The Theory of Society  by Wayne M. Angel, Ph.D.

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The Quest - A Preface

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The Theory of Society
  Introduction
  Evolutionary Society
  Relation Dynamics
  Relation Thermodynamics
  Memetics

    Memes
    Meme Population Dynamics
    The Kaufmann NK Model

  Wants
  Mimetics
  Decision Making
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Relation Dynamics and Thermodynamics provide a quantitative framework for analyzing society, but they provide no means to understand the evolutionary nature of society.  They simply describe the dynamics of a relationship system in the same manner as physical dynamics describe physical systems.  There is no evolutionary content in the dynamical equations of either. 

There must be something else driving cultural evolution there must be something that plays a role similar to the role genes play in biological evolution.  Several individuals have discussed such a possibility.  In this chapter I consider “memes” as introduced by Richard Dawkins [1976, 206].  I will show that based on the characteristics of memes we can expected them to follow a Kaufman NK evolutionary dynamic.  From this I will conclude that, although, they have a significant influence on organization dynamics, memes cannot account for cultural evolution.  I will later introduce the mimeme concept as the replicators of cultural evolution.  Mimemes require the existence of the meme communication network but it is the mimemes that actually drive cultural evolution.  Before we can understand mimeme dynamics we must understand meme dynamics.

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