>> The memetic/evolutionary paradigm seems to imply that we invent our own "meaning of life" since we create a memetic construct called 'meaning of life'. Does having a view that we "make up" our own 'meaning of life'
lead to a sense of meaninglessness?
>> --David R.
>Ken McE <kenmce@xatskill.net> commented:
>The memetic/evolutionary paradigm of "clothing" seems to imply that we
>invent our own "fashions" since we create a memetic construct called
>'style'. Does having a view that we "make up" our own 'clothing' lead
>to a sense of nakedness?
>-or-
>So what if we made it up?
Nate <giffon@SDCPOS3B.DAYTONOH.ncr.com> responded:
Are you trying to reduce David's comment ad absurdum? If so, from my
point of view I think you missed. Your argument makes perfect sense to
me
...and seems to point to an interesting thread that I don't recall being
discussed on the group over the past 8 months ... fashion is a classic
meme-plex. The answer to your question "So what?" is that by its nature
<artificial = man made> any artifact is the product of the memeplex that
caused its creation. For me the point of memetics is to control the
baseline from which I create my artifacts.
Ken McE came back in with:
>Perhaps I am not understanding the question? 8-(
Could you restate it?
So David R. replied:
This question:
Does having a view that we "make up" our own 'meaning of life'
lead to a sense of meaninglessness?
can get restated as:
Do people who believe that they create their own meaning of life feel a
sense of meaninglessness? In other words, does a certain type of belief
create a certain type of measurable effect?
- --David R.
So Ken McE decides to get ambitious about “meaning”:
I had rather assumed that meaning was something that humans
created
naturally, to suit our own needs and concerns. I also thought that the
“artificial” origin of these was not a problem. A beaver will take bits
of twigs and leaves and mud, things with little meaning, and create a
beaver sized world out of them. A beaver dam is clearly an artificial
construct, but this in no way interferes with its meaningfulness to the
beavers.
Yes, there are realities undergirding our meaning. Physics,
biology,
memetics, psychology, all of these things limit and shape what we will
accept as having meaning.
My point is, that these meanings, even if they are not true, are
still
real. Meanings are a collaborative effort, we use language to share
them back and forth. To answer one of the the original questions, I
accept that much of the meaning in my life is arbitrary and man made,
but this gives rise to no more sense of meaninglessness in me than in
anyone else.
As to Dave’s other question: “In other words, does a certain
type of
belief create a certain type of measurable effect?” Why yes, I would
certainly hope so. Otherwise, why bother?
Hoping I am a little clearer this time,
Regards,
Ken McE