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Home , Memetics, Richard Dawkins, The Selfish Gene

Interciencia ISSN: 0378-1844 [email protected] Asociación Interciencia Venezuela

Benítez Bribiesca, Luis : a dangerous Interciencia, vol. 26, núm. 1, enero, 2001, pp. 29-31 Asociación Interciencia Caracas, Venezuela

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MEMETICS: A DANGEROUS IDEA

LUIS BENÍTEZ-BRIBIESCA

SUMMARY In his bestseller book “The selfish ” been extensively investigated, are ethereal and cannot be has defined DNA as a universal replicator molecule that consti- defined. Without an adequate idea of these elusive elements it is tutes the basic structure for and of no surprise that no scientific demonstration of such an immate- living creatures. When trying to explain he rial replicator exists and serious scientists disregard memes as proposed the of a unit of cultural transmission for the basis to explain and cultural evolution. which he coined the very appealing neologism of “” call- Memetics is nothing more than a pseudoscientific dogma ing it the second replicator. Memes, as , are copied. They where memes are compared to genes, viruses, parasites, or in- mutate and are selected. This idea has undergone the sorcerer’s fectious agents thriving for their own survival in . apprentice path spreading rapidly amongst many evolutionary Memetics is a dangerous idea that poses a threat to the serious scientists developing into a strange “ of memetics”. But study of consciousness and cultural evolution. while genes are well defined and their molecular structure has

The concept of a self-repli- grounds, he was faced with to the gene, that could help gerous Idea”, and recently cating molecule as the origin the necessity of finding the explain cultural evolution by ’s book “The of seems to be widely ac- equivalent of a replicator natural selection. Memes, as Meme Machine” (Jeffreys, cepted. Richard Dawkins in gene in the human . He genes -according to Dawkins- 2000; Aunger,1999). The his bestseller book “The Self- thus proposed the existence of are copied, they mutate and metaphoric idea of memes has ish Gene” elaborates exten- an immaterial replicator, “a are selected. The analogy is undergone the sorcerer’s ap- sively on the role played by unit of cultural transmission”, so simple and attractive that a prentice path and thus has the universal replicator mol- a “unit of ” for full-blown theory of cultural spread so rapidly that even ecule DNA as the basic struc- which he coined the very ap- evolution based on memes in the ture of the gene to explain pealing neologism “meme” has emerged from various au- October issue of 1999 dared evolution and natural selec- (Dawkins, 1989). His inven- thors. The best examples are to publish an extensive article tion of living creatures. But tion was indeed a very catchy Daniel Dennet’s pair of by Susan Blackmore entitled when he tries to explain cul- one and provided an el- books, “Consciousness Ex- “The Power of Memes” tural evolution on the same ement, conceptually identical plained” and “Darwin’s Dan- (Blackmore, 2000). The issue

KEY WORDS / Memes / Genes / Consciousness / Cultural Evolution / Recibido: 05/12/2000. Aceptado: 08/12/2000

Luis Benítez-Bribiesca. M.D. Centro Médico Nacional S- Congresos, 4°. Piso, 06720 Editor in Chief, Archives of XXI, Av. Cuauhtemoc 330 México, D.F. México. Medical Research. Address: Bloque B de la Unidad de e-mail: [email protected]

