> I propose the following parallel terminology:
>
> gene
> genetics
> genome
> genotype
>
> meme
> memetics
> memome
> memotype
>
> Just the genome is the complete ordered array making up an individual's
> genetic content, the memome would be a person's complete set of memes
> (including--Tim--the ostensibly inactive ones). As the genotype is the
> set of genes an individual has for a particular trait, the memotype would
> be the memes a person has defining a particular issue. And, no, memetics
> is not Mendelian; we don't have it that easy! ...and life is that much
> more interesting.
> It's not necessary, of course, that we use these particular terms,
> but they do help clarify relationships between memes and their results.
> In genetics, the results (such as brown eyes) of a genotype (such as BB or
> Bb for eye color) are referred to as a "phenotype", from the Greek phaino-
> meaning appearance or seeming. This term might be usefully applied to
> memetics as well, if it's not too confusing to use it in both contexts.
> The implications of such a distinction between transmitted units
> and their results in the individual are harder to see clearly for less
> obviously behavioural features, such as beliefs. I may think about this
> more and post more later; others are welcome to too, of course.
Wierd, I didn't make it through all my e-mail last night and hadn't
gotten to this post yet when I wrote mine about genotype/phenotypes. I
guess we were both on the same page, Eva.
-Prof. Tim