The study of

meme A meme (; ) is an idea, behavior, or style that Mimesis, spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture and often carries symbolic meaning representing a particular phenomenon or theme. A meme acts as a unit for carrying c ...

s, units of cultural information, often involves the examination of meme complexes or memeplexes. Memeplexes, comparable to the

gene complex In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

es in biology, consist of a group of memes that are typically present in the same individual. This presence is due to the implementation of

Universal Darwinism Universal Darwinism, also known as generalized Darwinism, universal selection theory, or Darwinian metaphysics, is a variety of approaches that extend the theory of Darwinism beyond its original domain of biological evolution on Earth. Univer ...

's theory, which postulates that memes can more effectively reproduce themselves when they collaborate or "team up". Various manifestations of memeplexes can be observed in our everyday surroundings, and they usually have a profound impact on shaping individual and societal behaviors. Some of the most common examples include: ; Belief Systems and Ideologies::This refers to a wide array of constructs such as religions, philosophies, political alignments, and overall worldviews. All of these systems are composed of multiple interrelated memes that collectively form a cohesive belief system. ; Organizations and Groups::Entities such as churches, businesses, political parties, and clubs also illustrate memeplexes. These groups often share a common set of principles, rules, or beliefs that are propagated among their members. ; Behavioral Patterns::These include various cultural practices and routines, such as musical practices,

ceremonies A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan origin, via the Latin . Religious and civil (secular) ceremoni ...

marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

rituals, festivities, hunting techniques, and sports. Contrary to inherited gene complexes, memeplexes encounter less

pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and eve ...

to provide benefits to the individuals exhibiting them for their replication. This distinction is because memes and memeplexes propagate virally via

horizontal transmission Horizontal transmission is the transmission of organisms between biotic and/or abiotic members of an ecosystem that are not in a parent-progeny relationship. Because the evolutionary fate of the agent is not tied to reproductive success of the host ...

, making their survival not solely dependent on the success of their hosts. For memes and memeplexes to successfully replicate, they do not necessarily have to be useful, accurate, or factual. As an example, the

geocentric model In astronomy, the geocentric model (also known as geocentrism, often exemplified specifically by the Ptolemaic system) is a superseded scientific theories, superseded description of the Universe with Earth at the center. Under most geocentric m ...

was a widely accepted concept despite its inaccuracies and has since been largely supplanted by more scientifically sound theories. Prominent figures like philosopher

Daniel C. Dennett Daniel Clement Dennett III (March 28, 1942 – April 19, 2024) was an American philosopher and cognitive scientist. His research centered on the philosophy of mind, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of biology, particularly as those ...

, evolutionary biologist

Richard Dawkins Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) is a British evolutionary biology, evolutionary biologist, zoologist, science communicator and author. He is an Oxford fellow, emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was Simonyi Professor for the Publ ...

, and consciousness researcher

Susan Blackmore Susan Jane Blackmore (born 29 July 1951) is a British writer, lecturer, sceptic, broadcaster, and a visiting professor at the University of Plymouth. Her fields of research include memetics, parapsychology, consciousness, and she is best known f ...

, the author of ''

The Meme Machine ''The Meme Machine'' is a popular science book by Susan Blackmore on the subject of memes. Blackmore attempts to constitute memetics as a science by discussing its empirical and analytic potential, as well as some important problems with memet ...

'', advocate for the field of

memetics Memetics is a theory of the evolution of culture based on Darwinian principles with the meme as the unit of culture. The term "meme" was coined by biologist Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book '' The Selfish Gene'', to illustrate the principle that h ...

, the study of memes and memeplexes. These thinkers argue that memes and memeplexes have a substantial influence on our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors, shaping our cultural evolution.

References

Susan Blackmore, "Meme, Myself And I"

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080822192817/http://richarddawkins.net/article%2C3001%2CQampA-with-Richard-Dawkins-after-lecture-at-UC-Berkeley%2CRichardDawkinsnet Richard Dawkins, question and answer session at the University of California at Berkeley, March 8, 2008] Cultural anthropology Concepts in the philosophy of mind {{philosophy-stub

See also

References