Spring 2013 Philosophy of Culture Practice Exam Questions
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Meme theory is the idea that culture has a life of its own. Culture develops from a collection of memes that advance on their own. Memes infect you like a virus, or that is the analogy used anyways. A meme is an idea that develops and then turns beneficial somehow, which is then how it continues in our society. Like the example of music, it may have started from just a nervous tick. A guy taps a log, and then it becomes infectious and mnay people start doing it. Then one day people start to realize that it is pleasurable to make these noises, then fast forward and being good at music has now become something that will help you attract a mate. Potential criticisms of the meme theory are that it doesn't allow for the idea of us developing our own culture, it's for the most part intentional.
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A meme is the information we receive, the "how to" in a question. They pass down from each generation by imitating information by practice. Although they are not like genes that are passed down perfectly to the next generation. Instead the agent may choose certain parts of the meme to keep. This meme theory accounts for cultural ideas by passing down different cultural aspects to the next generation. Memes also focus on one self by applying the question "qui bono" who benefits?
