Cultural and
biological evolution are similar because natural selection acts in both cases.
Cultural productions compete against one another and many become extinct. As in
the case of living beings, not always the best win. Chance has an influence. In
this way, for instance, Windows-95 threw OS-2 out of the market, even though at
that time the second operating system was better. Another example is the result
of the war between the three competing models of video recording: Betamax, 2000
and VHS.
In the same
way that living beings exhibit genetic variability (many varieties of the same
gene co-existing in the same population), there is also a cultural variability,
represented by the co-existence of old and new makes and models of the same
product. At times of big change in the environment (we are just now experiencing
one) a cultural product may escape extinction thanks to its variability, by combining
versions and producing something new, better adapted to the new circumstances.
The
parallel is quite impressive. What we call a species in the biological world, may be considered similar to a civilization. But there
are also deep differences between both phenomena.
While studies
about biological evolution get back in time to one century and a half ago,
those about cultural evolution are more recent: not even half a century. One of
its pioneers, Richard Dawkins (who invented the term meme for cultural elements equivalent to genes) made the mistake of
considering biological and cultural evolution as identical processes,
forgetting their differences. Cultural evolution is almost exclusively typical
of man and exhibits new phenomena, emergent features that make it quite different
from biological evolution:
·
Cultural
evolution is much faster.
·
Cultural
elements pass between two different civilizations much more easily than genes
among two different species of living beings (except perhaps bacteria).
·
Hybridization
among different species is rare among living beings and usually gives rise to
hybrid sterility. Cultural hybridization, on the other way, is very frequent,
its results are usually fecund, and two unrelated cultural elements may even
come together and build a new entity.
·
The
concept of truth provides a criterion
for cultural selection unknown with genes. A gene may be more useful for the
survival of the individuals carrying it, but it cannot be said to be truer. For
the survival of a meme, however, this
concept may be essential. All the evolution of science is based on this. After
two centuries of success, Newton’s gravitational theory was supplanted by
Einstein’s general relativity because the latter was found to get nearer the
truth (to describe the universe better). Dawkins, however, does not take this
into account and insists on using only utility criteria. Thus his theory is
incomplete.
A truer theory has, in a certain sense, a greater
utility, even though established theories may provide greater political or
economical advantages than truer theories. Scientists and philosophers have
always declared that it is our duty to defend truth against every other kind of
benefit. Duty is another concept
usually forgotten by Dawkins and other biologists who work on memetics.
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