Mind viruses

[Andrew, Tel. +39-6-91093434]

In bionet.virology Msg # 1385
Rod Pennington wrote in reply to a comment by Denni Schnapp:

[cut]

>In which case we are looking at a replicating set of information
>or instructions.  This reminds me of reading that chain letters
>can be looked at as viral in nature. A chain letter is, like a virus,
>a set of information/instructions which requires a host for replication.
>A chain letter's host is the human mind (as opposed to the organic brain,
>per se).  Chain letters can undergo mutation (ie, typos,etc.) which
>alters chain letter "fitness" (defined in terms of the chain letter's
>ability to infect new hosts).
>
>Anyway, it seemed like an interesting idea.  I cannot remember where
>I saw this discussed.  Perhaps it was here on the Virology list.


I first saw this idea put forward in a letter to the Scientific Correspondence
section of Nature a few months ago. Perhaps it was there that you saw it?
I don't remember having seen it on the virology list before that.
By the way, I think this is a very interesting thread.

Andrew
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