The term "meme" was coined by Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene (1976), to describe something which was mental but had "genetic properties" of transmission and evolution.
It is still very strange that a video game from that year would ever refer to this usage of the term. Internet meme, as a term, came much later, certainly several years after 2000. Not only that, but the idea of a "Meme War"?
I'd dispute that, and not so much that he is wrong in a comprehensive way. Just incomplete. He isn't 100% wrong, but that's precisely why the immutability of his conviction of being 100% right rubs me the wrong way. I can respect it to an extent because I think he perceive himself to be in a battle with a religious establishment, so on one level he needs to be convicted to fight the fight he thinks he's fighting.
On the other hand, Darwinism is almost certainly wrong in some fundamental ways. Again, doesn't make it a mistake. The mental power of Charles Darwin and some of the subsequent biologists and geneticists is fucking mind blowing. But I take it as the mark of any good scientist to recognize one of the key parts of scientific theory...you're always a little wrong. That is, time always finds a way to refine what we think we currently know. I think science would be a better thing if more of them today acted this way, instead of like priests of a new clerical establishment.
I think science would be a better thing if more of them today acted this way, instead of like priests of a new clerical establishment.
If you regularly admit fault in front of an audience while your opponents double down and never waver, the audience often goes for the confident fool because he seems less unsure.
Yes, I agree. It's a natural bias and a big pain in the ass. That's why I mentioned earlier that I have to respect it to an extent, because he is publicly debating religion.
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chirogonemd ago
The term "meme" was coined by Dawkins in his book The Selfish Gene (1976), to describe something which was mental but had "genetic properties" of transmission and evolution.
It is still very strange that a video game from that year would ever refer to this usage of the term. Internet meme, as a term, came much later, certainly several years after 2000. Not only that, but the idea of a "Meme War"?
CrudOMatic ago
He was not wrong, anon. He might be pretentious, but that doesn't mean he was wrong.
chirogonemd ago
I'd dispute that, and not so much that he is wrong in a comprehensive way. Just incomplete. He isn't 100% wrong, but that's precisely why the immutability of his conviction of being 100% right rubs me the wrong way. I can respect it to an extent because I think he perceive himself to be in a battle with a religious establishment, so on one level he needs to be convicted to fight the fight he thinks he's fighting.
On the other hand, Darwinism is almost certainly wrong in some fundamental ways. Again, doesn't make it a mistake. The mental power of Charles Darwin and some of the subsequent biologists and geneticists is fucking mind blowing. But I take it as the mark of any good scientist to recognize one of the key parts of scientific theory...you're always a little wrong. That is, time always finds a way to refine what we think we currently know. I think science would be a better thing if more of them today acted this way, instead of like priests of a new clerical establishment.
VoatVoyeur ago
If you regularly admit fault in front of an audience while your opponents double down and never waver, the audience often goes for the confident fool because he seems less unsure.
chirogonemd ago
Yes, I agree. It's a natural bias and a big pain in the ass. That's why I mentioned earlier that I have to respect it to an extent, because he is publicly debating religion.
VoatVoyeur ago
Thank you, sir. Respect.