Velikovsky on criticisms of memetics

I've spent some time going through the criticism of memetics from the memeophobes. I do this on my web site, on my blog, and in my 2011 book on the topic.

Others have spent time on this too - including Dennett, Blackmore and Hull. However I felt that more effort was needed in some places.

Another recent defender of memetics has been Sylvain Magne. Now, Joe Velikovsky is making some welcome contributions. Thanks, Joe!

Replies to some critics of “Memetics as a pseudo-science”

• Part 1 of 4: Hallpike 2004
• Part 2 of 4: Polichak 2002
• Part 3 of 4: Benitez-Bribiesca 2001
• Part 4 of 4: Lanier 1996

These articles seem to be promoting Velikovsky's paper on the topic - but that's fair enough.

I'm not sure all these critics are worth bothering with. Benitez-Bribiesca (2001) is an oft-cited critic of memetics - but the associated paper is totally hopeless. I rarely bother with addressing such nonsense. I feel much the same about Lanier. Lanier has lots of opinions, but a large proportion of them seem to be worthless nonsense.

I'm actually secretly pleased when such folk criticise memetics. If only Roger Penrose, Rupert Sheldrake, John Searle, Deepak Chopra and Al Gore could be persuaded to say some bad things about memetics!