Re: virus: Fwd: The Laws of Cargo Cult Science

Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Mon, 20 Oct 97 12:48:23 -0400

>I am still trying to get caught up on memetics literature. I have
>wondered about the reason why people have picked a virus analogy to help
>explain the phenomena. Perhaps, as with infection, people use defenses
>to try to rid themselves of ideas that they perceive as foreign.

I think, like with most else about memes, they are reacting to Dawkins'
remarks in Chapter 12 of The Selfish Gene, one of the first steps taken.

There are several good papers (I think) on the Journal of Memetics web
site, and they also have a listserv. I am sure the main Virus page has a
link to them.

********************************
Wade T. Smith
wade_smith@harvard.edu
morbius@channel1.com
morbius@cyberwarped.com
********************************