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Re: memesis dsi
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· · · · · · A E C F O R U M - "M E M E S I S" · · · · ·
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The Memetic Web May 25, 1996
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by Joshua S. Lateiner
Memetics is a tool that may help explain certain complex
phenomena relating to the interaction of material systems and
intangible information. There is much to be explained, and
memetics has only quite recently been proposed as a method for
examining the world. Therefore, it may be wise to avoid
applying memetic analysis to the evolution of complex
socio-political power structures -- sidestepping the entire
issue of advanced memetic analysis of truly complex issues
until we have a firmer grasp of what memetics offers.
Postponing more complex analysis of memetic effects, what
follows is a discussion of the evolutionary interplay of the
physical, genetic and memetic realms. The Web is examined from
the perspective of a memetically catalyctic medium that
accelerates both the transmission of memes and the realization
of memetic artifacts.
3D: The Evolution of Memetic Evolution
--------------------------------------
A good introduction to memetic theory can be had by examining
works by the 3D's -- Darwin, Dawkins and Dennett. Darwin first
formulated a method for arriving at the current level of
complexity found in the biosphere via a process of natural
selection in 1859 [Darwin, 1859]. Dawkins first proposed that
memes were new replicators -- not self-replicating, per se, a
type of "Virus of the Mind" [Dawkins, 1976]. Denett extended
Dawkin's idea of memetic evolution when he proposed the concept
of a "Universal Design Space" [Dennett, 1995 pg. 143] in which
natural selection is used as a catalytic tool to accelerate the
exploration of "all things possible" in both the genetic and
memetic realm.
The Universe to Date
--------------------
By extrapolating Dennett's proposal to include the physical
realm, it may be possible to look at the unfolding of the known
universe through evolutionary eyes. Perhaps the story would
look something like the following, in which we see matter
"prefering" to organize into stable structures, followed by the
emergence of replicating systems:
A uniform distribution of energy emerging from a point
source expanded and cooled. Minor fluctuations in the
continuity had non-linear reprecussions as energy
coagulated into matter. This material fell into countless
arrangements as the universe unfolded, the more stable ones
persisted and grew -- galaxies emerged.
On a small planet on the outer rim of one of these
galaxies, elemental materials churned in a primitive
atmosphere. The elemental materials on this planet fell
into countless arrangements, the more stable ones persisted
and grew -- life emerged.
Replicating arrangements of matter competed with each other
for the resources required to grow / reproduce. The
replicators that manage to survive give birth to a new
generation of similar replicators, some better suited than
others to grow / reproduce in the current environment. We
recognize this behavior as evolution.
The material tools that evolved to further replication of
matter include DNA, the lingua franca of genetic
evolution. One of the products of this (genetic) evolution
included beings capable of communicating information. This
made it possible to augment one's innate behavior on the
fly, in response to information communicated. DNA served
as a catalyst to speed up the process of finding designs
for creating efficient replicators.
The story becomes more complex as new variables are introduced;
viability is no longer based solely on the simple interaction
between a genetic replicator and an impartial environment. Not
only had other replicators become part of the environment, but
the interaction of the replicators had evolved to the point
where something as intangible as information could have a
direct bearing on viability.
If two primitive beings are born with nearly identical
genes into similar environments, we expect their phenotypes
(the physical manifestation of one's genotype) and their
ability to successfully grow / reproduce to be similar.
This expectation can be explained using a strictly physical
analysis of the situation. However, if one of these
nearly-identical beings obtains information from another
being regarding the creation of a fire, then suddenly their
ability to successfully grow and reproduce is changed in
response to a non-material factor. Intangible information
now plays a role in differentiating between two replicating
beings who would otherwise be (effectively) equivalently
viable.
The non-material tools that evolved to further the process of
replication are called memes -- Richard Dawkins' term for a
unit of thought. Memes produced by one replicator could be
communicated to others via language. Cultures emerged, wherein
a group of replicators benefitted from a set of shared memes.
Memetic evolution is the process by which groups of memes are
communicated and improved upon by a group of replicators -- the
memes that help to create an environment well suited to the
further reproduction of memes (which likely implies an
environment well suited to the further reproduction of genes)
are the ones that persisted.
One species discovered that the memetic potency could be
enhanced by creating a physical record. Complex human
cultures emerged as memes evolved more rapidly with the
assistance of written records. Writing served as a
catalyst to speed up the process of finding designs for
creating efficient cultures.
Thus we see that the rate of movement through Denett's unified
design space accelerated as catalytic agents (genes, memes, new
memetic media -- e.g. writing). Denett extends Dawkins
suggestion that memetic evolution is similar to genetic
evolution by proposing that it is all part of the same
evolutionary process.
Catalytic New Media
-------------------
Memes reproduce and evolve as ideas are communicated among
memetic hosts. It is commonly accepted that human beings are
good memetic hosts, capable of understanding, synthesizing and
re-communicating memes; this is to be distinguished from
memetic media, which serve to carry memes from one host to the
next.
As new media for memetic transmission have come into use, it
often catalyzed the rapid growth and evolution of the existing
memes. The printing press improved upon hand-reproduced
documents, making it possible to inexpensively transmit memes
to a wider range of hosts. This helped accelerate cultural
trends of the time. Furthermore, the introduction of the
printing press also transformed the cultural environment to
such an extent that new memetic structures arose from drastic
mutations of the existing memes.
