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Glite Dictionary
memetics

memetics

1 9.9
The study of how ideas and beliefs spread and change like living things
  • noun
  • /məˈmɛtɪks/
  • Specialized
: memética
  • Some have even proposed a new field of "memetics" (e.g., Lynch 1996; Blackmore 1999). Wilson (1998) has abandoned his earlier term, "culturgen," and adopted the meme, although his definition of it differs substantially from those proposed by others.

Or on a more serious note, like, what are your thoughts on the recent success of Deutsche going where you've spoken to sort of the the meme stocks, the memetics of the whole thing?

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Examples

  • A more fundamental challenge to memetics is presented by Dan Sperber (1996).

    Academic text (2001)

  • Books on memetics explore how internet memes influence public opinion and shape cultural narratives.

  • Well, we can discuss that when we get to memetics later this year.

    Dream Scenario (2023)

  • I have a particular brief with memetics which, I can see, will probably require a longer treatment.

    Blog text (29)

  • Memetics can prove its mettle if it can say something instructive about this type of problem or related problems.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The prospects for memetics seem stronger in cultural arenas outside of science, in more informal and unreflective venues.

    Academic text (2001)

  • For present purposes, I shall focus attention on the ideational or intellectual form of memes, which meshes with an interest in applying memetics to epistemology.

    Academic text (2001)

  • A general approach to social doxology that has garnered a certain following is called "memetics." According to memetics, thoughts and ideas are items in one mind that can be copied to, or replicated in, other minds.

    Academic text (2001)

  • Researchers in memetics analyze how trends and beliefs spread through society like viral infections.

  • The study of memetics helps us understand why certain cultural ideas become popular while others fade away.

Surface Forms

memetics singular
memetics plural

Morphology

memetics = meme (transparent) = meme + ics

Formed from the noun 'meme' plus the productive field-of-study suffix '-ics', so the meaning 'study of memes' follows directly.

Etymology

The word memetics comes from meme, a popular word for a cultural 'copied idea' that goes back to an old Greek word for 'something imitated'. The ending echoes genetics, so memetics is the study of how ideas copy and change over time, like genes do.