Phylomemetics

Phylomemetics is the name for the study of the historical evolutionary relationships between groups of cultural entities. The results of phylomemetic studies are often expressed partly in the form of phylomemetic trees.

Phylomemetics is named by analogy with phylogenetics - which it closely resembles.

Phylomemetics typically suffers from more problems derived from horizontal gene transfer than phylogenetics does - but neat trees can nontheless frequently be constructed.

The image to the right shows the relationships between Indonesian folk songs.

Phylogenetic relationships are often promoted as being some of the best evidence for organic evolution. Similarly, phylomemetic analysis provides excellent evidence for cultural evolution. One area where evidence is abundant comes from the evidence supporting the so-called "tree model" of languages.

Phylomemetic relationships between languages were known back in the 1850s - before Darwin wrote The Origin. Darwin actually used the descent with modification of languages to explain his theory of organic evolution. Back then cultural evolution was more widely recognised as being correct than organic evolution was.

For a large and beautiful phylomemetic tree of Indonesian batik designs, see here.

Also, amateur trees of internet memes are now being constructed - e.g. see here.

References

• De Winter, Gunnar (2011) Studying Memes With Phylomemetics.
  
• Howe, C. J. and Windram, H. F. (2011) Phylomemetics – Evolutionary Analysis beyond the Gene. PLoS Biology. 9(5).
  
• Situngkir, Hokky, Khanafiah, Deni (2004) Innovation as Evolution: Case Study Phylomemetic of Cellphone Designs.
  
• Situngkir, Hokky, Khanafiah, Deni (2006) Visualizing the Phylomemetic Tree. Innovation as Evolutionary Process. Innovation in the Evolution of Technological Artifacts. Journal of Social Complexity, Vol.2, No.2, 2006, pp. 20-30.
  
• Situngkir, Hokky (2008) Constructing the Phylomemetic Tree: Indonesian Tradition-Inspired Buildings.
  
• Situngkir, Hokky (2008) Conjectures to the Memes of Indonesian Songs. Bandung Fe Institute; Indonesian Archipelago Cultural Initiatives (IACI). (BFI Working Paper Series WP-VI-2008).
  
• Situngkir, Hokky (2008) Evolutionary Clustering in Indonesian Ethnic Textile Motifs.
  
• Situngkir, Hokky (2009) The Phylomemetics of Batik.
  
• Eldredge, Niles and Barnet, Belinda (2004) Material Cultural Evolution: An Interview with Niles Eldredge.
  
• Eldredge, Niles and Ilya Temkin (2007) Phylogenetics and Material Cultural Evolution.
  
• Greenhill, S.J., Currie, T.E., & Gray, R.D. (2009) Does horizontal transmission invalidate cultural phylogenies? Proc. R. Soc. B, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2008.1944.
  
• Wintz (2010) Phylogenetics, cultural evolution and horizontal transmission.
  
• Lycett, S.J. (2009) Understanding Ancient Hominin Dispersals Using Artefactual Data: A Phylogeographic Analysis of Acheulean Handaxes. PLoS ONE 4(10): e7404. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0007404.
  
• Mace, Ruth and Holden, Clare J. (2005) A phylogenetic approach to cultural evolution. TRENDS in Ecology and Evolution Vol.20 No.3 March 2005.