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WP 01-1

Bruce S. Fetter. Genes, Memes, and Contingency: The Effects of Purposive Action in Mortality Reduction.

Keywords: Memes, Human Mortality, Health Care, Long-term Social Change.

Abstract:

The term “meme” was coined by the biologist Richard Dawkins in 1976 to explain how the transmission of ideas in human society differs from that of genetic materials in living organisms. Although genes and memes both reproduce themselves through imitation, memes can transmit acquired characteristics, allowing them to change quickly. Clusters of ideas which promote longer life can be seen as health care memeplexes. Over the last 2500 years, these memeplexes have been transmitted through four social groups: families, healers, religious organizations and governments. In the last two centuries, economic considerations have played an increasing role in the implementation of health care memeplexes.

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