The 20th century has witnessed the introduction of several
important mass media which are still in the process of being
integrated into existing society. Radio and television provide
a predominantly non-interactive means of commincating with a
vast audience, while the Web provides a highly interactive
means of allowing memetic hosts to acquire new memes (commonly
called "surfing," as in "surfing the Web").
The Web differs from prior mass media in that it provides a
more efficient method for communicating memes directly to hosts
that are particularly susceptible to infection by a given
meme. This efficiency is a result of the Web paradigm:
memetic hosts directly seek new memes that appeal to them.
While this behavior is not unique to Web surfing -- for
example, one often looks for books that are of particular
interest -- the Web accelerates and amplifies this behavior due
to its highly interactive nature.
Is there a fundamental difference between the processes of
selection, growth and reproduction of memetic technologies like
the Web and traditional Darwinian evolution, or even the simple
unfolding of the state of a complex physical system like a
universe? Denett would likely agree with the assertion that
there is no fundamental difference, though memetic evolution
occurs at a far faster rate than the plodding pace of genetics.
Conclusion: The Selfish Meme
----------------------------
There may indeed be a fundamental difference between the
process of genetic and memetic evolution. Human memetic hosts
are capable of intentional, conscious action -- a factor that
has far greater impact on the memetic evolutionary process than
on the genetic process.
The intentionality of human memetic hosts makes it more likely
that a humans will re-transmit some memes much more widely than
other, less interesting memes. The memetic host's desires are
also shaped by memes, and it is this recursion of memetic
influence that can create highly non-linear memetic effects
like cultural fixation. This phenomenon may accelerate
memetic evolution faster than expected.
This process is not without its physical effects -- with the
help of self-aware hosts (human beings), memes propagate and
"wish" to be realized.
Selfish memes are like a recipe for a delicious cake; the meme
for making the cake embeds itself in one's mind and can
motivate action (e.g. the baking of a cake). If a memetic
impulse is acted upon, the meme artifact (the cake) may
help further propagate the original meme (the idea that baking
delicious cakes is desirable) when other memetic hosts are
exposed to the artifact.
Selfish memes desire "realization" -- the process of causing a
memetic host to carry out some action. Successful selfish
memes often cause memetic hosts to realize actions that assist
in the transmission of the memetic content.
The process by which Americans became fascinated with futurism,
space exploration, and the idea of landing a man on the moon
could be described in terms of a system of selfish memes that
established a self-reinforcing pattern that lead to realization
of the memetic concept (landing a man on the moon).
While a moon landing may have eventually happened at some point
in human history, its occurrence earlier in this century --
perhaps much earlier than might have otherwise been expected --
may be attributable to memetic feedback cycles.
The creation and continuing evolution of the Web may also be
the result of a strong positively re-inforcing memetic feedback
system. In 1984, Gibson's seminal novel _Neuromancer_ was
published -- a near-future heavily inspired by current trends.
In it, he describes a cyberspace matrix:
"Cyberspace. A consensual hallucination experienced daily
by billions of legitimate operators, in every nation, by
children being taught mathematical concepts... A graphic
representation of data abstracted from the banks of every
computer in the human system. Unthinkable complexity."
[Gibson, 1984, pg. 51]
Gibson's novel, influenced by contemporary cultural trends,
inspired programmers to work towards the systems they were
already working towards -- if they had not already been working
towards such systems, Gibson might not have picked up on the
themes that dominate _Neuromancer_. Thus Gibson's novel helped
accelerate a process that was already underway -- a process
which, among other developments, has helped to shape our vision
of online information systems.
Acting as a memetic catalyst, the Web medium promotes the
creation of memetic feedback cycles more than other media due
to its interactivity and immediacy. The Web efficiently
transmits memes that can have the effect of heightening desires
in a way that causes a host to seek out and re-transmit related
memes.
The Web is particularly kind to selfish memes that seek
realization beyond simple re-transmission by enabling people to
work together towards the creation of more complex memetic
artifacts. For example, memes that inspire citizens of a town
to build a bridge across a river will be assisted by the Web's
ability to augment human endeavors -- helping the townspeople
co-ordinate the resources necessary to actually build the
bridge.
The Web will likely serve to accelerate memetic evolution,
but the usefulness of memetics transcends the Web. Feedback
cycles, the interplay of art and science, and large scale
social movements also lend themselves to memetic analysis.
Along a similar vein, the greatly accelerated memetic evolution
evident on the Web will have effects that transcend memetics as
selfish memes seek realization in the creation of memetic
artifacts.
Certain memes have embedded themselves in our common culture,
selfishly wishing to realized: many in our society are
fascinated by the memes like world peace and using technology
to literally or figuratively transcend the body [Lateiner,
1992]. It is likely that the Web will continue to play an
increasing role in fueling our imagination and assisting in
memetic realization.
(C) 1996 Joshua S. Lateiner. All rights reserved, may not be
reproduced in any form without explicit written permission.
Limited re-print rights granted to Ars Electronica for
inclusion in the Memesis conference.
Bibiliography
-------------
Darwin, Charles. 1859. _On the Origin of Species by Means
of Natural Selection_. London: Murray.
Dawkins, Richard. 1989 (2nd ed., 1st ed. published in
1976). _The Selfish Gene_. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Denett, Daniel C. 1995. _Darwin's Dangerous Idea_. New
York: Simon and Schuster.
Gibson, William. 1984. _Neuromancer_. New York: Ace Books.
Lateiner, Joshua. 1992. "Of Man, Mind and Machine:
Meme-Based Models of Mind and the Possibility for
Consciousness in Alternate Media." Dataspace:
http://www.dataspace.com/documents/consciousness.html
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