Re: virus: Re: Inter-species memetic transfer

Wade T.Smith (wade_smith@harvard.edu)
Wed, 12 Feb 97 17:59:57 -0500


>Memetic transfers within non-human species are fairly well documented.
>Seasonally-changing songs are transferred from whale to whale around the
>planet. Gorillas trained in ASL will teach it to their children.
>Chimpanzees teach each other simple technologies they've invented - such as
>fishing for ants by poking sticks into ant-hills.

I can only remain skeptical about all these statements. 'Memetic
transfer' itself is a clanging term, hardly describable, certainly known
only to a select few.

_Mimetic behavior_ is certainly well documented. Some classification of
learning is probable among chimps, although there is no proof it is not
mimicry.

Signing among laboratory gorillas is not transferred without
experimental/human reinforcement. It is even controversial whether or not
it is separate from mimicry and memorization behavior.

(And it's termites the chimps go after.... Much tastier.)

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wade_smith@harvard.edu |'Theism is mental inbreeding.'
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