ANTHROPOLOGIE
International Journal of Human Diversity and Evolution
 
Coverage: 1923-1941 (Vols. I-XIX) & 1962-2023 (Vols. 1-61)
ISSN 0323-1119 (Print)
ISSN 2570-9127 (Online)
Journal Impact Factor 0.2
News: Volume 62 Issue 3 is in progress.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SCImago Journal & Country Rank
 
 
Full text of article
'Uhlíř V, Stella M, 2012: Who needs memetics? Possible developments of the meme concept and beyond. Anthropologie (Brno) 50, 1: 127-142'.
 
Abstract
Until recently, the Memetic (Meme) Theory (and its sequels) has been one of the most widespread theories describing the transmission of cultural units on a neo-Darwinian basis. It seems that the study of culture is currently divided between traditional paradigms (ethnology, socio-cultural anthropology, etc.) and those inspired by biology (including memetics). The divide in the interpretation of cultural transmission seems to invoke a set of deeper questions concerning the cogency of the explanation of culture that are based exclusively on neo-Darwinian evolutionary mechanisms. Recent attempts to resuscitate memetics has lead us to a) survey the literature while seeking fatal drawbacks in the memetic model of cultural transmission; b) emphasize critical points of memetic theory (and similar neo-Darwinian based theories of culture), which circle around the topics of meaning and agency; and c) try to outline some possible directions which a biosocial approach of the study of culture may take. Finally, this essay considers the possibilities of a constructive synthesis of biosemiotic and biosocial approaches to culture.
 
Keywords
Memetics - Cultural transmission - Biosemiotics - Cultural evolution
 
 
 
 

 Full text (PDF)

 Export citation

 Related articles