Evolution and memes: The human brain as a selective imitation device

The meme is an evolutionary replicator, defined as information copied from person-to-person by imitation. I suggest that taking memes into account may provide a better understanding of human evolution in the Following way. Me mes appeared in human evolution when our ancestors became capable of imitat ion. From this time on, two replicators-memes and genes-coevolved. Successf ul memes changed the selective environment, Favoring genes for the ability to copy them. I have called this process memetic drive. Meme-gene coevoluti on produced a big brain that is especially good at copying certain kinds of memes. This is an example of the more general process in which a replicato r and its replication machinery evolve together. The human brain has been d esigned not just for the benefit of human genes, but for the replication of memes. It is a selective imitation device. Some problems of definition are discussed and suggestions made for future research.