Meme

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Meme

Source: WordNet (r) 2.0
Meme

	meme
     n : a cultural unit (an idea or value or pattern of behavior)
         that is passed from one generation to another by
         nongenetic means (as by imitation); "memes are the
         cultrual counterpart of genes"

Source: Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001)
Meme

	meme /meem/ n. [coined by analogy with `gene', by Richard Dawkins] An
   idea considered as a replicator, esp. with the connotation that memes
   parasitize people into propagating them much as viruses do. Used esp. in
   the phrase `meme complex' denoting a group of mutually supporting memes
   that form an organized belief system, such as a religion. This lexicon
   is an (epidemiological) vector of the `hacker subculture' meme complex;
   each entry might be considered a meme. However, `meme' is often misused
   to mean `meme complex'. Use of the term connotes acceptance of the idea
   that in humans (and presumably other tool- and language-using sophonts)
   cultural evolution by selection of adaptive ideas has superseded
   biological evolution by selection of hereditary traits. Hackers find
   this idea congenial for tolerably obvious reasons.

Source: The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)
Meme

	meme
     
         /meem/ [By analogy with "gene"] Richard Dawkins's
        term for an idea considered as a replicator, especially with
        the connotation that memes parasitise people into propagating
        them much as viruses do.
     
        Memes can be considered the unit of cultural evolution.  Ideas
        can evolve in a way analogous to biological evolution.  Some
        ideas survive better than others; ideas can mutate through,
        for example, misunderstandings; and two ideas can recombine to
        produce a new idea involving elements of each parent idea.
     
        The term is used especially in the phrase "meme complex"
        denoting a group of mutually supporting memes that form an
        organised belief system, such as a religion.  However, "meme"
        is often misused to mean "meme complex".
     
        Use of the term connotes acceptance of the idea that in humans
        (and presumably other tool- and language-using sophonts)
        cultural evolution by selection of adaptive ideas has become
        more important than biological evolution by selection of
        hereditary traits.  Hackers find this idea congenial for
        tolerably obvious reasons.
     
        See also memetic algorithm.
     
        [Jargon File]
     
        (1996-08-11)

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