RE: virus: Absolute Truth

Bill Godby (wgodby@sun.tir.com)
Fri, 24 May 1996 01:18:02 -0400


At 09:17 PM 5/23/96 +0200, Marek Jedlinski wrote:

>Proposition: "TRUTH" is a symbiotic meme: it has the quality of
>attaching itself to other memes. The "truth" meme is in fact a meta-meme
>(highly abstract) and as such needs a "low-level" host meme to materialize.
>(I.e. it is used to qualify another statement or belief: 'X is true'.)
>In return, it strengthens the host, enhancing its survival potential.
>The net result of the symbiosis is that both memes survive longer and
>infect a larger number of human carriers.

This is a very interesting thought to be sure and certainly seems logical.

>Corollary: "LIE" or "UN-TRUTH" would thus be memetic parasites:
>they too attach to the host and live off it, but in the end they
>bring about the host-meme's demise.

I'm not so sure this is quite as valid. Isn't the result any truth a
negation of it? Since that is the case the lie would really be a by-product
of the truth meme, and perhaps in a sense it is part of it, since it is
defined against it. It doesn't seem that there would be a demise of this
meme unless there was also a demise of the corollary truth meme. In
considering the God issue it's clear that both memes are alive and well.
Just thinking out loud here.

>(Alternative corollary: the 'truth' and the 'lie' memes are used by
>other meme complexes as - well, equivalents of biological warfare.
>Two conflicting memes ("God exists", "God does not exist") will
>seek to inoculate themselves with the truth meme and attack
>the rival with the lie meme.)

This somewhat demonstrates what I was saying I think. They work off of each
other.

-----
Bill Godby
wgodby@tir.com