JAN 2001, VOL. 26 Nº 1 0378-1844/01/01/029-03 $ 3.00/0 29 RESUMEN En su popular libro “”, Richard Dawkins tructura molecular ha sido investigada extensamente, los memes definió al ADN como la molécula replicadora universal que parecen ser etéreos e imposibles de definir. Sin contar con una constituye la estructura básica de la evolución y selección natu- idea clara acerca de estos elementos elusivos no debe sorpren- ral de las criaturas vivas. Pero cuando él trata de explicar la dernos que no exista ninguna demostración científica de la exis- evolución cultural tiene que proponer la existencia de una uni- tencia de estos replicadores inmateriales y por ello los científi- dad de transmisión cultural para la cual ideó el neologismo cos serios ignoran a los memes como elementos para explicar exitoso de “meme”, al que llama también el segundo replicador. la conciencia y la evolución cultural. La memética no es más Los memes, como los genes, se copian, mutan y son selecciona- que un dogma pseudocientífico donde los memes se comparan a dos. Esta idea ha tenido el destino del aprendiz de brujo, ya genes, virus, parásitos o agentes infecciosos que buscan tenaz- que se ha diseminado rápidamente entre muchos científicos mente sobrevivir en los cerebros humanos. La memética consti- evolucionistas produciendo una extraña “ciencia memética”. tuye una peligrosa idea que representa una amenaza para el Pero mientras los genes son entidades bien definidas cuya es- estudio serio de la conciencia y de la evolución cultural.

RESUMO

No seu popular livro “The Selfish gene”, Richard Dawkins ra molecular tem sido pesquisada extensamente, os memes pare- definiu ao ADN como a molécula reprodutora universal que cem ser etéreos e impossíveis de definir. Sem contar com uma constitui a estrutura básica da evolução e seleção natural das idéia clara sobre estes elementos elusivos não deve nos surpre- criaturas vivas. Mas quando ele trata de explicar a evolução ender que não exista nenhuma demonstração científica da exis- cultural tem que propor a existência de uma unidade de trans- tência destes reprodutores imateriais e por isso os cientistas missão cultural a qual deu origem ao neologismo com sucesso sérios ignoram aos memes como elementos para explicar a de “meme”, ao que chama também o segundo reprodutor. Os consciência e a evolução cultural. A memética não é mais que memes, como os gens, são copiados, se transformados e seleci- um dogma pseudocientífico onde os memes são comparados a onados. Esta idéia sido tido o destino do aprendiz de bruxo, já gens, vírus, parasitas ou agentes infecciosos que buscam tenaz- que se há disseminado rapidamente entre muitos cientistas mente sobreviver nos cérebros humanos. A memética constitui evolucionistas produzindo uma estranha “ciência memética”. uma perigosa idéia que representa uma ameaça para o estudo Mas enquanto os gens são entidades bem definidas cuja estrutu- sério da consciência e da evolução cultural.

is so controversial and so perficial analogy with genes genetic information has to be of selection, adaptation, and highly criticized that three cannot be more farfetched. stored in a relatively stable survival a chaotic disintegra- short counterpoints written by While genes are stored in a molecule such as DNA in tion occurs due to the accu- prominent scientists in the universal molecule containing what Schrödinger referred as mulation of errors. Selection fields of , psy- coded information amenable a “code-script”. Without this due to heritable variations re- chology, and ecology and to objective scientific scru- structure, a , which is quires a repeated population biology were tiny, memes, if they exist at nothing else but a change of upon which to operate added, of necessity. all, are a set of greatly het- code, could not take place (Kaufman, 1995). Proponents Surprisingly enough, and erogeneous imaginary entities and in the absence of a pre- of the “memetic hypothesis” although many ardent believ- that cannot in any way be cise copying mechanism mu- point out that memes mutate ers of this idea already speak subjected to rigorous investi- tations cannot be selected. In- continuously from “ to of a “Science of Memetics”, gation and experimentation. formation in genes is encoded brain” and in a very short there has been as yet no sci- Even more, without an ad- in digital form with four let- . How could this high entific demonstration of such equate idea of what to look ters, but in memes messages mutation rate, lack of a code an immaterial replicator. To for, no concerted effort to dis- are encoded in continuously script, and memetic instability start with, there is no clear- cover the whereabouts of varying analogous symbols account for the emergence cut definition of a meme. No memes has been or could be that might rapidly decay into and progressive evolution of one really knows what this mounted, asserts Robert noise as they are transmitted the human mind and ? “unit of cultural transmission” Aunger (1999). It follows that from individual to individual The idea that cultural evo- really is; this is why the list the existence of a cultural (Smith and Szathmary, 1995). lution is subjected to some of memes appears to grow in- replicator could not be scien- Genes require that messages kind of Darwinian selection is definitely and arbitrarily, al- tifically demonstrated if its be replicated with a high de- not new and certainly does though there is no way of essential niche and are gree of accuracy, something not require the existence of a outlining the basic composi- so elusive. that does not and cannot oc- replicator unit. In fact, Karl tion of this entity (Jeffreys, Furthermore, the mecha- cur with memes. The muta- Popper (1994) has stated that 2000). In the table from nism proposed for the copy- tion rate must be low to guar- the mechanism of adaptation Blackmore’s article, memes ing and mutation of memes, antee stability and to allow is fundamentally the same for and complex memes catego- as the basis of cultural evolu- for selective pressures to act genes, behavior, or scientific ries vary from stories, urban tion that memeticists contend over long periods of time. If discovery -considered by legends and myths to hair- is similar to genes, has seri- the mutation rate is high and Blackmore (2000) as a set of styles and body piercing ous drawbacks. For evolution takes place over short periods, complex memes- and that all (Blackmore, 2000). The su- and selection to take place, as memetics predict, instead are subjected to natural selec-

