Meme Machine
The Meme Machine
The Meme Machine is a popular science book by psychologist Susan Blackmore on the subject of memes. Blackmore attempts to constitute memetics as a science by discussing its empirical and analytic potential, as well as some important problems with memetics. The first half of the book tries to...
) are proponents of memetics
Memetics
Memetics is a theory of mental content based on an analogy with Darwinian evolution, originating from Richard Dawkins' 1976 book The Selfish Gene. It purports to be an approach to evolutionary models of cultural information transfer. A meme, analogous to a gene, is essentially a "unit of...
. http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/dan_dennett_on_dangerous_memes.html http://www.richarddawkins.net/article,3001,QampA-with-Richard-Dawkins-after-lecture-at-UC-Berkeley,RichardDawkinsnet
Religion
Memeplexes have been employed recently in attempts to understand the phenomenon of religion.In the case of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, the idea suggests, the Christian memeplex "evolved" based upon the Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
religious teachings, among others, to eventually form the Catholic church, followed by various schisms leading to the Eastern Orthodox churches and various Protestant churches. In this process, various theologians, political leaders, writers, and religious visionaries have added and deleted individual memes from the Christian memeplex resulting in the formation of new but related memeplexes, or religions/sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
s. The process of schism, like evolution, is ongoing, and as a result smaller and less differentiated memeplexes have arisen within the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Orthodox
Orthodox Christianity
The term Orthodox Christianity may refer to:* the Eastern Orthodox Church and its various geographical subdivisions...
, and Protestant traditions. The same process could be said to be occurring in the case of many sets of belief.
See also
- MetamemeMetamemeIn the field of memetics, a metameme is defined as a meme about a meme. A metaphor or the idea of memetic engineering are, thus, metamemes. The concept of memes has been referred to as "The Metameme"...
- The Selfish GeneThe Selfish GeneThe Selfish Gene is a book on evolution by Richard Dawkins, published in 1976. It builds upon the principal theory of George C. Williams's first book Adaptation and Natural Selection. Dawkins coined the term "selfish gene" as a way of expressing the gene-centred view of evolution as opposed to the...
- The Meme MachineThe Meme MachineThe Meme Machine is a popular science book by psychologist Susan Blackmore on the subject of memes. Blackmore attempts to constitute memetics as a science by discussing its empirical and analytic potential, as well as some important problems with memetics. The first half of the book tries to...
- Darwin's Dangerous IdeaDarwin's Dangerous IdeaDarwin's Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life is a book by Daniel Dennett which argues that Darwinian processes are the central organizing force that gives rise to complexity...