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'''Memetics''' is the study of ideas, and their propagation. It is considered to be a [[protoscience]]. The term was popularized by [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and [[evolution]]ist [[Richard Dawkins]], in his book, [[The God Delusion]]<ref>Dawkins, Richard. "Memetics." The God Delusion. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.</ref>. The thesis postulates that ideas follow a Darwinian form of Natural Selection, as the idea, or ''[[Meme]]'' reproduces by being accepted by people. It then mutates, as in a game of telephone, causing the most appealing version of the original idea to out compete the other variations of the original meme.  

'''Memetics''' is the study of ideas, and their propagation. It is considered to be a [[protoscience]]. The term was popularized by [[agnosticism|agnostic]] and [[evolution]]ist [[Richard Dawkins]], in his book, [[The God Delusion]].<ref>Dawkins, Richard. "Memetics." The God Delusion. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006. Print.</ref> The thesis postulates that ideas follow a Darwinian form of Natural Selection, as the idea, or ''[[Meme]]'' reproduces by being accepted by people. It then mutates, as in a game of telephone, causing the most appealing version of the original idea to out compete the other variations of the original meme.  

==Terminology==

==Terminology==

==Criticism==

==Criticism==

Memetics is criticized on several fronts, on the basis that none of the assertions have been tested, and in some cases, cannot be tested. Other critics decry it's lack of a code, as DNA has a code. This, apparently causes the evolution of memes to be far to chaotic to be measured usefully. Others yet say that it is simply another version of Semiotics, which only has it's ability to copy itself.<ref> Terrence Deacon, The trouble with memes (and what to do about it). The Semiotic Review of Books 10(3). James W. Polichak, "Memes as Pseudoscience", in Michael Shermer, Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience. P. 664f.</ref>

Memetics is criticized on several fronts, on the basis that none of the assertions have been tested, and in some cases, cannot be tested. Other critics decry it's lack of a code, as DNA has a code. This, apparently causes the evolution of memes to be far to chaotic to be measured usefully. Others yet say that it is simply another version of Semiotics, which only has it's ability to copy itself.<ref>Terrence Deacon, The trouble with memes (and what to do about it). The Semiotic Review of Books 10(3). James W. Polichak, "Memes as Pseudoscience", in Michael Shermer, Skeptic Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience. P. 664f.</ref>

==See Also==

==See also==

*[[Evolution]]

*[[Evolution]]

*[[Natural Selection]]

*[[Natural Selection]]