Abstract
The essay explores the adequacy of the `meme' concept to explain the basic mechanism of cultural evolution. Distin's defense of `memetics' is deficient because it is based on a flawed analogy with genetics. Although Richerson and Boyd's `cultural variant' is not based on a flawed analogy with genetics, their alternative appears primarily to be operant conditioning in disguise and presents no novel innovations in learning theory. Both models of gene—culture co-evolution are examples of one-sided cultural determinism with no genuine biological component. Analysis of the information metaphysics of memes and cultural variants reveals that both concepts are also committed to mind—body dualism.
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