30 JAN 2001, VOL. 26 Nº 1 tion through selective pres- De Chardin “The Phenom- compared to genes, viruses, Blackmore S (2000) The Power of sures. He nevertheless ana- enon of Man” (1961). By the parasites, or infectious agents Memes. Sci. Amer. 283: 53-61. lyzes differences among the turn of the 20th century when thriving for their own survival Dawkins R (1989) The Selfish three levels. At the genetic the book was written, De in human brains. Memetics Gene. University Press. level, are not only Chardin explained noogenesis seems more a children’s fable Oxford-New York. random but completely blind; and the emergence of the or a virtual game, where De Chardin Teilhard (1961) The on the behavioral level differ- noosphere on evolutionary memes are obnoxious, au- Phenomenon of Man. Harper & ent trials, instead of gene mu- grounds, catching the atten- tonomous strange entities Row, New York tations, are no longer com- tion of bright floating all over trying to Jeffreys M (2000) The Meme pletely blind but goal-directed such as . At that control our . Despite Metaphor. Perspectives in Biol. and at the scientific level (or time, anthropology offered the efforts of some bright in- Med. 43: 227-242. cultural level) language, both him the scientific basis to tellectuals to provide this Kaufman S (1995) What is life? spoken and written, allows elaborate his idea that is, no fashionable metaphoric dogma Was Schrödinger right? In: criticism to be the selector doubt, bright and illuminating with any scientific basis Murphy MP, O’Neill LAJ (Eds) mechanism that leads to the but too metaphysical and im- (Jeffreys, 2000; Aunger, What is Life? The Next Fifty final path of cultural evolu- possible to be tested. The 1999), memetics continues to Years. Cambridge University Press. pp. 25-39. tion, which is creative devastating criticism of this be a pseudoscientific theory thought. work set forth by Peter that poses more confusions Medawar P (1996) The Strange Memetics is nothing more Medawar (1996) clearly than solutions for the study of Case of the Spotted Mice. Ox- ford University Press. Oxford- than a pseudoscientific dogma settled the unscientific nature consciousness and the evolu- New York. encased in itself. It is some- of this theory. tion of culture. thing akin to psychoanalysis The “science of memetics” Popper KR (1994) The Myth of the Framework. Notturno MA with its wonderful is farther away from Chardin’s (Ed). Routledge, New York. construction but devoid of theory of noogenesis and does any objective proof. Memetics not even embrace the respect- REFERENCES Smith JM, Szathmary E (1995) Language of Life. In: Murphy is approaching the dangerous able metaphysical concept of MP, O’Neill LAJ (Eds) What is category of a fashionable idea this author. Memetics seems Life? The Next Fifty Years. that follows the path of the more like a disparate cocktail Aunger R (1999) Culture Vulture. Cambridge University Press. pp. memorable book by Teilhard of concepts where memes are The 39: 36-42. 41-55.

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