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Symbiosism, Symbiomism and the perils of memetic management

George van Driem

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterResearch

    Abstract

    Symbiosis is a widespread phenomenon in the living world that has been recognised for about as long as natural selection has been. Most multicellular life forms arose ontogenetically as symbiomes. Language too is an organism which arose as a semiotic symbiont within the hominid brain. The etymology of the term meme and a number of competing definitions thereof as the unit of selection in cultural evolution are explained. A concise exposition of Symbiosism and Symbiomism is provided, distilled from previous writings. The perils of memetic management are discussed, and the desirability and necessity of memetic management are called into question.
    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publicationLanguage and Culture in Northeast India and Beyond : In Honour of Robbins Burling
    EditorsMark Post, Stephen Morey, Scott DeLancey
    Place of PublicationCanberra, Australia
    PublisherAsia-Pacific Linguistics
    Pages327-347
    Edition1
    ISBN (Print)9781922185266, 9781922185259
    Publication statusPublished - 2015

    Publication series

    NameAsia-Pacific Linguistics; A-PL 23

    Keywords

    • Studies in Human Society

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