An inherited unit for Universal Darwinism

We need an "umbrella" term for bits of evolving information - to act as units in universal Darwinism.

Some of the main proposals have been:

• Mneme - Richard Semon, 1921;
• Gene - George Williams, 1966;
• Replicator - Richard Dawkins, 1976;
• Codex - George Williams, 1992;
• Sign - Terrance Deacon, 1999;
• Reproducer - Jim Griesemer, 2000;
• Meme - Evan Louis Sheehan, 2006;
• Rep - Tim Tyler, 2012;

"Replicator" is probably the most popular term - but isn't great terminology - and it has already been very widely misunderstood.

"Reproducer" is OK, but it seems a bit vague.

"Meme" and "gene" seem as though they are fighting with historical usage a little.

"Mneme" is too hard to pronounce.

The umbrella term is probably more important than any particular sub-category.

My vote goes to "gene", from G. C. Williams, 1966.

My vote for second place goes to my own term: "rep" - a proposed abbreviation for "replicator" / "reproducer" and part of the protoscience of repology. I've also proposed the term "reme" - which fits better within the existing domain of gene/meme terminology.